Natsu sat on the roof of the guild, feet kicked up on the wall, arm resting on the edge of his rickety chair. A longview scanner sat in his lap and he tapped his fingers against it absently. His skin thrummed and a headache was starting to pulse just behind his temples.

He missed Gray. It had been several months since the Earthlanders had arrived and he'd been unpleasantly shocked into the past by his fiance's counterpart, and the ache still remained. He played with the ring on his finger, shifting uncomfortably as phantom pain shot up where his right arm would have been. It didn't happen often, but today was one of those days. He hadn't slept well either – restless dreams of fire and scorched flesh and blood.

A memory started to form in the back his mind. Soft kisses and fingers trailing up his arms, lips pressed to the soft place just under his ear. Gray's hair tickled his nose and he buried his face in it, sighing happily. "I love you," Gray murmured, hands trailing over Natsu's chest. His lips made their way across Natsu's face until they were kissing, soft and sweet. "I love you so much. Wanna get married?"

He shook his head, lifting up the scanner and sweeping it over the ruins of whatever abandoned town they were now in. Everything was dry and barren, little dust devils sweeping through the streets. The Magehunters he'd seen earlier were gone, taking speeders back to the city, and the dry wasteland between here and the Wall was completely still. The silence was unsettling and Natsu found himself humming under his breath.

"All good up there?" The radio tucked into his pants crackled to life and he startled, setting down the scanner and picking the receiver up to reply.

"If you mean boring as frak, you got it," he said, yawning. Lucy snorted on the other end of the line. "Chromes bugged out, it's nothin' but dirt now."

There was a silence and he wondered if something had come up, but her voice came back shortly. She must have sensed his melancholy mood, since her tone was gentle.

"You doing okay?"

He sighed, tipping his head and rubbing at his face with the stump of his right arm. Part of him wanted to talk about it – Lucy would listen, she was good at that. She'd spent many nights with him, curled up on one of the tiny beds in the apartment, holding his hand while he cried away the ache in his chest.

"Just..." He sighed. Today's mood was so intangible, so fleeting, so- "Wait a minute."

He couldn't hold both the radio and the scanner at the same time so he set the radio down, peering through the lenses out towards the Wall. It was shimmering faintly, which wasn't unusual, but Natsu could have sworn he saw an explosion beyond it.

"Natsu? What's going on?" He didn't answer, sweeping his gaze across the horizon, keeping an eye out for—there. It was so far north that it was barely visible, but he was certain it had been an explosion. Orange fire had blossomed up in the air, if only momentarily. Where was that – Sycca? Could the civilians be rioting? He dropped the scanner back in his lap and grabbed the radio.

"Luce, get up here, something's happening." She didn't respond, but seconds later the trapdoor on the roof opened and her shoulders popped through. He waved her over. "C'mere, I can't - the radio and the scanner."

"What is it?" she asked, grabbing the scanner and peering through it. He guided her to the area where he'd seen the explosion and she gasped. "Are they rioting? They can't be, that's - they'd all get..." Her shoulders stiffened and she trailed off. "Frak me, it can't be."

"What?" Natsu nudged at her and swiped at the scanner out of her hands, peering through it and reeling back at what he saw.

The Wall was coming down.

"Luce, did you..."

"Yes, stay here, I'm going to tell Wendy." Natsu heard Lucy jumping back down into the building and running along the top floor, but he couldn't bring the scanner away from his face. The Wall was coming down.

It looked like it was cracking – huge, dark lines spiderwebbed down from the apex of the dome, skittering across its pulsating surface until they hit the ground and exploded. The shimmering barrier began to fade, crackling like static before disappearing entirely, leaving only a clear view to the other side.

"They did it," he whispered, realizing suddenly that he was crying. He pulled the scanner away from his face and wiped his eyes on his sleeve, letting out a shaky breath. "Frak me, they actually did it."

"Natsu! Get down here!" Lucy's voice came through the radio again, this time jubilant. "We're getting a message from Erza!"

Natsu dropped both the scanner and the radio in his haste to get to the rooftop panel. He shimmied down the ladder as best he could with one arm, dropping the last few feet to the ground and darting down the hallway. By the time he reached the control center he was panting and out of breath.

"Erza!" He shouted. Her grinning face took up most of the vidscreen – she was piloting some sort of airship. "Frak, I can't believe...you...did they-"

"The Otherworlders are on their way back home," she said, smiling proudly. "They did this. And now we've got a chance to frag that stone and dust that son of a bitch Faust. I'll be there as quick as I can – be ready."

The screen went dark and Natsu's chest suddenly tightened, his vision blurring as he leaned forward and rested his hand on a knee. Lucy was there with gentle fingers on his back, guiding him to sit down and whispering something that just sounded like static in his ear. All he could hear was his own heart pounding, feel the clamminess of his hand, the tightness of the skin across his chest.

"-tsu. Hey, are you with me?" Lucy's voice swam into his ears, shocking him out of whatever had happened. He glanced up at her, breathing still erratic. "Look at me." He swallowed, letting her grab his hand and squeeze it. "You good?"

"Y-yeah," he said shakily, tipping his head back and sighing. "Just - it hit me, we're - this is finally, it's happening." His words were all jumbled and he pulled his hand out of Lucy's gentle embrace, pressing the ring to his lips. Closing his eyes, he once again conjured up his last morning with Gray – gentle touches, soft kisses, promises of something more. "I finally get to kill that frakking whoreson. For Gray."

~*~*~

The ride across what had previously been the Wall went by in a blur. Erza packed the entire guild into her ship, and she didn't complain when Natsu wrapped his arm around her and didn't let her go for several minutes.

"It's good to see you again," she murmured, pressing her face into his hair. "But we have to go. Now." She pulled back, looking like she was going to say something else, then shook her head and headed up to the pilot's seat. "Everybody hold on – we're booking it and it could get bumpy."

She wasn't lying. Natsu ended up sitting near the back of the ship since holding on with one hand was getting perilous. He peered out the window as they passed over Louen, which appeared to be in a state of riot. Fires burned on street corners, the markets were trashed, and Magehunters were dashing through the streets, grabbing civilians and pinning them to the walls with guns drawn.

"We can't help them," Laxus said, voice uncharacteristically gentle. Natsu glanced up at him, face twisted in frustration. "We gotta take out the stone. It'll save more people."

"I know," Natsu sighed, leaning his forehead against the glass. His stomach was roiling – flying in the ship was only marginally better than taking the maglevs. Natsu knew that the nausea wasn't only from the ship, though. After three years, he was going back to the place where Gray had... where Gray had been killed. And where Natsu was going to end Faust as slowly and painfully as possible.

The ship bumped to a stop half an hour or so later, and Natsu raised his head, immediately awake. His hand went to the pistol strapped to his thigh and he looked around at what was left of his guild.

"We have a team in the Acropolis," Erza said, peering out of the ship, her own pistol drawn. "We should split up – they've got more Magehunters than you've seen, and we need to dust as many as possible. The rest of our teams are coming in on the maglevs from Sycca and Louen, but they won't be here for a bit."

"Can we get to the stone?" Natsu asked, pushing himself to standing. He was still feeling slightly dizzy. "What are we looking at?"

Outside the ship's window, the Acropolis loomed over them like a dark spear thrust from the earth. Lights flickered from random windows, and the sound of shouting and gunfire could be heard everywhere.

"Our intel says there's over a hundred Magehunters in there," Erza said, face serious. "You should split up, try to make it to one of the entrances and rendezvous as close to the stone as you can. Natsu, you know where it is?"

"Mm." He flicked his wrist and a holographic map appeared from the bracelet he wore. He moved closer to Lucy and let her move the three-dimensional replica that had appeared until she was gesturing to a spot near the landing zone. "Down this hallway, at the intersection. It'll probably be the most heavily guarded place next to Faust's rooms. Save your frags for here if you can."

Everyone nodded, adjusting their holsters and patting down jacket pockets to check for other pieces of tech. An uneasy silence spread throughout the ship, and Natsu sighed, flicking off the projection and putting his hand on his hip.

"We've been hoping for this for a long, long time," he said quietly, glancing around at his friends. Laxus and Freed gave him short, sharp nods; Levy tapped her scanner and gave him a half-smile. Wendy's face was set in a hard line, jaw tight and hands resting on the pistols at her hips, and Gajeel had a wicked grin on his face. "We're gonna go in there and give 'em hell. Teach them to mess with us. Give 'em what they're due." Lucy rested her hand on Natsu's shoulder and squeezed. "We ready?"

"Ready," Laxus grunted, turning and heading out the door of the ship. Everyone started to file after him, weapons drawn.

"Natsu, wait." Erza stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder and he turned to her, puzzled. Her face was a mix of sorrow and something he couldn't quite identify. "We need to talk." He frowned.

"Is now really the best time?" he asked, glancing out the door at his friends. Gunfire still rattled in the background, and screams could be heard intermittently.

"It's important," she insisted, swallowing heavily and looking him in the eye. "Look, I know you saw the holo, but-"

Whatever Erza was going to say was cut off by an explosion that rocked the ship, tipping it to one side and shattering the glass of the windows. Erza shouted, shoving Natsu out the door before the ship tipped entirely on its side. They both rolled away, looking up in the sky to see a Magehunter craft with its guns pointed directly at them.

"RUN!" Natsu shouted, turning toward his guildmates and taking off at a sprint towards the Acropolis. They all obeyed without question, dodging in unpredictable patterns as they burst across the courtyard toward the towering building. "Meet at the stone!" Natsu veered off to one side, ducking beneath the cover of several artificial trees that dotted the concrete.

Gunfire rattled down around him from the ship but he miraculously dodged it all, hit only by flying shards of the ground where it was impacted by the blast. A Magehunter appeared in front of him, its faceless mask impassive against the onslaught. Natsu raised his gun and swiftly put a bolt between where the hunter's eyes would be, and it slumped to the ground.

The next few minutes were a mess of sprinting, hiding, shooting, and dodging. By the time he reached the steps to the Acropolis, Natsu was bleeding from his bicep and breathing harder than he ever had. Only a few hundred more feet to go and he would be inside the-

A familiar, dark-haired mage was at the top of the steps, stumbling forward and firing at a pair of Magehunters that Natsu hadn't noticed. Other-Gray? What was he still doing here? Erza had said they were heading for the portal.

Natsu whipped around at a clicking sound behind him and swiftly shot a pair of Magehunters who had nearly snuck up on him, but not before one of them lobbed a frag at other-Gray. "Get down!" Natsu cursed, dashing forward and tackling the boy, pinning him to the ground as the grenade exploded. Sharp pieces of shrapnel tore at his skin, occasionally piercing his armored clothing, and he ground his teeth against the pain. When the pieces of metal stopped flying around them, he sat up, breathless.

"Drek, Gray, are you okay? We saw the signals, the rest of the guild is almost here, I couldn't believe you made it across the...Wall..."

Natsu trailed off as he took in the man pinned underneath him – dark hair, wide eyes, twisted scar down the side of his neck. The noises of the battle faded into the background as Natsu stared and stared. It couldn't...this wasn't...

"Natsu?" Gray's voice broke, shaky but very clearly the same one that had whispered, I love you, marry me in Natsu's ear three years ago. A wave of feelings flooded back through Natsu at lightning speed – the morning in bed, the adrenaline rush of the prison break, the excruciating pain in his arm. Then the tears, the grief, the screaming as Gray disappeared. Later, the deep, aching sadness after watching Gray slump to the floor, away from the gun pressed to the back of his head.

But now...the eyes that had begged forgiveness for leaving him were filled with tears, staring up at him desperately.

Holy hell. Gray was alive.

~*~*~

Everything after that was hazy. He and Gray must have said words to each other, but the only thing that stuck in Natsu's mind was Gray's pleading, I'm sorry, I love you, please forgive me. Then there was ice, and fire, and Gray was bleeding under his fingers as Natsu pressed desperately against the wound.

"Up," he grunted, dragging Gray to his feet with the help of the Earthland ice mage. Gray stumbled upward, groaning in pain as they each took one of his arms and started moving towards the Acropolis. Other-Natsu covered their retreat, walking backwards with his hands held out in front of him, enveloped in flames. Natsu's mind swam, breathing shaky. He felt unreal.

"We're gonna have to fight our way back to the stone," other-Gray warned, frost creeping up his arms as he peered around the corner, nodding to indicate it was safe. Natsu drew his pistol from its thigh holster and held it out carefully, shifting closer to Gray and peering around. The main foyer appeared to be abandoned, but two enormous staircases spiraled from either side of the room to the second floor. Sounds of gunshots echoed down the steps.

"Do we split or stay together?" Other-Gray was looking over at Natsu now, who blinked. They were asking him? Gray leaned against him and groaned.

"Stick...together," Gray said, breathing heavily. "Hunters are...hard to take out."

"We've got an advantage now," other-Natsu said, grinning and summoning two enormous bursts of flame in his palms. They began to move towards the left staircase, Gray scoffing at the pink-haired boy.

"Don't be...a cocky shit," he ground out, and Natsu laughed. The familiar turn of phrase made his chest ache. Gray stumbled a bit against the stairs, but they managed to make their way slowly upward, other-Natsu ahead of them, ready to attack.

"Found them!" There was a deep shout in a modulated voice that Natsu recognized as a Magehunter, but it was cut off quickly in a strangled yell. Fire flew from other-Natsu's fists – he charged into the fray, swinging left and right and filling the hallway with flames. Other-Gray raised an eyebrow at Natsu who nodded, taking all of Gray's weight as the ice mage joined his partner, ice daggers flying from his fingertips to pin Faust's men to the wall.

"Gray, down!" Natsu shouted, firing at a Magehunter who snuck up behind the dark-haired boy. The bolt hit the hunter in the shoulder and he staggered backwards, then took a blast of ice to the chest and slammed back into the wall. Other-Natsu moved until he was back-to-back with his Gray, and Natsu's chest ached at seeing them work together so fluidly.

"Let's go!" He shouted as soon as the last hunter was down. Other-Gray darted back over to help him, and they moved down the hallway as quickly as they could, taking out hunters they ran into along the way. Natsu's shoulder began to ache from the weight of Gray leaning against him – he was getting heavier and heavier the farther they moved. "Hold on, love," he murmured, taking a shaky breath as his gun trembled in his hand.

"Are we close? I can't remember which way we came." Natsu glanced up to see his Earthland counterpart giving him a look of confusion. He hesitated – his head was swimming, vision blurring at the edges and heart pounding. This was too much.

"L-left," Gray ground out, gesturing to a bend in the hallway. He groaned in pain, tipping his head forward. "Y'gotta...leave me here," he panted, hand pressed against his stomach. Even with the bandage, Natsu could see the blood staining his fingertips. Drek. "I c-can't-"

"Shut up," Natsu interrupted, and Gray looked over at him, surprised. There was a loud ringing in Natsu's ears and nothing felt real – nothing except the warmth of Gray against his side. "I'm not leaving you ever again so don't be a frakking idiot." Gray tried to say something but Natsu growled and shook his head. "Shut. Up."

The sound of pounding feet had them all looking down the hall in both directions. A battalion of Magehunters rounded the corner to their left, weapons drawn and firing on them immediately. Natsu yanked Gray back into a wall alcove to avoid the gunfire while other-Gray threw up an ice wall to protect them.

"Behind you!" Natsu shouted as he saw another group coming up the right hallway. He fired into the group a couple times, then other-Natsu launched an enormous fireball at them. Screams and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air and Natsu gagged, shaking his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears. It was too much, there were too many, frak, they were all going to die here and-

A line of lightning flew down the corridor, jumping from hunter to hunter and knocking them to the ground. The air filled with static – the hairs on Natsu's arm stood on end – as another bolt exploded in the center of the other group.

"Laxus!" The blonde man and Freed darted up the stairs, Freed with his rapier in one hand and a pistol in the other. Lightning crackled up and down Laxus' arms and he scowled, looking around for more enemies. "C'mon, we're almost at the stone."

"Holy hell," Freed whispered, seeing Natsu and Gray crouched in the alcove. "But he's..."

"Long...story," Gray groaned, tipping his head back against the wall. "Good to...nnnghnn...see you again." Laxus was staring too, mouth open in shock.

"Look, we can have reunions later, we need to get to the stone before Faust does." Other-Gray gestured down the hallway and both Freed and Laxus snapped out of their trances, nodding to him. Freed put away his rapier and moved to take Gray's other arm, but the dark-haired man growled and pulled away from him, shaking his head. Natsu frowned - what was wrong with Gray?

"Why're-"

"It has to be one of us," other-Natsu said softly, moving to take Freed's place. Gray still looked uncomfortable, but he allowed the pink-haired boy to duck under his arm and help Natsu lift him to his feet. "Long story. Ready?"

Natsu felt protected as they ran down the hallway – Laxus on his left, Freed and other-Gray on the right. He could ignore the crackling lightning and the gunshots and focus on Gray. Gray, who was warm and breathing beside him, who was going to stay that way so Natsu could kiss him and hold him and take back those missing years.

"Drek," Laxus cursed, coming to a sudden stop and reaching out his arm to push Gray and the two Natsus backward. "We're too-"

"Late, yes." The voice was soft and wavering, and Natsu peeked under Laxus' arm to see a very familiar face – Faust. Standing next to him was a heavily armored man, hands resting on an enormous sword. The last time Natsu had seen him, he'd been choking Gray to death. Natsu growled under his breath, hand moving to his pistol, but Laxus slapped it away.

"Surrender now and you'll be tried fairly." Joekel's voice was almost bored – flat and disinterested. "If you resist, I'll be forced to take care of you." His fingers tapped the hilt of his blade and he gave them all a nasty grin.

"Take him out," other-Natsu hissed at Laxus, but the big man shook his head.

"His armor absorbs magic," he growled, lightning still crackling between his fingers. "We can't take him down."

"Your riot has gone far enough," Faust declared, shaking his head. "I will admit, I am impressed how far you got. And that you were able to take out my head researcher – I think I have you to thank for that." He peered through the crowd of mages to glare at Gray, who spit on the floor and struggled to stand.

"Frak you," he growled, voice unsteady. "We're...gonna..."

"Going to what?" Joekel asked mildly. "You've failed. We won't let you get to the stone, and now you're surrounded. There's nobody coming to save yo-"

Joekel made a choking sound, bringing his hands up to his throat where a dagger had suddenly materialized. His eyes widened and he turned to look down the hall, but couldn't stop the second dagger that whipped through the air and lodged itself in the side of his neck. Natsu watched with bewilderment as a shimmering field moved in front of them, towards the enormous man. An invisibility lacrima.

"You were saying?" It was Rogue. The cloaking field dropped and he stood in front of Joekel, reaching up for the dagger and yanking it out before slamming it back in again. Joekel choked, blood pouring from his throat, and tried to grab Rogue, but the dark-haired man moved behind him and wrapped an arm around his neck, kicking the sword to the ground.

There was a flurry of movement as Sting appeared as well, shirt stained with blood but standing upright. He grabbed Faust quickly, settling his pistol to the old man's temple and dragging him away from the door.

Joekel reached up to grab at Rogue but Laxus stepped forward, trapping the man's hands and punching him in the face. The Magehunter captain howled in pain, gurgling on the blood that flowed from his mouth and his throat. Rogue tugged both knives out of Joekel's neck, then let Laxus drop the man and kick him in the ribs.

"He's all yours," the blonde man rumbled, keeping a heavily booted foot on one of Joekel's arms. Rogue crouched down next to Joekel, his face an impassive mask. He looked so different, Natsu thought – longer hair, harder eyes. He toyed with one of the daggers, spinning it between his fingers as he contemplated the prone captain.

"Rot in hell," Rogue spat after a moment, flipping the dagger around in his hand. Then he brought it down hard, slashing deep across Joekel's throat. Blood sprayed onto the wall behind him as Joekel screamed, choking on the hot, red liquid. Natsu could hear his Earthland counterpart retching on Gray's right side and he felt a pang of sympathy for his younger self. This couldn't be easy to watch.

"That's for me, and everyone else you sold into slavery," Rogue growled, standing up and wiping the daggers on his pants. He shoved them back in the holsters, watching impassively as Joekel's body twitched a few times, blood bubbling up from the wound. After several seconds the twitching stopped altogether, and his fingers went slack.

No one moved. A silence descended on the group as Rogue looked over at Natsu, his face shifting into a sad smile.

"Now, what do we do with this whoreson?" Sting growled, gun still pressed to Faust's temple. Natsu's eyes widened, mind immediately flashing back to the holo of Gray being executed. He'd vowed to put a bolt between Faust's eyes, and here was his chance.

"He's mine." Turning to Gray, he pressed a kiss to the man's temple, then let him lean heavily against Edo-Natsu. He pushed himself to his feet, making his way toward the man he reviled most in the world.

Faust's eyes were wide and terrified and he pushed himself back against Sting, who growled and twisted his arm.

"P-please, we can-"

"How many mages begged you for mercy?" Natsu asked, voice like steel. "How many pleaded for you to not take their magic, to let them live because they had children, partners, friends?" Faust didn't answer, just shook his head and struggled against Sting's iron grip. "I watched my partner die, you son of a bitch."

"I didn't-"

"No excuses." Natsu pulled the pistol from his holster and hefted it in his hand, reaching out and grabbing Faust by the hair. "On your knees." Faust whimpered as Sting released his arms and Natsu shoved him to the ground. "On your knees like you did to him."

The silence in the hallway was deafening. Natsu knew that soon, a new battalion of Magehunters would round the corner and open fire, so he placed his pistol on Faust's forehead. The old man was crying now, pleading for his life with his hands in the air.

"Shut up," Natsu growled. "At least die with some dignity." Then he took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

Faust slumped backward, eyes wide, but Natsu didn't look. Instead he turned and moved back to Gray, who was gazing at him with tears in his eyes. Natsu knew he was crying too, but he didn't want to think about it. He helped Gray to his feet and gestured toward the Purging room.

"Let's go," he said roughly, feeling Gray squeezing his shoulder. "We've got a stone to skrag."

~*~*~

"Frak, I forgot how hard this was," Natsu groaned, wiping blood from his face. His hands were shaking as he held the portal open, pulling out spellcubes one by one and handing them to other-Natsu. A headache was forming right behind his eyes that he was desperately trying to ignore. He could feel blood trickling from his ears and a dark haze clouding his vision.

"Erza's a harsh teacher," other-Natsu said softly, eyes on the ground. Natsu could tell he was trying to be casual, but his face was white and his hands were shaky.

"She's terrifying," Natsu agreed, trying to keep him distracted from what was likely the most violent day of his life. He closed his eyes and felt around for whatever was left in the portal. It appeared to be empty and he let it close, collapsing backwards and breathing heavily. The pile of cubes that was stacked next to other-Natsu was impressive. "Where'd you get all these?"

"We, um...kinda robbed a weapons dealer," other-Natsu said, avoiding the concerned gaze that Natsu was shooting his way. "It was...interesting. Gray got shot..." Natsu's eyes widened and other-Natsu shook his head hurriedly. "Not badly, though, and Rogue stitched him up, so he's okay."

Natsu glanced over to their partners who were both standing beside the door, talking in hushed voices. The room had been sealed off by other-Gray's ice wall, keeping out the Magehunters who had shown up, irate to find the corpses of their captain and king. They'd been throwing themselves against the wall for nearly an hour now, to no avail.

Wendy had shown up and did her best to heal Gray, who was now able to just barely stand on his own without toppling over. The rest of the guild had been evacuated to the docks, and Sting was talking with them through the comms.

"You two good?" Natsu looked up at Laxus, who gestured to the pile of spellcubes. "We gotta get this set up." Other-Natsu nodded, pushing himself to his feet and then reaching a hand out to help Natsu up.

"We'll do it," he said, sighing and picking up a handful of the shimmering cubes. "What's the plan for the guys outside?"

Laxus grinned, lightning crackling between his fingertips. "Leave that to me," he said.

Natsu followed his counterpart over to the stone, wincing at the low thrum that still emanated from it. The Otherworlders had said that the spell from Erza had turned the stone a bright blue and given them back their magic, but now it was back to the same mottled orange color Natsu remembered from the first time he came to Acropolis. Being near it made him nauseous and he worked to place the spellcubes as quickly as possible.

"So I know now's not really the time," Natsu said, glancing over at Gray again. He was leaning against the wall, absently rubbing the wound in his side, involved in deep discussion with Freed. He glanced back over to other-Natsu who looked up at him with dull eyes. Natsu wanted to pull him into a hug, but instead he started talking again. "What was he speaking?"

"Speaking?" Other-Natsu frowned in confusion, setting one of the cubes carefully on a rough ridge of the Purging stone, making sure not to touch it. "Oh. Uh, it's called Underspeak. They use it down there...we kinda picked up a few words here and there. Gray more than me." He chewed on his lip. "That place is..."

"You don't have to talk about it," Natsu said, sighing and pushing a cube gently onto the stone. "He's just so different." He looked at his feet, pain and frustration whirling in his chest. "Last time I saw him, he was – I was in so much pain – he saved us, he, h-he pulled up a wall of ice and th-then-" He stopped, shaking his head. "I saw him die."

A gentle hand on his arm pulled him out of his reverie and he looked up into other-Natsu's sad face. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," Natsu said, trying to push his features into a smile. "Is there..." he hesitated. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious. Does he have something...going on with Sting? Or...Rogue?"

"Oh." Other-Natsu's face turned pink and he glanced down at his hands. So there was something. Natsu's chest ached and he resisted the urge to cry. "Um. Well, I'm sure he'll tell you. But sort of? It's not...it's a bit complicated." He rubbed his face. "Undertown is...awful and everyone has to make shitty choices. Rogue's a...a prostitute." Natsu felt grief twist in his chest as he looked over at his friend. He still had a smear of blood on his cheek from killing Joekel. "Sting's a...actually, I don't really know what he does. Something illegal involving computers."

"And what does Gray do?" Natsu asked softly, looking at his...fiancé? Is that still what they were? Gray looked so different – so much harder, so much older. The scar on his face was hard to miss, although Natsu knew that his missing arm was also fairly obvious. It was more Gray's eyes that worried him. They looked haunted.

"He fights," Other-Natsu said simply, rubbing his face. "Fought. For money. I fought him by accident, I didn't know it was him and he didn't recognize me. He broke my nose." He sounded almost petulant.

"Sounds like we have a lot to catch up on," Natsu said sadly, rubbing his face. He took a deep breath, trying to push any unwanted emotions away until they finished this job. "We ready?"

Other-Natsu nodded and they made their way over to the door. An icy chill radiated out from other-Gray, lining the doorway and floor with frost.

"Breathe, popsicle," other-Natsu murmured, placing a comforting hand on his partner's waist. Natsu took a shaky breath, turning to his Gray, who reached out a hand and pulled him tight.

"You okay? Gray said softly, kissing Natsu's temple. Natsu shook his head and Gray sighed, squeezing him tightly. "We will be," he whispered. "We will be."

"All right, I think this will work." Freed held out a chunk of debris that they had found on the floor – it was glowing with runes and crackling with lightning. It was similar to the grenades they'd made to get into Louen, and it was intended to set off the rest of the spellcubes and destroy the stone.

"Blast radius?" Sting's arms were crossed over his chest and he closed his eyes for a minute, tech on his face flickering.

"About five hundred meters," Freed replied, rubbing his temples. "Give or take another five hundred meters because I've never done something like this before and we have no idea how much power those cubes have." Sting nodded.

"That's how far the cubes should get us." He pulled up a holographic map of the Acropolis from his wrist computer, pointing down at the main floor. "We should aim for here, and once we land we run like hell." Rogue stepped up beside him, playing with one of his daggers.

"There's more hunters coming in from the other towns," he said, eyes skipping across the group. "We need to take them out. After the stone is skragged we need to reclaim Acropolis. Hopefully we'll have our magic back by then, but if not, are you all good to fight?"

Natsu glanced up at Gray as he nodded, and he nudged the dark-haired man, frowning. "Are you sure?" He asked. "You-"

"I've had worse," Gray said roughly, pressing a kiss to Natsu's hair. "I'm not quitting now. This ends today."

"Then let's do it." Freed moved over to the Purging stone and settled the chunk of debris at the base. Everyone moved closer, hands on Sting who was standing in the middle of the room. A thrill ran up through Natsu's chest as he grasped Sting's forearm, feeling Gray's arm move around his waist.

Sting let the spellcube dissolve in his hand and Natsu felt that familiar tug just below his navel as the room began spinning. He could hear the Magehunters shouting outside the ice wall that was slowly starting to dissolve. As they began to smash their way through it, Laxus turned and shot a bolt of lightning directly at Freed's runes. Natsu felt the hairs on his arm stand up for a moment, and then the tugging sensation intensified and they were gone.

"Run!" Natsu shook his head, dazed, and glanced around him, realizing they were in the foyer of the Acropolis. A thunderous boom ripped through the upper levels of the building – Freed had clearly underestimated the blast radius because even five floors down the building was shaking, huge chunks of stone falling from the ceiling.

"Let's go!" Other-Natsu had grabbed Gray's hand and was pulling the two of them forward, toward the exit of the building, ducking and weaving between chunks of marble that slammed into the floor in front of them. Natsu's heart was pounding, hand gripped tightly in Gray's as the sounds of shouting and the scent of dust and blood filled the air.

A Magehunter popped up in front of them and Natsu went to draw his pistol but other-Gray beat him to it, hitting them between the eyes and jumping over their body as they raced to the door. "Go!" He shouted, turning back to look at Gray. "Faster, we've gotta go!" Gray winced and clutched at his side, limping as quickly as he could. It wasn't fast enough.

"Sorry about this!" Large arms swept under Gray as Laxus lifted the dark-haired man to his chest, ignoring his panicked struggling. "Rather you be angry and alive." Natsu's heart ached at the expression on his partner's face but didn't have time to contemplate it as he ducked around another piece of rubble and slid out the front door.

A whooshing sound filled the air and Natsu suddenly felt breathless, like the air was being sucked out of his lungs. The others around him started to choke, leaning forward and gasping in heavy breaths. Natsu dropped to his knees, groaning as a pressure started building inside his head until he thought he was going to die. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sensation receded and an ear-splitting crack rent the air. A blast of power burst out from the Acropolis, washing over everyone in the courtyard – Natsu felt like he was in the ocean, being battered by unforgiving waves.

The sensation receded and Natsu was left on his knees, panting with exertion, looking up at his friends. "You guys...okay?" He gasped, staggering to his feet. Laxus had also fallen, and Gray was lying on the ground next to him, eyes wide and chest heaving.

"Did it..." Other-Natsu and Gray looked at him expectantly and Natsu frowned, then looked down at his hands. He summoned a tiny flame in his hands, no bigger than anything he'd been able to make before. Dropping to his knees next to Gray, he grabbed his partner's hands, staring at him desperately. Gray flexed his fingers a few times, but his expression told Natsu everything he needed to know.

It hadn't worked.

~*~*~

They were finally alone.

After the sobering realization that nobody had their powers back, the group of them had returned to the Acropolis, safe now that the Magehunter threat had been neutralized. Laxus had found the building's sleeping quarters, clearly meant for Acropolis servants, and everyone had filed into rooms with the silent agreement to deal with everything tomorrow.

Gray closed the door behind him and didn't turn around, remaining there with his hand on the scanpad and his head bowed. Natsu shifted uncertainly. The air was heavy with tension, and his head was still swimming from everything that had happened today. He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his face, then sighed and moved towards Gray. When he touched his partner's waist Gray flinched, then exhaled and turned around.

"I feel like 'are you okay' is a stupid question," Natsu murmured, searching Gray's face for something familiar. He just looked so...guilty. Sad. "Talk to me, love." Gray was silent for a long while before he finally spoke.

"You...I just..." He struggled for words, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I thought I'd never see you again." There was relief there, and an undercurrent of sadness.

"I know," Natsu said, tugging on Gray's hand until they were both sitting on the bed in the center of the room. Natsu ran his fingertips gently over the rough, scarred skin of Gray's hand, not shying away from the space where Gray's pinkie used to be. Gray shuddered, closing his eyes.

"I don't..." Gray's voice was shaky. "I don't deserve you. Not anymore." Natsu's chest ached and he brought Gray's hand to his lips, kissing it softly.

"That's not how it works," he murmured. "I love you. I never stopped, even when I thought you were gone." He sighed a little, brushing his lips over Gray's palm. "And...if you still love me..."

"Of course I do," Gray said roughly, turning to face him. "I've thought about you every day since I lost you." He brought his other hand up to Natsu's hair and combed his fingers through it gently, hardened gaze relaxing slowly into one of fondness. "Thinking of you kept me alive when I was..." he swallowed, then dropped his hand back to his lap. "But I've...hurt people. Killed them. Done things I'm not proud of."

"Don't you think I've killed people too?" Natsu's eyes roamed Gray's face but the dark-haired man wouldn't meet his gaze. "We all do what we have to-"

"-to survive, yeah." Gray sighed miserably. "That's what Rogue always says." Natsu's fingers tightened unconsciously on Gray's as a flash of jealousy stole through him, hot and red and fleeting. Gray bounced his knee, staring at the floor as a long moment of silence passed. Then he whispered, "I slept with them. Sleep...with them."

Natsu felt his stomach twist. He'd known it – the way Sting had kissed Gray's cheek earlier had been more than friendly, and while Natsu didn't understand Underspeak, he could hear the fond tone they all used with each other.

Hurt flared up in him, whispering, how dare you, how could you, I've only ever loved you. It ached – a bitter sting to temper the joy of finding out that Gray was still alive. The feeling simmered under Natsu's skin – until he looked at Gray's eyes. They were dark and sad and so full of pain, and desperately honest.

"I never...I didn't stop loving you," Gray whispered, voice uncertain. "I could never stop." He sniffed, rubbing his hand across his eyes. "It was just...everything h-hurt and it was, it was bad, and I just..."

"You...love them too." There was another long silence.

"Yes."

Natsu's heart hurt at the admission – even more at the look of sorrow and shame in Gray's eyes. Natsu could see that whatever Gray had with the other two wasn't meant to replace what they had together, but it left him feeling off-kilter. He didn't need that right now. He just wanted to be with Gray; to touch him and feel him and revel in the fact that he was alive. They could talk about things that hurt tomorrow.

"It's okay," he said finally, and Gray's eyes came up to meet his, surprised. "I'm not...I'm not mad." He was surprised to find that it was true. Whatever he felt, it wasn't anger. He chewed on his lip. "I don't know how I feel about it, but I'm not angry. Is that enough? For now?"

"Yes," Gray breathed, and Natsu wished he could see more than pain in those dark eyes. "I just-"

"There's nothing you could do that would make me hate you," Natsu whispered, letting go of Gray's hand so he could run his fingers over the dark-haired man's cheek. His fingers drifted over the scar, rough and uneven, and the lines of Gray's mouth hardened. "What happened to you?" Natsu whispered.

"They..." Gray looked down to his hands, to his missing fingers. "Hurt me." He let out a shuddering sigh and shook his head. "I can't...maybe another day. Not today." Natsu made a soft sound and pressed their foreheads together, stomach roiling in anger for what had been done to Gray.

"It's okay," he said softly, moving his hand to comb through the hair at the back of Gray's neck. Gray didn't flinch this time. "Is me...touching you – is that okay?" Gray let out what sounded like a choked sob. "It's okay if it's not. You've...obviously you've been through a lot. It's been a long time, I'm not gonna be ups-"

"It's okay," Gray insisted, shifting closer to Natsu. "Nobody...it's hard. To let people touch me after what...happened." His words were stilted, as if they were being dragged from him. "But you're...you're you." He brushed a hand through Natsu's hair, kissing his forehead. "I just...I'm broken. You deserve better."

"I don't want 'better'," Natsu replied, tipping Gray's head up to meet his gaze. "I want you." Then he leaned forward and kissed Gray.

Natsu let out a soft moan as he pulled Gray closer, tightening fingers in his hair and tilting his head to kiss him deeper. Gods, it was like they'd never stopped. Everything fit, it was right, the sensation filled all the lonely places inside of Natsu that had ached and ached. He bit Gray's lip, drawing a deep groan from the other man, who pushed him back onto the bed and straddled his hips.

"Is this..." Gray stopped for a minute, hovering over Natsu. "We haven't talked..."

"Let's just have tonight," Natsu murmured, bringing his hand up to nudge Gray's jacket from his shoulders. He didn't want to think anymore – about Gray being hurt, Gray being lonely, Gray being with...someone else. All Natsu wanted right now was the feeling of skin on skin to make it all fade away. "We can talk more tomorrow."

"Mm," Gray replied, shrugging off the jacket and leaning down to kiss him again. Natsu sighed against his lips, relishing in the feel of their bodies moving together, their sounds of their heavy breathing and pounding heartbeats. "I missed you," Gray whispered between kisses, leaning on one arm and brushing his fingers through Natsu's hair. "Vi mankis al mi."

That language again. Natsu made a note to ask about it tomorrow, but right now all he wanted to think about was the hand in his hair and the feel of Gray underneath his fingertips. He slid his hand under Gray's shirt, fingers trailing up the other man's back, and he stopped short when he felt the lines of thick, uneven scars over Gray's spine.

Gray exhaled shakily, pressing his cheek to Natsu's and kissing him just below his ear. "I've got...lots of scars," he murmured, not resisting when Natsu pushed him up to a sitting position. Natsu ran his fingers along the hem of Gray's shirt and tugged, looking up at him with raised eyebrows. Gray frowned uncertainly.

"It's okay," Natsu said, words floating softly between them. "It's okay. I love all of you."

"It's a lot," Gray warned, voice rough.

"I know," Natsu said, lifting the stump of his right arm to rest on Gray's knee. "You think this was pretty? Erza cut it off with a machete." Gray grimaced. "We've all got scars." Gray closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath, then slowly tugged his shirt over his head.

Natsu had to force himself to not react, biting his cheek to keep from making sounds of dismay at the marks that marred Gray's chest. The scar on his cheek ran down past where his guild mark had been Purged away, and smaller burns and thin white scars criss-crossed his stomach and ribs. Thick marks wrapped around his sides – the raised welts that Natsu had felt on his back. His arms were marred with deep marks and wide swathes of white where skin had been peeled away.

"It's..." Gray swallowed, crossing his arms over his chest self-consciously. Natsu shook his head, pushing himself up on the stump of his right arm and leaning forward. Gray shuddered as Natsu's lips met his stomach.

"You're not broken," Natsu murmured, wrapping his fingers around Gray's hip and rubbing his thumb in slow circles. His lips traced up Gray's ribs, pressing soft kisses to each scar he found. Gray shivered and trembled above him, uncrossing his arms and bringing one of his hands to Natsu's shoulder. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."

Natsu grunted with fatigue – he could only hold himself up for so long – and fell back to the bed, Gray following him and placing a hand on either side of his face. He tipped Natsu's neck to the side and bit down just under his ear. Natsu gasped and thrust upward, fingers tightening on Gray's hips.

"It was worth it," Gray murmured, continuing to trail kisses down across Natsu's throat. Natsu moaned, trailing his hand up over the scars on Gray's back. "You made it out. We...we both did, in the end." He brought his lips up across Natsu's cheek and kissed him again, soft and warm, while he reached down and tugged at the bottom of Natsu's shirt.

Natsu sighed contentedly once his shirt was in a pile on the floor and Gray's chest was pressed against his as they kissed. Gods, if they did nothing but kiss all night Natsu would be satisfied - he'd missed this feeling so much.

"I missed you," he whispered between kisses, running his hand up and down Gray's back, bringing it down to rest on his thigh and tugging him closer. "I missed you so much, frak, I'm so happy you're alive."

Gray made a rumbling sound deep in his throat and started kissing Natsu's throat, fingers entwined with Natsu's and pinning his hand to the bed. Little flashes of jealousy flitted through Natsu like pinpricks – did Gray do this with Sting? Did he kiss Rogue's throat, rub himself up against Sting's cock? He pushed the thoughts away, losing himself to the feeling of Gray's lips on his neck.

"You want me to take you?" Gray breathed in his ear, grinding down against him. Natsu moaned, thinking of their room back at the guild, how Gray used to bend him over the bed and fuck him until he couldn't think.

"Yes," he moaned, fisting his fingers in Gray's hair. "Please." Gray growled and began kissing a line down his chest, lips soft and warm. Natsu focused on the sensation, on the sounds Gray was making, on the fingers gripping his hips.

I don't want to feel, he thought, pushing away images of the stone, his Purge mark, Sting kissing Gray's cheek. I don't want to feel anymore.

~*~*~

Natsu woke the next morning, curled up on his side, arm thrown over Gray. Gray was clutching Natsu's hand possessively, and was whimpering softly in his sleep.

"Shhhh," Natsu whispered, placing a soft kiss on the back of Gray's neck. He quieted a little, burrowing his face into the pillow. Natsu disentangled their hands and moved to the other side, studying Gray's face.

He looked less haunted when he slept. His eyebrows were still furrowed with whatever dream he was having, and they remained that way, even when Natsu drew his fingers across his face. Small scars decorated his cheek and a thin, silvery line bisected his lower lip. Natsu ran his hand down Gray's neck and shoulder, sighing sadly at the ragged scar.

Standing slowly, he grabbed Gray's shirt from the ground – it smelled like him, and Natsu felt the need to keep him close today. He took one last look at Gray's sleeping form before heading out the door and into the Acropolis.

The main area with the kitchen wasn't difficult to find. Several other people were milling about, including Laxus and Bickslow. They were playing a somber game of cards at a table in the corner, and they both nodded to Natsu when he came in. He nodded absently, then grabbed a cup of coffee from the machine on the counter and headed out onto the terrace.

The city was still dark, but tendrils of light were pushing their way through the harbor and across the streets near the docks, banishing the night to further corners and back alleys. Fires still burned in some districts – the guilds hadn't had enough manpower to deal with them, and had hoped the locals would do something about it themselves.

There were no chairs out here – it was clearly only meant for decoration – but Natsu sat down with his back to the wall and gazed across the water. Chunks of the Purging stone were probably in there – sunk to the sea floor with all the other debris. Natsu sighed, sipping at the bitter coffee and rubbing his eyes.

"Do you mind if I sit?"

Natsu looked up to see Rogue standing above him, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pants and a leather jacket over a soft, flowy top. He looked hesitant, but his eyes were kind, and Natsu nodded, scooting over to make room. Rogue settled in next to him, close but not touching.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the waves crash into the shore and listening to the sound of gulls fighting for scraps. The courtyard of the Acropolis was still littered with bodies – other-Natsu had been given the task of cremating them later today. Right now it was only another reminder of their fight – and their failure.

"I'm sorry." Rogue's voice was soft. Natsu sighed, rubbing his face and tipping his head back against the wall.

"You don't...it's not like that." He sipped at his coffee. "How could you have known we'd bring down the Wall?" Rogue was silent for a moment, playing with a silver bangle on his wrist. Natsu thought of other-Natsu's comment about Rogue being a prostitute.

"He was..." Rogue paused. "It was like there was nothing left of him." Natsu stilled, his curiosity itching to understand what had happened. "They broke him, and Erza...she got him out, but we – Sting and I – we had to put him back together." Rogue glanced over at Natsu, who didn't return his look. "He wouldn't eat, we couldn't touch him. He bit Erza."

"He what?" Natsu frowned, turning to face Rogue.

"He was hallucinating. Or, he thought he was." Rogue pulled his long braid over his shoulder and began to play with it, picking pieces out of the plait. "They drugged him. He thought we weren't real, and we just...he was hurting himself, it was infected, he hadn't eaten in a week. We didn't know what to do." He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling his knees to his chest.

"I'm...I didn't know," Natsu said quietly. "I saw the – the scars. He showed me. But we hadn't talked...he said he couldn't."

"He'll tell you," Rogue said quietly. "I only know parts. He didn't want to talk about all of it – he hid that away." The wind picked up and blew his dark hair away from his face. He looked so tired, Natsu thought. "We drugged him, to clean his wounds. He was better. First thing he asked about was you."

"Frak," Natsu cursed, rubbing his eyes. "I wish...I didn't know. If I'd known, I..."

"We know," Rogue said gently. "We just..." He sighed. "I was the first person who touched him without getting attacked." Natsu groaned, trying to picture Gray hurting someone. How much pain had he been in? "He still won't touch anyone else. The Otherworlders, a bit – he warmed up to them somewhat. But it's too much for him. And he let us, and it became...it just grew into something more."

Natsu closed his eyes, willing the ache in his chest to go away. Why hadn't it been him? Why couldn't he have been here? He could have helped Gray, stroked his hair and held him and been the one to save him. Instead it was them, and all he could feel was the ugly clutch of jealousy. He shook his head, trying to banish the unwanted feeling, and was startled to hear a sniff. When he turned to Rogue, the dark-haired man was crying, face resting on his knees.

"You love him." Natsu's voice was soft and Rogue's reaction was almost immediate – he nodded fiercely and wiped his eyes.

"Yes," he said, conviction behind the word. "Yes. I'd give my life for him. Li estas en mia koro, it's...he is a piece of my heart." Rogue exhaled, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I know that's not...you don't want to hear that. But it's true, and Sting does too, and I can't stop."

Natsu felt his own tears coming, hot and sharp and unexpected. Part of him was furious – how dare Rogue lay claim to Gray, how dare Rogue love him and hold him and make love to him. But Natsu hadn't been here. In their minds, he'd been gone – no better than dead.

"I don't..." he took a breath, wiping the tears from his face. "I don't want to be mad. I'm trying to understand." Rogue nodded, saying nothing. "I want him to be happy. But...the thought of him. With you." He sighed. "It hurts. And I can't be...with...with all of you. I care about you, and Sting, and you're my – you're my friends, but I can't..."

"It's okay," Rogue said, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Just because we love him doesn't mean we're entitled to him." He stared across the water, shaking his head. "If he's...if he chooses to be with only you, those feelings, they'll still be there. But we would never go behind your back."

Frak, Natsu thought. Why were they being so reasonable? It made the anger and jealousy and possessiveness in his heart feel so wrong, so unfair. He growled and ran his hand through his hair, burying his head between his knees.

"Yesterday..." he sighed. "It hurt, but it was easier because I knew where we stood. He was gone and I mourned him." He played with his ring, feeling tears welling up again. "And now he's alive, and I'm so happy, but he's so different, and..." He shook his head. "I missed so much. And he loves someone else."

"He still loves you," Rogue insisted. "He talks about you every day. That ring – he wears it all the time." He leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded arms. "I just want him to be happy."

Natsu was crying openly now – hot tears that spilled down his cheeks and caught in his throat. Rogue made a quiet sound and reached out hesitantly, offering his hand. Natsu hesitated for a second and then accepted the gesture, letting Rogue pull him under his arm.

"I'm sorry," Rogue murmured, looking out over the ocean. Natsu shuddered under his arm, shoulders shaking with sobs. The dark-haired man reached up and stroked Natsu's hair, touch kind and gentle. How could Natsu be angry with someone who just wanted to take care of Gray? He scrubbed at his eyes, turning to look at his friend.

"Don't be sorry," he whispered. "It's not your fault. I just don't know what to do."