Welcome to the Mafia Family

Chapter 76 - Sacrifice

Lucy's POV

I couldn't do anything but watch the fight play out between Natsu and Acnologia. Every part of my body hurt like hell and I'm sure a couple of my ribs are broken. I watched as they continued to punch and kick each other in hand-to-hand combat with their magic gloves. Natsu jumped back and raised his flaming hands up above his head. "Fire Dragon wing attack!" he chanted as he threw his arms down. Two slashes of flames flew from his arms towards Acnologia. Acnologia crossed his arms in an 'X' in front of him and blocked the attack but got a few burns in the process.

He made a circle shape with his hands and put it up to his mouth. Natsu mirrored his movements. "Black Dragon ROAR!" Acnologia chanted and Natsu chanted "Fire Dragon ROAR!" Both of their breath attacks blew out of their gloves and clashed. Acnologia's breath attack was clearly stronger than Natsu's and pushed past Natsu's flames. Natsu quickly jumped out of the way before the attack could hit him.

Acnologia reached to the back of his pants and pulled out a gun. Natsu prepared himself to dodge but then Acnologia turned to gun towards me. Acnologia pulled the trigger but Natsu stood in front of me and took the bullet to his side. He shouted in pain as he fell to one knee and held his injury. "Pathetic. This is why I work alone. Love and feelings get in the way of power and make you weak" Acnologia said as he looked down on him. "You're wrong. Love makes you stronger. My love for Lucy and my friends makes me strong" Natsu replied before he turned his head to look back at me. Regret covered his face and then he said four words that made me realise what he was going to do. He said "I love you Lucy" before charging towards Acnologia, wrapping his arms around him and pushing both of them over the balcony railing.

"Natsu!" I screamed as my heart sank in my chest. I forced myself to crawl towards the balcony. I didn't get far before the pain got worse and stopped me from moving any further. Tears burst down my cheeks, 'that idiot, how could he sacrifice himself like that?' I thought while looking at the floor. I felt my future with Natsu disappear and it broke my heart further.

"Why are you crying Lucy?" I heard Happy say. Happy?! I whipped my head up and saw Happy hovering over the balcony railing, holding Natsu by the back of his clothes. Natsu looked down at me with his signature grin and then turned his head towards Happy. This time happy tears fell down my cheeks. "Thanks Happy" he said and then Happy put Natsu down in front of me. Relief flooded my body and I started to feel dizzy. "Lucy?" Natsu looked worried as he noticed my eyes begin to close. "Lucy!" was the last thing I heard Natsu say before darkness took over me.

Natsu's POV

I dropped to my knees next to Lucy when she passed out and gently cradled her upper body to my body. "Is she alive?" Happy asked worriedly. I checked Lucy's pulse and noticed it was weak. "Her pulse is weak, we need to get her to Wendy now" I said before I stood up and picked her body up in both arms. I winced in pain because of my bullet wound but Lucy needs more medical attention than me right now. "Natsu, you're injured" Happy stated worriedly. "Lucy needs help more" I replied and then I heard a crowd of footsteps running through the front door. I tensed up thinking I might need to fight some of Acnologia's men but saw my own mafia run into the penthouse.

I sighed in relief. Erza, Gajeel, and Laxus ran directly to me. The others surveyed the damaged penthouse and guarded the entrance. "Lucy!" Laxus exclaimed and I let him take her in his arms. "Her pulse is weak, get her to Wendy immediately" I ordered while holding my bullet wound and without hesitation, he rushed out of the room. "Natsu, you're injured" Erza said with concern, unintentionally repeating Happy. "I noticed" I chuckled which was a bad idea as it hurt to laugh. "Where's Acnologia" she added. I walked over to the balcony railing with them and looked down. At the bottom on the concrete pavement surrounded by shocked onlookers in a pool of his own blood was Acnologia. My father's dream has been fulfilled and he can finally rest in peace.

"What happened?" Gajeel asked and I told them a summed-up version of the events up to the part when I pushed Acnologia and me over the railing. Honestly, I wasn't expecting Happy to save me. I knew the only way to protect Lucy and everyone else at the time was to take Acnologia down with me. Halfway down, I felt myself being pulled up saving me from my death and I was surprised to see Happy.

"Happy, how did you get your collar from my secret safe? Only two other people know the combination" I asked. I've only trusted Erza and Gray with the code in case something was to happen to me but both of them were preoccupied. Erza was searching for Acnologia and Gray was in the infirmary. "Gray did. Despite his injuries and with a little help from Wendy, he walked up to your penthouse and opened up your safe. He gave it to me because he thought you would need my help" Happy explained. Great, I owe my life to Ice Princess.

Our bodies tensed when we heard sirens in the distance. "We need to get out of here" I said and then we all rushed out of the building as fast as we could.