Berlin, Germany
Year 2099
5:30 AM

"Is it ready yet?"

"Not yet, but it will be in the next twenty-four hours."

"We don't have that much time! They'll be here soon, and this time we won't be able to run."

"Yes, captain."

The heels of her boots flooded the hallways, letting the soldiers know that she was coming.

"Look alive boys." The men saluted her as she walked through the door.

She approached one of the men keeping guard, "How are we doing?" She asked.

"I don't see any of them yet, but I have a feeling they'll be here soon."

"Let's hope not too soon."

"Lucy!" She turned her head to the pink-haired man running her way, "its Luna, she's doing it again."

She sighed, "Just give me a minute." He nodded heading back in the opposite direction, "I don't have time for this," She whispered.

She walked down the narrow hallway walking closer and closer to her room. She felt an unbearable heat that poured from her room, making it difficult to breathe.

She met with the pink-haired man at the door, "it's getting worse Lucy. The medicine they were giving her isn't cutting it-"

"You think I don't know that!" She snapped, "it's the only thing right now that's keeping her stable. We don't have a lot of options right now Natsu."

She pushed him out the way heading into the young girls' room. She sat on the edge of her bed watching the young girl toss and turn in her sleep, "It's going to be ok baby. I'm here," she whispered, laying a soft kiss on her warm forehead.

She woke up, "M-Mom?" She said groggily.

"Yes, I'm here."

She sighed, "It's happening again, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but it's getting better."

"You don't have to lie, mom, I know I'm not getting any better."

"I wish I could do more, but for right now this is the best solution until we can find another way." Lucy reached in the drawer next to her bed pulling out a small needle with a yellow liquid inside.

Luna's face changed when she realized what was about to happen next, "It's time isn't it?"

"Yes." Lucy said, reaching her hand out, "Give me your arm please."

Luna stretched her arm, where numerous needle marks were made. She flinched when the needle pierced through her skin, but a second later she felt relief.

"All done." Lucy disposed of the needle and wrapped her arm, "it wasn't that bad wasn't it."

"Speak for yourself."

She smiled ruffling through her hair, "goodnight, Luna."

"Goodnight mom." She could already feel the drowsiness taking over her causing her to fall asleep fairly quickly.

"Bye, my baby." She kissed her forehead, allowing a tear to slip through.

She wiped her cheek closing the door behind her.

"It's ok to cry you know. It's ok to show emotion," Natsu said.

"I wasn't crying." She turned around walking back down the hallway.

"Hey!" He grabbed her arm, "you can stop with the tough attitude now. It's just me."

She snatched her arm away, "I don't have an attitude. I'm just trying to keep everything in order."

"Well, when are you going to stop worrying about that for one second and worry about your family? She needs you, I need you."

"I don't have time for this Natsu."

He walked in front of her, "Well, make time."

"Ok, Natsu. What do you want to talk about?" She cheered, "how has your day been sweetie? Isn't it just lovely outside! It's not like we're being hunted down or anything."

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what Natsu? You said you wanted to talk so come on, let's talk."

He scoffed, "You know what, talk to me when you're not being an asshole."

"Gladly," She stormed off outside of the bunker walking past the wreckage of an earlier battle.

"I can not stand that man!" She yelled, "he's so damn selfish! Why can't he see what I'm doing is for us! For Luna!" She closed her eyes trying to not let her tears breakthrough, "why can't he see that?"

She opened her eyes when she felt a familiar surge of energy appear behind her. She wiped her eyes of any tears that broke free, "go away Loke, this isn't the best time."

"Is everything alright, captain? I felt you were saddened by something."

She groaned, "how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" She sat on a broken piece of metal from the wreckage, "and I'm not sad."

"Everything you feel, I feel. When you summoned me for the first time we made a contract and I am forever bonded to you. So quit playing games and tell me what's wrong."

"We're at war. That's what's wrong. I want to be there for my family, but I want to keep them safe and Natsu doesn't understand that. He doesn't understand that I can't make time for him as he wants me too."

"I understand, but your family should be your first priority, always."

"And it is, I'm sad that I can't make time for them, but I have a job to do and that's to keep everyone in this place safe. I already lost too many friends, I can't lose them too."

They both jumped feeling a surge of power appear near the bunker, "Loke!" She yelled.

"On it." He jumped to the highest building he could find, searching for the surge of power. His eyes widened as he saw not one or two but seven ships heading toward them, "Oh god."

He leaped back down, terrified, "They're here, and not just with one or two ships."

"How many?"

"S-Seven," he stuttered.

"Seven! We can't stop that many!" She yelled.

"But you can slow them down." He transformed into his lion form, heading toward the seven ships, "I got this! You go and alert the others."

She nodded and ran as fast as she could toward the bunker.

She slammed open the doors, causing them to almost fly off the hinges, "seven ships headed this way!" She yelled.

"Seven?! There's no way!"

"How far out are they?" Natsu asked.

"About ten miles out."

Everyone was still shaken about the seven ships, but Lucy knew this wasn't time for them to be panicking.

"Guys! Get it together we don't have time for this! We need to stall then as long as we can so that this plan can work. So get off your asses and let's go!"

They scurried around the bunker grabbing whatever they could find to stall the enemy ships.

"Levy!" Lucy yelled.

"Yes, captain!"

"How long until this thing is ready?"

"Maybe in about an hour to an hour and a half."

"Make it thirty minutes."

Levy nodded, "Alright."

"I'm counting on you, Lev."

"I know."

She raced all the way upstairs to make sure she was ok.

"Luna!" She opened the door.

She was sound asleep, relieving Lucy.

"Luna, you have to wake up!"

She groaned, "Why?"

"They're here."

Her eyes shot open, "but I thought they weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow?"

"Change of plans, get ready I'll meet in the place I told you about."

Luna shuffled to get ready, stuffing everything she had into her book bag. A cd player, The Moby dick book, Art supplies, and a torn photograph.

She rushed down the stairs meeting with her mom in one of the control rooms.

"I didn't think there was going to be so many," Lucy thought, "how are we going to do this?"

"They already took out team five and team six! I don't think we can hold them. We have to fall back," a soldier yelled into the radio.

"No! Don't you dare leave! We have to buy as much time as we can!"

"Dammit!" She picked up Luna and made her way to levy's lab.

"Natsu! Where are you?!" She yelled in her radio.

"I'm holding down the left side of the base! There's way too many down here!"

"I need you in the lab. We have a change in plans."

She raced up the stairs hearing the eruptions of explosions downstairs. She couldn't bear hearing the screams and cries of her family.

"Mom are we going to be alright?" Luna asked.

Lucy felt her tears pouring onto her shoulder, "We're going to be ok, I promise."

She slammed the door open, "Levy! Is it done?"

"It took an arm and a leg but we got it done."

"Good."

Natsu guested through the door bent over gasping for air, "so what's the plan?"

"Levy, watch Luna for a second. I need to talk to Natsu alone." She grabbed Natsu's arm closing the door behind them, "I'm not going."

"What the hell do you mean you're not going?! You're the only one who can go back!"

"I'm not the only one."

He realized what she was trying to say, "hell no! Absolutely not! You're not sending our daughter twenty-something years back in the past! What the hell are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking about the sake of humanity! There's too many of them out there and we need someone guarding the door while we do this. Just you out there won't do it."

"She just turned eleven!" Natsu shouted, grabbing her shoulders, "My baby girl just turned eleven. Why do you always find a way to take something important away from me! Do you even care?!"

She slapped his hands away, "she's my daughter too Natsu!" She cried, "you don't think it was difficult for me to make this decision? Everything k do it's for her! For us! Don't ever question if I care about my daughter."

"She doesn't even know the plan," he said.

"Don't worry she's a fast learner. Come on, we don't have that much time." She turned to open the door, but Natsu grabbed her arm.

"This better work."

"It will." She walked through the door and saw Levy and Luna talking, "Lev, give us a minute."

She nodded and left, closing the door behind her.

"We don't have much time but I need you to listen to me carefully, ok?"

"What is it mommy?"

"I need you to go to that machine and travel twenty years back and time to stop all this from happening."

"What? I don't understand."

"Here." She gave her a small book, "everything you need to know is in this book. You have to make sure no one gets their hands on this."

She started crying, "Why are you making me do this mommy? Are you and daddy coming with me?"

"We can't come with you. I have to do something here first. When you get there you need to find uncle Gray, Jellal, and the rest of our family."

"But mom-"

"Luna!" She grabbed her arm, "You have to understand me! This is very important and you can't make any mistakes, Do you understand?"

"Ok." She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"That's my baby." Lucy brought her close to her, hugging her like it was the last time she was going to see her, "I love you so much." Tears flooded down her face, "I need you to know that I love you so much."

"I love you too mommy." She embraced her mother taking in a whiff of her scent.

Lucy released her grip and opened the door, "Natsu, you can go in there and talk to her now." He can see Lucy visibly shaken, making it even harder for him to go into the room.

He saw Luna sitting on the stool, terrified, from earlier "Luna." Her head shot up making her race over to him and embrace him into a hug.

"Daddy I'm scared," she said, letting her tears fall onto his shoulder.

"I know, I know, but hey! When you get back we can have some ice cream and watch that movie you've been begging me to see with you, what was it again?"

"The Incredibles."

"Yeah, that's the one, I'll make sure I'll have it ready for you when you come back." His tears started spilling from his eyes, knowing he lied to her. He knew after this he wasn't going to be able to see his daughter again.

"I'm going to miss you, daddy."

"I'm going to miss you too baby girl. I love you so much."

"I love you more."

He walked out, "Levy, it's time."

Levy nodded. She walked in closing the door behind her, locking it.

"Do you think they'll be able to get in?" Natsu asked.

"That door is made of some of the strongest metal we could find. It's supposed to be impenetrable, but I know they'll find a way."

Natsu started sniffing the air, "They're close."

"How close?"

"Five minutes tops."

Lucy took a breath. She knew she wasn't leaving alive. But she knew damn well that she was protecting this door with her life.

"Requip." Dual swords appeared out of thin air into her hands.

"You're not going to use your own magic?"

"What do you mean? I am." She smirked.

They heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"They're here." Natsu lit his hands with his brilliant flame.

Seven of them appeared in front of them. The ones who took out so many of their people.

The syndicates.

They were animals. Created to wipe out anyone or anything with abnormal abilities.

"Do you wish to surrender, Lucy Heartfilia? Natsu Dragneel?" One of them asked.

"Never, not to animals like you." She lifted her sword and aimed it to them, "you're not getting past us."

"I like a challenge," he smirked.

Both her and Nastu were in their battle stances waiting for them.

Then they attacked.

"OK Luna, I need you to give me your arm. I have to put give you a shot before you go in."

"Why? What is it for?"

"It's to help you from getting sick. Now, I need your left arm."

Luna stuck her arm out. The same arm with her past needle marks and bruises on them. Levy flinched, but not enough for Luna to notice. She stuck the needle in her arm and watched as Luna cringed.

"All done."

"Ahhhh!" Screams and yells were heard from outside the door.

"Daddy? Mommy? Are they ok?!"

"T-They're fine." Levy was shaking in fear. The last thing she wanted Luna to see, but she couldn't help it. She was terrified, afraid of what every single person in their lifetime is afraid of.

Death.

Four down, three more to go.

They were both tired. Blood and sweat dripping from their bodies.

"You getting tired, Luce?"

"I can do this all day. Don't tell me you're getting tired already," she smirked.

"Never." He punched one of the guys causing him to knock into one of the other guys.

"Let's lead them away from here," Natsu said.

Lucy nodded.

"OK so you need to get into this chamber, and what it's going to do is take you back to the time before all of this happened."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"It's all in that book."

There was more screaming and yelling this time.

"Get in, we don't have much time left."

She set the coordinates in and opened the door for her.

Luna walked slowly to the machine, scared of what would happen if she got inside.

"We don't have all day Luna. We need to do this now!"

She stepped inside making Levy close the door and locked it.

She set the timer.

"Five minutes," She whispered.

There was a bang on the door. The pounding on the door was so powerful visible handprints were coming from the other side.

"Oh god," Levy covered her mouth, "Lucy..."

The door flew toward levy making her jump to the side. Seven men appeared carrying two bloody bodies.

What made the syndicates so powerful as they're able to heal quickly and adapt to any abilities. They could regenerate their limbs and regenerate from a single drop of blood if they had too.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Luna banged on the glass door.

"Luna, it's going to be alright," Lucy whispered. You could hear the pain in her voice.

"Y-Your arm." Levy noticed where all the blood was coming from, "You cut off his arm." Levy backed away.

"Yeah, he didn't need it anyway." He threw his body on the ground, watching him bleed out.

"Natsu," Lucy whispered. The other soldier threw her next to him.

"Natsu, please look at me. Please don't leave me, she cried out."

He could hear her sniffles and cries out to him, but he didn't have the strength to turn to her.

"I'm sorry," She said.

Even though his eyes were shut closed, you could still see his tears falling, wishing he had the strength to turn to her and kiss her, tell her how much he loves her.

"I love you, Natsu. I'm sorry I didn't say it as much as I should have."

He gathered all the strength he could and spoke his last words, "I love you too, Luce. Promise me we'll go on more adventures in another future."

"I promise! But you can't leave me yet!"

He didn't respond.

"Natsu?"

Nothing again.

"Don't do this to me Natsu! Please don't leave me! I'll be all alone!"

The muffled screams heard from Luna could be heard as well as the cries from Lucy and Levy.

"Enough of this! Open that chamber!" He pointed his gun to Levy's head.

She shook in fear as he held the gun in the to the center of her forehead. All this time she was on the sidelines and never actually fought one of the syndicates. Usually, she would run and never look back, but today she had something to stand for. She rose from the ground standing in front of the chamber. She swallowed the lump in her throat and said that one defying word, "Never. I'll protect Luna and the world if it's the last thing I do."

He shot her. Point blank.

"Levy!" Luna screamed.

He put his gun back in his holster, "come help me open this!"

"Don't touch that!" Lucy ran with the last of her strength and jumped on to his back, sticking a knife into his neck. She knew that wasn't going to be enough to hold them off, but it was enough to buy time.

"Get off me!" He threw her down making her land in the puddle of blood next to Natsu's body.

He stepped on her leg, breaking it, to make sure she wasn't going to get up again.

She screamed feeling the pain erupted throughout her body.

He pulled the knife from his neck, "Help me get this open dammit!" He commanded.

Luna tried to get as far back as possible.

"Too late," Lucy whispered.

The countdown ended.

"No! No! No!" The soldier screamed.

"What's happening?" Luna screamed. She put the seat belt on and sat in the chair. She glanced toward her mother one last time.

"Save the world, Luna."

The soldiers were still trying to pry the door opened, but it was too late.

She disappeared.

Year 2072
Tokyo, Japan