I Object

♡ 10. The Aftermath

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled as he ran towards the blond girl. He kneeled and drew her close to him. "Luce..."

She slowly opened her eyes. "Uhn... Natsu..."

"Luce! You're ok!"

"I wouldn't say ok... I feel like crap."

"You're so weird, Luce. Why did you have to hurt yourself at the same time?"

"It was the only way." She looked around. "This place is trashed."

"Yeah... about that, I don't think your old man is gonna be happy about that."

"He'll be fine. He's got heaps of money, right? Everything's gonna be fixed up before you know it."

"It's not just this place that's trashed. You're a mess." And she was. Her veil is virtually gone, the tiara broken and dented. Her dress had several large rips in it and the corset sash was ripped off, lying on the floor.

"Aww... I liked this dress," Lucy said, frowning.

Natsu laughed and they hugged while their guild members watched, smiling and crying tears of joy, Lisanna especially.

Jude came in and glanced around at the room before saying to Makarov. I'm pleased and thankful that you would do this much for my daughter."

"She is a member of our family," Makarov replied. "And we protect our family."

Jude nodded and went over to Lucy and Natsu. "Thank you for saving her... even if you did destroy part of my home in the process."

"Uhh... about that, sorry Lucy's dad," Natsu mumbled sheepishly. Lucy's father smiled slightly at the boy.

♡~♡~♡

"Erza, contact the Magic Council," Makarov ordered. "I want to know who this is and I want him behind bars within two hours from now."

"Yes, Master." Before long, a troop of Rune Knights led by Lahar appeared at the estate.

Lahar gaped with surprise at the unconscious figure of Takeshi. "This man is Kage, a freelance mage who had been causing trouble all over Fiore over the past six years. We've been trying to catch him ever since he organized a robbery of rare magical items four years ago. Thank you for capturing him," he said, bowing to the Fairy Tail mages.

"What magic does he use?" Lucy asked.

"He uses Darkness magic, but also specializes in Hypnosis magic. Anyone who looks into his eyes believes anything he says and would do anything he wants."

She shivered. "He used that on me. He made me believe he'll destroy Fairy Tail."

"He's never gonna get the better of us," Natsu said confidently. He lowered his voice so only Lucy could hear him. "He used it on me too. He made me think I was too weak to save you." He pulled her to him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, idiot. We got him in the end, right?" She smiled brightly.

"Yeah!"

Lahar and the Rune Knights took Kage away and as soon as they did, Makarov yelled, "LET'S PARTY!"

"YEAH!"

"Well, since the wedding is canceled, I guess you can celebrate here as a gesture of my thanks," Jude offered.

"THANKS, LUCY'S OLD MAN!" Natsu shouted.

"I would prefer it if you called me Mr. Heartfilia..." but Natsu was beyond listening as he started to brawl with Gray, Elfman and Gajeel.

Lucy hugged her father. "Thanks, Papa."

"I'm still sorry you had to go through all that... But I'm happy that you've found someone you love."

"I'm sure Mama is smiling in Heaven right now."

"You really think so?" He looked up to the sky, which was blue and orange and red from the sunset. The first stars were already out, twinkling dimly in a background of dark blue and streaks of lavender.

"I know so," Lucy said firmly. "Now how about some of that wedding cake I saw before? I'm starving..."

♡~♡~♡

Fairy Tail celebrated long into the night, the servants providing them with an abundance of food and beer, sweatdropping as Cana drank through sixteen barrels of alcohol by herself. Natsu had lit up an entire table of food with a box of matches and was happily eating until Gajeel challenged him for a rematch, causing Erza to shriek with anger as the boys knocked over the flaming table and caused several fallen drapes to catch on fire. Good thing Juvia was there or they would've burned down the entire mansion.

Lucy laughed to see her nakama enjoying themselves, getting hopelessly drunk like they always do while passing out or brawling at the same time. Macao, Makarov, and Wakaba even got her father to drink and the four of them were sitting on the floor, the arms around one another's shoulders as they drunkenly attempted to sing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall".

Some time later, Natsu staggered over to her, face flushed with alcohol. "Lushiiiiiii...," he mumbled.

"Hmmm Natshuuuu?" Lucy said, lazily turning her head towards him. She was sprawled on the floor, propped up against a broken chair, the white draping soiled. Cana had made her drink three full barrels and she was now completely drunk, on the verge of passing out. Around them, the guild was asleep on the floor or the ruined balcony where she could dimly see a blur of green and tattered white where Levy and Gajeel were asleep. Gray was once again naked, though thankfully covered by a sheet and Erza snored by the toppled flowery arch.

"Lushiiii," Natsu said again.

"Wha... Natshuuuu?"

"Love...ya," he muttered before collapsing onto the floor, unconscious.

Lucy giggled, not noticing that she was slipping onto the floor herself, losing consciousness. "Love ya too, Natshuuu."

♡~♡~♡

Dae ♡