*~Leaving You~*

Gray's POV

The hum of the magic car faded as we came to a stop in the heart of Mierlitte. I stepped out, stretching my legs after the long ride, and was immediately struck by how much progress the townsfolk had made. The destruction from the dark wizard's attack was still visible, but the people's determination to rebuild shone brighter.

Standing near a partially rebuilt house was Lucy, speaking to a woman who was smiling warmly at her. She looked better—her golden hair catching the sunlight, her posture relaxed as she chatted with the woman. But for a moment, I noticed a flicker of something in her expression. Was it guilt?

As Erza and I approached, a memory washed over me like ice water—a flashback of the battle that had nearly taken her from us.

Flashback...

The darkened skies over Mierlitte were thick with smoke when we arrived. The magic car wasn't fast enough to keep up with Natsu and Happy, so by the time we got there, chaos had already erupted. Erza and I split up immediately, determined to find them as quickly as possible.

"Natsu! Lucy!" I shouted, my voice lost in the cacophony of destruction.

It wasn't long before I found him. Natsu was standing in the middle of a crumbling street, the dark wizard barely recognizable at his feet. But it wasn't the battered body of the enemy that made my breath hitch—it was Natsu himself.

Scales.

I'd never seen them before, but now they shimmered on his face and arms, glinting ominously in the firelight. His fists were bloodied, his knuckles cracked and raw as he kept pummeling the dark wizard, who was already unconscious.

"Stop it, Natsu!" I yelled, running toward him.

He turned to me, and for the first time, I saw something I never thought I'd see in his eyes: rage so consuming that it had swallowed the Natsu I knew. He took a step toward me, his fists still raised, and I realized with a jolt that he might actually attack me.

"Natsu!" I shouted again, standing my ground. "He's already out cold! Where's Lucy?"

Her name. That was all it took.

His fists fell, the fire in his eyes dimming slightly as his breath hitched. He turned on his heel and ran—no, bolted—in the direction of the rubbles of what seemed to be a house once. I followed, my chest tight with dread.

When we reached her, my blood ran cold.

Lucy lay crumpled amongst the rubbles, next to a wall, her body battered and bloodied. Her back... It was a mangled mess of flesh and torn skin, like she'd been struck by something thorny and cruel. She was barely covered—just her underwear and Natsu's scarf, which he must have given her.

"Lucy..." I whispered, frozen in place as Happy's voice broke through my shock.

"Natsu... Lucy is breathing very slowly," the little Exceed sobbed, his body trembling as he sat beside her.
Erza arrived next, and I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw Lucy. The gasp she let out was filled with so much pain it almost didn't sound like her.
Natsu knelt, cradling her fragile form with more care than I thought he was capable of in that moment. His eyes were wild with fear and grief as he held her close, muttering something I couldn't hear.

That's when Wendy and Carla arrived, Carla hovering protectively beside the young healer. Wendy's eyes widened in horror, but she didn't hesitate. She rushed forward, pouring her magic into Lucy. I watched as the faint glow of her healing magic brought Lucy back from the brink, stabilizing her just as Wendy's own strength gave out.
While Erza tried to keep us all grounded, my own rage boiled over. I turned to the dark wizard, lying broken where Natsu had left him. My fist clenched, and with a sweep of my hand, I summoned an ice sword.

How dare he? How DARE he do this to her?

I started toward him, my anger blinding me, but Erza's voice snapped me back. "Gray. Enough."

Her tone was sharp, commanding. I stopped, my grip on the sword tightening before I finally let it shatter into a mist of ice. Erza looked at me, her eyes reflecting the same pain I felt, but she shook her head. "We'll take him to the council. Lucy needs us right now."

I swallowed hard, nodding as I turned back to where Natsu still held Lucy, his face pressed to her hair as if he couldn't bear to let go.

End of Flashback
---

Now, as I watched Lucy standing in the sunlight, looking healthy and whole again, the memory felt like a distant nightmare. But the weight of it still lingered.

When she noticed us, her eyes brightened, but not before that flicker of guilt crossed her face again.

"Lucy," Erza said, her voice carrying over the noise of the town as she approached. "You're looking well."

"Erza! Gray!" She exclaimed, hurrying over to greet us. "What are you doing here? I thought you were heading back to the guild after reporting to the council."

"We were," I said, shrugging. "But we thought we should check in on you. Figured Natsu might've driven you crazy by now."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, a small blush on her cheeks. Oh, I think there's some progress while we were away.
"He's been...Natsu. But I think I'm getting used to it again." Yep some progress indeed. Major progress. I thought as I smirked.

"We're glad to see you're recovering," Erza said, her tone warm.

Lucy's smile faltered for just a second. "Look, I'm sorry for—"

"Don't," I said firmly, cutting her off. "Don't apologize, Lucy."

She blinked at me, confused.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said, crossing my arms. "The whole guild feels guilty, not you. We should've stopped Natsu from dragging you into so many dangerous jobs. We thought we could always fix things if something went wrong. We didn't think about what that might do to you."

She looked down, her hands twisting nervously in front of her.

"But," I continued, softening my tone, "you're not weak, Lucy. You've always been one of us. And... I missed you."

Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. I gave her a small smile, shrugging. "You've always been like a little sister to me, you know? It's not the same without you."

Her eyes glistened, but she nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Soon we were interrupted by Erza, who is now in he Engineer attire.
She glanced around at the town, her brow furrowing slightly. "So, Lucy, how can we help?" 
I wanted to complain. That car ride was far from comfortable and I was hoping I could rest for a bit.
I heard Lucy chuckle.
"There's plenty to do if you're up for it. The people here have been working so hard, and Natsu, Happy, Carla, have been trying to pitch in where they can." 

Erza nodded, already rolling up her sleeves. "Say no more. Gray, let's get to work." 

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, dragging myself next to her, shoulders slumped. But then, I smiled. This somehow felt so natural. Really, Lucy somehow always brings us back together.

I didn't say it out loud, but I hoped with everything I had that she'd come back. That she'd realize Fairy Tail wasn't the same without her. And that Natsu, especially, needed her as much as we do.