Gaining Courage: The Search for the Lost Keys (a Fairytail Galu story)

Chapter Forty-Three: Confronting The Past

I found myself in a meadow full of flowers surrounded by my spirits all of them. The stars in the sky are shining brightly and some were even streaking across the night sky as I watched. Looking round her spirits smile at me as moustache man appears and starts to talk. He congratulates me on regaining Aquarius' key and wants me to know that he believes in her and that when I am ready he will teach her how to use his power properly. He calls me a true daughter of the stars and wishes me well.

Before I can come to terms with what he said I abruptly wake up to find myself back at the guild in the infirmary. At first my thoughts were muddled and the fact that the entire adventure had been a dream seemed a sure thing as my keys are missing and the bed is surrounded by my old team Natsu, Happy, Erza, and Gray.

I started to softly cry and then heard a ding dong and Aquarius was floating there frowning at me. The first words out of her mouth were her telling me off, calling me a baby and berating me for interrupting her date. After screaming and launching myself at Aquarius I wrapped my arms around her and half dragged her into the bed. My wailing had woken the others up who all screamed themselves and piled on the bed with us. Hugging and crying were on the agenda for today as we all started talking on top of each other trying to be the first to tell our tales of the last two years adventures. Aquarius left us to our reunion. She gave me a last cryptic comment of saying hi to my boyfriend and not to forget to thank him for saving my life.

After catching up and telling of the adventures we'd all had over their time apart Natsu who had been the quietest of the bunch asked to talk to me in private. Granting his request Erza dragged Gray away saying they will be back in a bit and that they would get Lucy something to eat. Happy flew off saying he will tell Wendy Lushie was awake but what he's really doing we all knew was going to talk to Carla.

Natsu and I sat there for several minutes in silence as he appeared confused on where to start. The embarrassment of being alone together for the first time since the War had caught up with us and we couldn't find the words. We knew they have to talk about the past and the War but can't make ourselves say the words; finally I start and say that I am sorry. Natsu reacts with shock and he quickly tells me that it is his fault.

He chocked as he told me he couldn't look at me after the War, he kept having visions of stabbing me and killing me. He told me he was awake while in his E.N.D. state and couldn't stop himself from hurting me. He had nightmares about it and he couldn't look at me without reliving that moment. Natsu kept apologising for abandoning me before I left, he felt like if he hadn't maybe I wouldn't have had to go it alone.

I started to tell him that that was the point of my adventure, that I had to try it alone to see if I was strong enough to be worthy enough for Aquarius. I also told him that I felt worthless because of the War, that my nightmares were never about him that I had always known it wasn't his fault. We finally got down and had a real conversation for the first time about each other and how they viewed themselves as friends; that they always will be best friends and no stupid demon or nightmare war memories were going to break them apart.

Hugging, crying, and laughing an hour later Natsu told me that someone else really wants to talk to me. Leaving me alone for a few minutes I had time to wipe my eyes and start to think about the mess I made with Gajeel. Before I can get too involved with my thoughts Brandish comes in and sits down.

The two stare at each other until I asked her how she's been. With that opening Brandish start stalking, rambling on about how it is all my fault, that Lucy trusted her and gave her one job and that she betrayed her. An uncomfortable conversation later reveals that Brandish and Natsu have become close. Fearing my heartbreak Brandish was distraught and beside herself with guilt that is until I stopped her and gave Brandish my blessing on the relationship. I made a comment about Brandish being one of the few people able to keep Natsu in line and Brandish in turn commented how he is insane enough to like being shrunk. For the next hour we were just two friends that were sharing a laugh as they caught up together and talked about what's been happening in the guild since I had been away.