Hating a star

Chapter 38: Who Are You?

After 24 hours of long, hard surgery, the surgeon doing the operation limped into the hallway, blood soaking his hospital garments and looking exhausted. There was only one person awake to greet him, and that was the fiery, pink haired boy who couldn't live without the feisty, blonde female. "Is she?" He asked, not able to say the words himself. "She's fine, for now. She won't be waking up for a while, but you can go see her once the nurses get her to a room. Go eat, I'm sure you've all been here for a long time." The tired doctor pats Natsu's shoulder, accidentally leaving a spot of blood on his clothes, something that Natsu was too tired himself to notice. Not knowing what to do with himself, he went to sit beside Layla, a creaking sound following him. This awoke the mother, making her jump up right and look around. "She's going to be alright. The doctor just came out." Natsu muttered, dropping his head in his hands and elbows on his knees. The statement made Layla burst into tears as the others in the room continued to sleep, not aware of the hopeful news. All that was to be decided now is how to get Lucy back to the people that love her. And Zerefto were he belongs.

Once everyone was awake and allowed to visit the one they were all here for, Zeref took control. "Alright, you can all go now. I let you stay until it was done, but not that generous to let you see her." He announced outside the room where Lucy was resting. As Zeref declared his order, Natsu showed a smirk. "Are you sure about that? I think you have something else to deal with at moment." He stated, standing high and mighty as he returned to his original state. The hope of seeing Lucy again gave him the strength he needed to stand up to the crime lord. "And what do you mean by that?" He raised an eyebrow. The next thing he knew, a group of policemen burst through the hospital doors. "Zeref Vermillion, you are under arrest!" The head of the department of justice himself cuffed Zeref, shocking him. "With what charge?" He gasped, his crew being cuffed as well. "Abduction, drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, spousal abuse, and just being a plain bastard." The head smirked as he pushed Zeref into the hands of his coworker to be frisked. "Thanks, Natsu. We've been after him for a long time." The head smiled at the band leader, Natsu smiling his lovable smile. "It's a win win for everyone. Did you get the Chief?" He asked as a female cop took an emotionally unstable Mavis Vermillion by the hand to a nurse to be checked over. During the past year, Natsu has been working with the head of the department of Justice to put an end to Zeref's schemes, and this event was the perfect thing to arrest him. "Tried to get a plane to Hawaii. And I thought I could trust him. Good work, son. It'd be great to have a man like you on the force." The head put his hand on Natsu's shoulder, questioning the blood on it was he removed it. "Sorry, but music is the only thing that helped me in this case. And Luce." He smiled sadly as the hospital door, praying she would be alright. "That's admirable. Oh well, I hope to meet more men like you, Natsu. Hopefully, we won't have to meet again." The head bowed, Natsu doing the same back. "Don't count on it. I'm feeling the fire coming back." He smiled goofily as the man departed with his prisoners in cuffs.

Everyone else was shocked by what had just happened, Dragon Slayers being the only ones making their confusions vocal. "It's over, can't we just move on. I want to see her." Natsu, the fire returning to his black eyes, begged as Layla agreed. As he was the one to save her, Natsu was the first to enter. He had never seen anyone so broken. Lucy was hooked up to all sorts of machines and readers. She was staring out the window, her eyes dead and broken. She was so pale, she might just sink into the snow white hospital walls. "Luce?" Natsu muttered, afraid she may disappear like all the other times he saw her in his nightmares. She didn't respond at first, Natsu had to repeat her name louder. She turned slowly, eyes filling with tears once she spotted her pinkette for reasons she didn't understand. She didn't recognise nor remember anything about him. All she remembered is the time he wasn't around. The man was completely wiped from her memory. "Who are you?" She muttered back, not being able to raise her voice because of the 24-hour surgery she had just fought through. 

Everything froze for Natsu. He was stunned as Layla, Levy and Juvia ran passed him and to Lucy's side, Erza not far behind. They cried as Lucy tried to calm them down, saying she was fine and that they shouldn't worry. She had no memory of her one-year disappearance and Erza had to be the on to inform her. "Natsu tried his hardest to find you. He even wrote an album about you." She smiled through her tears, Lucy's facial expressions becoming confused. "Who's Natsu? Are you sure you didn't bump your head, Erz? I was swimming with you in the lake just yesterday." Lucy frowned her brows, everyone looking up with wide eyes. "Natsu's basically your boyfriend, Lucy. Don't you remember? He went to the capital after you fell in the river. You hated him for years." Gray spoke up, Jellal elbowing him in the ribs. "B-Boyfriend?! What about Sting?" Lucy gasped, everyone, becoming uneasy. "He's gay. He and Rogue have been dating for almost 2 years now." Levy said, tearing up at the hate and pain Lucy has to deal with all over again. "B-But you said I was missing for a y-year?" Lucy teared up again, realising Sting must have been cheating on her for much longer than she first thought. "I'm so sorry, Lu." Levy placed her hand on Lucy's. Lucy broke down from receiving all this information at once. It was too much for her to cope with, especially with her weak state at the moment. Not being able to be away from his love any longer, Natsu ran to her side and hugged her tightly, although being careful of her 50 or so stitches. Inhaling sharply, Lucy remembered everything at his first touch. The fights, the tears, the joy, the love, everything. It was almost as if the veil on her eyes had been lifted and she burst into tears, gripping to his back. No one really knew what was going on, but they knew the couple needed their space, so they left as quietly as they could. If the audience was in the room or not wouldn't have made a difference to the two, they would have continued anyway. "Wh-Why did you leave me, Luce? I-I thought you were dead." Natsu let go and cupped her face, tears flowing down his face. "Zeref threatened me. He said he would put you in more danger if I didn't go with him. I'm so so sorry." She cried, leaning into his hands. Natsu collapsed to his knees, holding Lucy's hand as tightly as he tired body would allow him. He had been awake longer than anyone else due to his insomnia and this had an effect on his mind. Not being able to stay conscious any longer, he fainted, leaving Lucy to scream for help and have him whisked away to his own room for examination.