Silence. Not a single sound came from the empty clearing. All present too astonished by the previous events. Not a bird sang, nor cricket chirped. Only the gasped breathing of two Fairy Tail mages.

Natsu held loosely unto Lucy, resting cordially upon his chest. Lying face up on the grass, he was thankful for the numbness in his back. Not feeling the many lacerations located there. However, that did not sway the fact that they were still there bleeding out, dripping precious liquid he needed to survive.

Pinching himself he remembered the amount of blood Lucy had lost! She looked worse than him! He had to fix her wounds immediately.

"Luce." Natsu attempted to sit up. "We need to wrap our wounds, find the guild. Get help."

As he tried to lift them, every muscle and open injury flared. He understood that moving was not an option.

"I'm sorry..." Lucy sniffed.

Natsu stopped, his breath halted noticing her tears.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold on." Her voice cracked.

"Shush, no time to think about that. Let's just focus on staying awake." The boy brushed off her words.

"The truth is, ever since the Gate opened I could feel my energy slipping away from me. Still eating away at my soul, just as Savina said, 'I will share my mothers fate'."

A tight force seems to squeeze his heart, he had forgotten all about the effects of the Equinox Gate. "Luce..."

"Listen to me, I don't have much time!" Lucy interrupted him, forcing her obviously tired head up to face him directly. Her face stern and serious, yet eyes filled with a deep sorrow. "I know you saw what happened, in the Cave with Cloven. I know I can't stop you from seeing me differently, of how dirty and defiled I am. But no matter how you see me I still love you!"

Natsu hesitated, taken aback by her forceful and suprising words. How could she even think something like that? Lucy dirty? Not in a million years. There was nothing that she could do to make him think that of her. She was his brightest star.

"Not even close." Natsu shook his head solemnly, confusing the fragile girl. "Lucy, you were a victim to his wicked and disgusting game. No way in hell are you to blame for anything he did to you. Just because he touched you doesn't mean you worth any less and you triumphed over it. You never let him beat you and because of that you are one of strongest people I know. Those are the reasons I love you."

A bright smile spread unto Lucy's lips as she returned her heavy head to his breast. Even after such a gratifying conversation, her life force was still slowly slipping away. In just a few minutes she knew that she would cease to exist.

Lucy felt the sudden urge to kiss him, to show her gratitude and share a moment together for the last time. But her body was so weak, she couldn't bring herself up to reach him. His face was only inches away from hers, but it might as well have been miles.

"Natsu...thank you." Natsu could barely hear Lucy's words, her consciousness slipping away. This worried him endlessly, yet; he too knew he couldn't stay awake much longer. But what would happen if they fell asleep? Would they ever wake up?

"Thank you for bringing me to FairyTail. You gave me happiness, a family and a place I could belong. It is all thanks to you. I owe everything I have and everything I've become to you."

A clump caught in his throat, because Natsu knew why Lucy was saying all these things. He could feel tears falling down the side of his cheeks, looking up at the cloudless sky. Natsu couldn't bring himself to look at her, even if he did he would only be able to see the top of her head.

Lucy felt Natsu's chest shake from beneath her and she gripped his shirt tighter. He was trying to be strong for her, they both knew she was dying.

"Natsu..." Lucy voice was soft, but she was interrupted.

"I don't think you understand Luce." Natsu's voice was extremely wobbly. "I didn't know who I was until I met you. All my life it was just Happy and me, going on missions and doing what ever we wanted. But I didn't know was, that whole time we were looking for you. It was because of you that I am who I am today. You taught me a new way of life, you supported me when no one else would and you always stood by my side. No one had ever done that before."

Lucy could feel herself tremble from tears dropping onto Natsu's scarf. She hadn't known what an impact she had on him.

"You made me think of things I never even dreamed about before. I was either too dense or too scared, but you showed me how to love another person. To think of someone else first, instead of blindly charging into danger. You caused my drive to get stronger, because I wanted to be able to protect you! Im sorry I failed."

"You didn't fail Natsu. I watched you fight your heart out and you did it for me. I hurts me to watch you fight, but I know once you set your mind to something, no one can stop you. Those are the reasons I love you." She quoted him.

Natsu laughed slightly, but his snicker turned into a harsh cough.

"Thanks for all the adventures." What seemed to be Lucy's last words fell out of her mouth, as if they rode upon the last breath of air she exhaled.

Natsu froze, he didn't breath, he didn't flinch. Instead he listened gravely for Lucy's heartbeat or even a slight inhale of breath, but none came. Lucy Heartfilia's energy had been completely drained from the Equinox Gate opening, nothing left but her limp body.

Even though his body could barely move, his sorrow gave him strength and he lifted his heavy arms and wrapped them around his passed love. A deep sob erupted from within him, but he was too tired to even morn properly.

He had nothing left to live for, Lucy was his reason for everything. He woke up every morning to see her and make new memories with her. Now that she was gone, Natsu felt no need to continue his existence. He was always prepared to die for Lucy, what was the difference to dying with her?

Returning to a Guild without Lucy would be worse than dying. In that moment, Natsu felt at peace. He decided to stay with her, to move onto whatever came next with her. Because they would always be together. Forever.