Need any help?"

"No, Natsu, I'm fine. I can make it up a hill myself, believe me. I'd tell you if I couldn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Natsu, I'm su-re!" She squealed in surprise as her her feet slid out from under her and she went sliding back in the direction they'd come from, tumbling head over heels. Natsu stared after her for just a brief moment before bursting into laughter as she sat up, swiping the thick fluffy snow from her face. Lucy glared up at him. "What are you laughing at, you jerk?"

Natsu gave her one of his famous Natsu-esque grins. "Nothing, Luce. Nothing at all."

"That's what I thought," she muttered, climbing to her feet and brushing herself off. Lucy paused to look around them, instinctively checking for any signs of the Marked, but found nothing and shrugged to herself, scowling as Natsu easily slid back down to the bottom. "Jerk," she added when he playfully blew a wisp of flames into her face. She swatted at them to avoid catching her hair on fire. "Natsu!"

He only smirked.

It had been close to two months since they'd lost Wendy. Two months since it had become just she and Natsu. Two months since her last attack...no, that was a lie. She'd had another a few days after Wendy's death, and she and Natsu suspected that Sting had gone completely crazy, joining the Marked.

In that time, they'd been traveling around, checking each town and village and city only to discover almost every single one of them were completely and utterly destroyed, with dried blood still staining smashed buildings and things covered in snow in the streets. Lucy never looked closely at those things. She had no wish to see any more bodies for the time being.

They'd become closer, too. Natsu rarely left her side - and she was glad he didn't. She couldn't have managed without him. It wasn't often that they weren't hand-in-hand when casually walking, and he'd taken to trying to teach her how to fight in close combat, using the magic that could no longer be used to summon spirits to drive her attacks. It would be useful, as she couldn't be affected by the strange Marks, and she didn't have any distance attacks or weapons.

The celestial mage still had problems with her ankle and leg on occasion. It hadn't healed as well as she'd hoped, though that was no fault of Natsu's. They'd been on the constant move, and even when he'd carried her, it hadn't kept her from developing a permanent limp when the injury didn't heal properly.

Which brought her back to her current position.

"Could you stop laughing and help me?" she grumbled, and he smirked, taking her hand lightly and helping her up the steep icy slope. Lucy wished desperately that the winter would end already. She thought she was going to lose her fingers and toes half the time, and it was very rarely that the two of them were able to get into some sealed up building to shelter for the night.

As the time had gone by, the Marked had slowly but surely begun to get more and more aggressive. They'd come after the two often, choosing the middle of the night when it was harder to see what they were fighting to launch their attacks. If it wasn't for Natsu's insane hearing and sense of smell, Lucy knew without a doubt they would have been dead.

He was still snickering when they reached the top of the hill, and Lucy didn't hesitate to turn and push him back down it, watching with a smug little smirk on her face as he hit the bottom with a yelp. "That's what you get!" she hollered, cupping her hands around her mouth and blowing onto them to try and warm her bare fingers.

"That wasn't fair!" he cried back, giving her a pout, his pink hair dusted with white. He tugged at the scarf on his neck, adjusting it, and Lucy felt a flash of jealousy. When it wasn't needed for holding the makeshift splint she'd made on, he'd taken it back. She hadn't dared to ask to use it just yet. Yeah, they were together, but that didn't mean he'd be willing to share his most precious possession.

She hated to admit it, but Jellal had been right. Without other people to keep safe, it was easier to avoid the Marked, or hide when they decided to swarm the area in packs. Natsu didn't have to worry as much if they were forced into a fight, because not only could she now fight alongside him - sort of, anyways - but it was only one person he had to concern himself with guarding.

Despite the improvements, Lucy still found herself grieving over her Celestial Spirits. She missed them horribly. Their keys had always been a comfort to her, and they were now gone. She and Natsu were alone in a horrible and violent world. If she lost Natsu, too...she shook her head to clear that thought away immediately.

No. Natsu wasn't going anywhere. Never. He'd promised as much.

The dragon slayer scampered back up to stand beside her and Lucy smiled smugly at him when he stuck his tongue out at her in a childish way. "That wasn't fair," he repeated in an accusing voice.

"Then you shouldn't laugh when I need help climbing a hill," the celestial mage retorted playfully, flicking his arm before crossing her arms to fend off the chill of the upcoming evening. "Come on. We need to start finding some place to rest before night falls completely...and I want you to set up a fire. I'm freezing."

He frowned, taking in her appearance. "There's nothing to eat around here..."

"I'll see if I can get a second fire started for you," she said simply.

It was easy for Natsu. Yes, he required normal food, but if he was hungry, all they had to do was use the flint and steel pieces they'd gathered from what had remained of his home before leaving and he'd have food. Lucy, on the other hand, couldn't eat anything but normal food, and it was for that reason that they generally stuck close to the rare sources of fresh water they could find, where fish was abundant.

Natsu took on a pout that she recognized. A stubborn one that would mean he wasn't done with this conversation, and she hurried to say, "I'm not hungry, Natsu...my stomach's not feeling too good today."

He immediately looked even more concerned and she groaned when he demanded, "Are you sick? Was the fire hot enough last night? I can try and make it even hotter tonight if you want."

"You can't control the heat of the campfire, Natsu," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "It takes up too much of your energy and you know it."

"If you get sick, we could get into trouble," the fire mage mumbled, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "You can't just rest like you could before..." He shook his head, looking apologetic when Lucy grimaced at the reminder. So much for going the rest of the day without remembering all that they had lost.

"I know that," she said gently. "It's just as bad a situation if you do it though, maybe even worse, Natsu. They know when we've been using too much energy...that's when they start to come after us again."

"Stupid Marked," Natsu gritted out, looking frustrated, and she patted his shoulder soothingly before setting to work on hiking forward again, lacing her fingers with his and tugging him after her.

She couldn't help but murmur her agreement to those words.

They made their way through the forest, both keeping an eye out for a tree that would provide decent shelter or some kind of water they could camp out beside for the days to come. But they found nothing, and before they knew it, they were trampling through the snow in the dark.

"We need to stop," Lucy mumbled through her numb lips. "I'm cold."

Natsu glanced back at her, tugging the scarf away from his face. "...okay," he mumbled turning to face her. "You get the wood. I'm going to make sure the area's safe."

Panic flashed through her. "You're leaving me alone?"

Natsu scowled. "I'm not happy about it. But the last time I didn't, they attacked. I'll be careful as long as you are...don't go too far from here while you're getting the wood and fire going, okay? I'll make sure it's warmer than normal when I get back." He gave her his signature grin, and Lucy had to fight back the smile that wanted to show up when she saw that his hair was sticking up more than usual.

"...okay," she agreed reluctantly. "But hurry back, okay?"

"I will, I promise," he swore, ruffling her hair before bounding off, using his enhanced senses to check for the danger of the Marked despite the fact that the snow dampered the scents. Lucy watched after him with a look of distress, then limped her way over to where a particularly large branch was poking out of the snow. He would come back, she told herself, getting lost in her thoughts. He always came back.

He'd promised he would.

She'd just finished gathering up enough branches and fallen wood for two campfires - one for her and one for Natsu to devour - when a giggle filled her ears. She dropped all of the wood, wincing when it landed on her bad foot, and whirled around, a golden light swirling around her already balled fists in preparation.

Who she found shocked her, and Lucy dropped her magic and fists immediately, gaping. "...M-Mavis?" she breathed.

The First giggled again, tilting her head and smiling charmingly at Lucy, not looking the least bit bothered by the cold. "Lucy Heartfilia," she greeted cheerfully, her voice soft yet clear as a bell. Lucy blinked. It had been a while since she'd heard voices other than her own and Natsu's.

"What...what are you...?" Lucy was speechless.

Mavis' eyes became serious, the green color darkening and her smile fading as she let her gaze rove around the small area they'd chosen as the night's camping place. "You are in danger," she said simply. "I do not like my Fairies being harmed."

Anger struck the celestial mage's heart. "Then where have you been!?" she cried, throwing her arms out to indicate the empty space around her. "Where were you when everyone was-" She cut off, glaring at the small blonde girl, who merely tilted her head with a calm expression.

"I do not have much time with you," she murmured, "I would appreciate if you would listen to what I have to say, Lucy Heartfilia."

"Please stop putting my last name in there," Lucy sighed, unhappy with that. She didn't like being reminded of who she'd been affiliated with in the past, even if she had come to terms with her father before his death...sort of. "What do you want to say then? Since you're here..." Hopefully Natsu wouldn't realize she was talking to someone and go into attack mode. Believing they were the only two alive had done wonders for his urge to fight...

She really needed to cut back on her sarcasm towards the protective dragon slayer. It wasn't his fault he was a complete idiot most of the time...right?

"You are aware," Mavis said softly, smiling gently as she held her hand out. A snowflake fell from the sky to land in the center of her palm, and she closed her hand around it, water seeming to cascade out of nowhere to flood along the ground, melting the snow around it. In the snow's place grew a single flower, as white as the snow around it. "Of the curse placed upon your back?"

"How could I forget?" Lucy muttered, reaching back to touch it and cringing. The pain increased with every single day, and she knew without a doubt that Natsu was worried about it, too. "What about it?"

Mavis smiled again, her green eyes sliding shut as she did so. "The curse holds you back, Lucy Heartfilia. Rid yourself of it, and remember your Celestial Spirit's words."

Lucy instinctively knew what she was talking about. "But...it hurts," she whispered. "It hurts to even try and remember."

"As I said," Mavis murmured, "The curse holds you back. You will have to push past it, ignore the pain, and remember." She lifted her eyes to stare firmly into Lucy's. "You are running out of time, Lucy Heartfilia. You don't have much left at all. I cannot tell you anything other than what I already have, or it will kill you. I'm sorry." She paused. "...I will fix your injury. And then I must leave." She waved her hand and Lucy blinked when the distant ache in her ankle vanished.

"...thank you, I guess," Lucy mumbled, still lost as to what the First meant by any of what she had said.

Mavis smiled with another small giggle before turning to leave...only to pause, her eyes fierce as she said, "Do not worry so much for Natsu Dragneel. He is safer than you believe...in the physical sense."

And then she was gone, as if she hadn't been there to begin with.

Lucy let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "What...just happened?" she breathed, frowning in confusion.

"Lucy!"

Her head snapped around at the familiar voice. "Natsu!" she called, smiling in relief as the dragon slayer darted into view. His eyes were narrowed, flames already flickering dangerously at his fingertips. She ignored them, touching his arm. "I'm alright."

He reluctantly relaxed. "I couldn't find you," he muttered, glaring around them. "What happened?"

Lucy furrowed her brow as she studied him, taking in his suspicious glare as he tucked her under his arm. She leaned against him, enjoying the warmth he provided as Mavis' words echoed through her mind.

"Do not worry so much for Natsu Dragneel. He is safer than you believe...in the physical sense."

Did that mean Natsu couldn't get the Marks either? She hoped so. Because she did not want to lose him to the Marks that had taken everyone else from them. As if reading her thoughts, his grip around her shoulders tightened and he pulled her closer, resting his chin on her head and glowering at nothing, as if he could chase the memory of what he had missed away.

Lucy didn't mind, but frowned. Couldn't he smell Mavis? He knew her scent...so why was he acting like this?

XxXx

Her eyes snapped open and she was immediately rolling onto her stomach, relieved at the fresh coldness of the snow that hadn't melted away from where Natsu had curled up beside her. The dragon slayer blinked his eyes tiredly as he sat up, frowning at her. "Luce?"

She ignored him for a moment, panting for breath, fighting the urge to vomit on the ground in front of her as the sight repeated over and over in her mind. She couldn't get rid of the sight of the Marked One ripping Wendy's heart from her chest. She could remember every little detail of the moment Erza had plunged the blade into her own neck, the time Erza's blade had struck through Gray's neck with ease.

And she couldn't get rid of the little voice taunting in the back of her mind, "You're going to lose it all! You're going to die a horrible lonely death!"

She gave a shaky gasp, drawing in air. "N-Natsu," she managed to get out as she reached for her dragon slayer. He was adorably sleepy-looking as he pulled her against him, frowning down at her with confusion in his eyes. "Sorry," she breathed after she had taken a few moments to calm herself down. "I'm...I can't..." She shuddered.

Hesitant, he ran his hand along her back, frowning, and Lucy wanted to cry. What had happened? Where had they gone wrong? Why couldn't Natsu act like his normal self?! She just wanted her best friend (and boyfriend) back to the way he'd been before everything had gone to hell! She wanted everyone in Fiore alive again. She wanted her guild back, her nakama waiting on them to return from some mission they'd taken. She wanted Natsu destroying things unintentionally as he fought to take down their enemies alongside she and Happy. She wanted to talk with Levy over books they'd both recently gotten to enjoy.

Damn it, she wanted her life back!

"Natsu," was the only thing she found herself whispering, crying into her hands.

He grimaced, looking uncertain as to how he was supposed to react to this development. "It'll be okay, Luce," he tried to comfort her, glancing around, straining his ears to listen for the Marked. "I promise. Just...go to sleep, okay? Get some more sleep. It'll be better when we wake up in the morning."

She only sobbed harder. "How can you say that? All of our nakama are dead! Nothing will ever be okay!"

Natsu blinked. "We're still alive."

"I don't want to be," Lucy whispered, shaking her head.

She had chosen to not give up under Igneel's orders and Mavis' encouragement...but it was damn hard not to in her current circumstances. The celestial mage had considered telling Natsu about her little "adventure" with Igneel, but had decided against it. Heaven knows how the dragon slayer would react to hearing that she'd met with the fiery dragon when he couldn't, and the same went for her meeting with Mavis. Something didn't sit right with her after his reaction upon returning.

The Natsu she knew never forgot a scent, especially the scent of someone who had helped them so much.

A chilling thought ran through her mind. What if this wasn't her Natsu? What if the Marked had figured out how to trick her? The thought had her clutching her head in a panic. No. That couldn't happen. She needed the pink-haired boy who was so innocently struggling to help her feel better despite the death and destruction that had surrounded them for months.

Lucy took a shaky breath, forcing herself to sit up and calm down, leaning into the warmth that was Natsu. He mumbled something in her ear, but she pretended not to notice, not interested in the soothing words. She wanted so badly to get out of this world...hell, even Edolas would be better at this point! She'd rather be stuck in a world with different versions of her friends and no magic than alone in one full of it!

No, the celestial mage scolded herself. She wasn't alone. Natsu was right beside her. But if he went...she decided then and there that she would not let herself live a long and lonely life in this world, running from the Marked. She would join her friends in whatever happened after you died, because she refused to be alone.

"Lucy?"

"I'm okay now," she breathed, looking anything but as she stared up at him with blank dark eyes. He took one look at them, then hugged her tightly, burying his face in her hair, and the celestial mage rested her head against his shoulder, tiredly closing her eyes.

They remained that way for the rest of the night, Lucy dozing lightly against his shoulder and Natsu keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of the Marked, worried that they might show up after the amount of noise Lucy had produced. The moment the morning came, the sun breaking over a cloudy horizon, he was gently shaking her awake.

"Luce," he whispered into her ear. "Time to get up. We need to get you some food today...your stomach was growling all night."

"Shut up," she grumbled, ignoring the smirk that flashed across his face as she swatted lazily at him. She stood with ease, brushing herself off out of habit rather than necessity. Natsu had melted any snow before it had touched them throughout the night. Lucy's mind distantly went to Mavis for the briefest of moments, and she shrugged. Mavis had told her to remember Loke's words. And she'd try.

Later, though, when there wasn't pain filling her mind while trying to do so.

Natsu looked disgusted as he forced himself to suck back up the fire he'd made for Lucy the night before, unhappy to be forced to re-consuming his own fire. Lucy felt a flash of sympathy for the poor guy; she knew he hated it, that it even hurt him. Kissing his cheek to try and show him she appreciated the fact that he was trying to conserve what they had, she laced her fingers with his. "Come on," she said softly, searching his onyx eyes for a brief moment. "We have to get going."

"Yeah," he muttered, looking serious rather than giving her a grin as he once would have.

Lucy closed her eyes with a soft sigh.

Yes. She definitely missed the old Natsu.

Lucy picked her way carefully over the rubble, pursing her lips together in a thoughtful look. "Natsu," she said thoughtfully, and the dragon slayer paused to wait for her, tugging his scarf down. "Don't go too far ahead...I'm not entirely good at fighting yet."

"I know," he reassured. "I'm not going anywhere. Just making sure nothing pops out to surprise us."

"Doesn't matter what we do," she grumbled in response, "They're going to come after us soon...it's been three days since their last attack. With how they've been lately, they won't wait much after before coming after us again, Natsu. Thanks," she added when he helped her over a particularly large bit.

Lucy hugged herself, drawing her hand away immediately. She didn't know why, but since Mavis' visit, she hadn't felt that he was trustworthy...something was wrong. Natsu was hiding something, and she was determined to figure out what. And he'd noticed her withdrawing from him. He'd demanded what was wrong with her earlier after they'd set out and she'd pulled away from him after an hour or so of silent walking.

She stopped walking, and he glanced back at her with a frown. "Luce? What's wrong?"

She was hesitant to speak, but did so anyways. Clearing her throat, she stared him in the eye. "Natsu, are you-"

A hand slammed suddenly over her lips. "Sh," he growled, hushing her as he moved closer again. Lucy instinctively let her hand clutch the end of his scarf, her brown eyes searching the area around them with a wary look, a golden swirl picking up along her fingers in a similar way to Natsu's flames.

"Natsu?" she breathed, nervous. "What's wrong?"

"We're surrounded," he muttered in response. A low growl-like sound left his lips as he whirled in a circle, flames flickering to life and rising along his arms. "Stay back."

Lucy fell into the stance he'd taught her, ready to fight immediately. Her dark eyes searched the area for the Marked Natsu had mentioned, and she snapped, "What, you teach me to fight, then tell me to hang back? Not happening. Sorry, Natsu."

Natsu paused at that, then shrugged, giving her a fanged grin. "Just don't get yourself hurt."

"I'll do my best," she muttered, slightly annoyed by his words. Honestly. She wasn't helpless. A hiss caught her ears and Lucy whirled around, golden light flaring warningly when a Marked One slid from the rubble of the destroyed town around them. It was followed by another, and then a few more, and Lucy nervously took a deep breath. She had to focus, she told herself. In order to survive, she had to keep her mind on task.

Easier said than done when Natsu suddenly swore and dropped to the ground to avoid a Marked One that threw itself at them. "Lucy, look out!"

One more deep breath, and then she lashed out, kicking at the Marked One that had attacked. It screamed piercingly, gray tongue hanging from its mouth as it scrambled back to avoid the golden light that exploded out of her foot. Bloodshot black and red eyes glowered viciously at her, and the black saliva that dripped from its sagging mouth hit the ground, melting whatever it touched.

Note to self, Lucy told herself as she pulled back, ducking to avoid a second that went after Natsu. Don't touch their spit!

"The hell?" she whispered as another lunged for the pissed off dragon slayer behind her. Natsu was breathing stream after stream of fire at them, but they pretended not to notice, continuing to go after him, only attacking her if she went after them first or got in their way. Furious, the celestial mage grabbed one's arm, watching as the golden light of her magic enveloped it and sent it flying. "Natsu, they're not-" She cut off with a sharp inhale when one of the Marked Ones suddenly dug its talons viciously into her arm.

Natsu whirled around, eyes snapping wide. "Lucy!"

"I-I'm okay" she rasped, ignoring the blood in favor of slamming her palm into the creature's face, watching as it went slamming through rubble and fell still. "Natsu, they're not going for me. They're going after you!"

He ducked to avoid a blow, growling irritably and incinerating one that launched itself at him. "I can see that," he snarled back. "But if they're going after me, then why are you still getting attacked?!"

"Because I'm not going to let them get to you," Lucy said firmly.

"Do not worry so much for Natsu Dragneel. He is safer than you believe...in the physical sense."

Lucy had to bite back a bitter laugh as she remembered Mavis' word. Safe? In the physical sense? Are you insane? He's anything but safe at this point! She spun on her heel, narrowly avoiding an attack from a smaller Marked One that lunged with bared fangs for her throat. She slammed her elbow against it, letting her magic power the blow. "Where did they all come from?" she muttered.

In the last few days that they'd been traveling, they hadn't seen a single Marked One! ..had they all migrated here or something?

Suddenly, Natsu was in front of her. The grim expression on his face immediately told her what he planned on doing, and he only paused to let loose a Fire Dragon's Roar to stop another Marked One before saying in a rushed voice, "Lucy, listen to me." She whipped her head around just in time for him to plant a gentle yet fierce kiss to her lips, and stared at him for a moment with shock. "Be careful, okay? Don't let them get you."

"N-Natsu?" she breathed uncertainly, suddenly terrified. "What are you-"

He cut her off by yanking the scarf from around his neck and quickly wrapping it around hers, rushing to shrug his jacket off and drape it over her shoulders as the Marked reared back, seeming to take a moment to regroup.

With Natsu left shirtless, she saw immediately what he'd been hiding from her.

"No," she whispered, voice cracking and tears rising to her eyes as she took in the black Marks that raced up and down his flesh, encircling his arms and hiding the Fairy Tail emblem that had once existed on his shoulder as they reached for his heart. "When-"

"Wendy touched me when she saved me," he said simply. "I didn't want you to know, because I knew you'd be even more upset."

"You're not...you're not leaving me," she rasped, panicking. "No, you can't!"

"I have to," he said firmly. "Stay safe, okay? If I get away, I'll come back for you. They're only after me. I won't put you in danger anymore than you already are...stay alive, alright? If I get away, I'll come find you."

"You can't!" Lucy repeated, trembling as she tried to grab his arm, but he'd already swung around, darting away from her.

The last Lucy saw of Natsu Dragneel, Salamander of Fairy Tail, was as he swung around a corner, the Marked Ones chasing after him and whisking past the young blonde as if she wasn't even there.

And then she was alone, her fingers tangled in the scarf that had once belonged to the one she loved.