Letters To Lucy

Final Letter

I'm on my way, Luce.

That was the last letter in the stack. The crudely written words were filled with unimaginably strong emotions, barely legible from the black soot that coated the torn paper. The person who wrote the letter clearly cared deeply about who it was written to, that was clear. Even from the minimal words, the love they held was immense.

The paper was frayed around the burnt edges, a remnant of the horrible war that it had managed to survive. Lucy tenderly held the ruined paper in her delicate fingers. The words became harder to read every time she reread it.

One, two, three tears fell onto the sheet, smearing the ink. It wasn't hard for her to know who the writer was. After all, what other person would risk their life for her and call her Luce other than her rose-haired best friend?

Her blonde bangs shaded her face as her shoulders trembled from her stifled sobs. She pushed the page away from her before anymore of her tears could ruin the writing. The hand where her Fairy Tail mark stood proud on covered her mouth in an attempt to quiet the hiccuping she was doing so she wouldn't alert Gajeel, who was standing outside the infirmary door, guarding her.

"I'm not doing this for Salamander, Levy. Sure, I owe him after what he did, but I'm doing this for Lucy too."

That was the first time Lucy had heard Gajeel call her by her name and not Bunny Girl. The two outside the door didn't do a very good job at speaking quietly. That conversation had happened at least two hours ago, but the only thing Lucy could do was repeat was Gajeel said. It was like a broken record in her mind, never ending.

Salamander.

I owe him after what he did.

Those sentences scared Lucy more than she cared to admit. The entire time she had been locked up in the infirmary, she had yet to see Natsu even once. Every time someone entered the room, she would look up in hopes to see her best friend, but was disappointed every single time.

And her guildmates... They didn't speak a word to her about Natsu. They never did. It was almost as if they were terrified to, and that was something that didn't bode well with Lucy. She didn't like being in this state of not knowing, especially when it was about him.

Lucy stared at the letters that she laid neatly on the white bedspread. Fifteen. That's how many letters there were. Fifteen letters from her friends who were suffering from her disappearance. Two were from Erza, the strongest woman in Fairy Tail who was crying, from what Lucy could tell with the tear stains on the first one, for her. One from Juvia, who had given her everything she had written about and more that were now stacked in the corner of the room, the stuffed Plue by Lucy's side.

One from Wendy and Charle, who tried to stay strong despite wanting to give up. One from Gajeel, whose letter had a single tear down at his name. A man you'd never think you'd see cry, had tears while writing to a presumed dead girl.

She knew Levy would have written to her, if she weren't so emotional about it. When Lucy had returned, Levy was not the same Levy she had grown to know. She looked pale and lifeless. But now, she looks a lot better.

And Gray. His letter hurt almost worst than Natsu's did. He was always so calm, collected and cool during horrible situations. The only time she saw him break that icy calm was when Ur, Ultear, or his father were mentioned. So when he finally let her in on his thoughts, it hurt her to know how much she was affecting him, the one who was supposed to never break his composure.

Nine.

That was the one that hurt her the most.

Nine letters.

Two months she was gone. And Natsu wrote to her every week, just like he promised in the first letter. Every letter was more heartbreaking than before. Why did it take her this long to realize how much she actually meant to Natsu? How much he meant to her? It took nine damn letters for her to come to terms with her feelings for him, and when she finally did he was nowhere to be found.

Lucy clutched Natsu's sixth letter, his confession, close to her chest as she screwed her chocolate eyes shut, tears rolling down her cheeks. She missed him. Where was he at, anyway? If he was coming to save me, then where was he now?

Lucy could barely hear the shouts of her guildmates from behind the door that led to the infirmary. It was only when the wooden door was slammed open, did she snap out of her thoughts. Her chocolate colored eyes snapped open to see the threat.

A beautiful pink popped from behind the splintered door, immediately drawing her attention.

There, Natsu stood in all his glory. A white sling held his right arm while his entire torso and chest were wrapped securely in bandages. The man under the doorframe gave Lucy his famed goofy grin, his onyx eyes twinkling as they saw her.

"Heya Luce. Long time no talk."

Next chapter is the Epilogue!

Date, February 22nd, 2017