Thank you, Nashi

Chapter 27

"NASHI!" the two parents screamed at the top of their lungs, releasing more debris from the ceiling above. Natsu and Lucy sobbed loudly as they held the limp body of their daughter.

"My baby! MY BABY!" Lucy cried, shacking Nashi's body fiercely. Natsu couldn't control his anger and sadness as he punched the stone floor with his bare hand. He let out a cry of pain for is new injury and the child he had just lost. The others mourned for the loss of their family, holding each other comfortingly the best they could. Gajeel held Wendy as she sobbed into his chest. She wished she could have done something to save her, but it was beyond her capabilities. Erza let out a sorrowful cry, falling to her knees. Gray held his face in his hands, completely broken.

Natsu pulled Lucy to him, his daughter's body still in her arms. He hugged her tightly as the mother grieved the death of her child. His heart ached tremendously, but it couldn't be anything compared to what she was feeling. She actually had the opportunity to watch Nashi grow, he could not even fathom how broken she was.

Natsu looked up at the ceiling as the structure continued to shake and rocks fall from above, worry building inside him.

"The whole place is going to come down!" Lily yelled, wiping away some of his tears. The mages tried to regain their strength as they fought the sadness within them. If they didn't hurry, they could be joining Nashi sooner than they would have liked.

"Natsu, Lucy we have to go now!" Erza called to the couple. Natsu nodded reluctantly. He rose to his feet and tried pulling Lucy away from the girl, however her hold was impossible to break.

"No! I'm not leaving her! If she dies, I die too!" she yelled. Fear began to fill Natsu. He had already lost one person he loved; he wasn't going to lose another. He grabbed Lucy by the shoulders and tried pulling her to her feet.

"Lucy, you can't stay here! I can't lose you too!"

"No! I refuse! It's my fault all of this happened. If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened. If it wasn't for me I would still have Nashi!"

Natsu ceased his actions. He remained frozen for a few moments, despite his friend's calls, and thought about what Lucy said.

If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened. If it wasn't for me…

"I would still have Nashi," he whispered breathlessly. Lucy looked up at him over her shoulder, wondering why he had stopped pulling on her. Natsu lifted his gaze in front of him, staring strangely at the object behind the unconscious body of Shinzō.

The Eclipse Gate.

I would still have Nashi.

If it weren't for me, I would still have…

"Natsu?"

Natsu ignored Lucy's call, taking a small step towards the Eclipse Gate.

"Flame Brain, where are you going?"

"Natsu-san!"

His friends called out to him desperately, confused as to why he was ignoring them. He continued a steady pace forward, lost in his own thoughts.

Nashi died because she was kidnapped.

She was kidnapped because she had Lucy's keys.

Shinzō needed Lucy's keys because he already had Lucy.

He had Lucy because I wasn't there to protect her.