Love you threw everything (Edited)

Chapter 25: A sacrifice well worth it and a wish granted

Lucy was floating in a pure white space like she was sleeping, her hair sprayed out behind her and her skin was pale even though the wound was no longer there and she looked peaceful dressed in a pure white sundress.
"Child open your eyes" a voice called and Lucy's face scrunched up before her chocolate brown eyes opened and she looked to see the celestial spirit king there, though she was unable to move or feel her body at all.
"You child dove head first into a large spell that had never been used by anyone but myself, the maker of the spell. I ask you this Lucy Heartfielia, when you spoke that spell and used it what were the thoughts going through your head?" Celestial king enquired and Lucy blinked.
"To protect my friends, to help those I cherished and to save those that were my family" Lucy answered without hesitation, after all that was why she had done it. All she wanted was to live with her family Fairy Tail but if she had to sacrifice herself for her family then so be it. After all they had all given their all in the battles that they had been forced into because of her so she was going to go all out to protect them this time.
"You are aware, child, that you are dying," the Celestial king stated.
"I am fine with that so long as fairy tail, my family and Natsu, my first and only love is safe" Lucy smiled.
"Last time I saw you, you were nothing more than a child just finding your feet and place in this world. You have grown so much into a beautiful woman that your mother and father would be proud to have as a daughter. I wish there was something that I could do, old friend, to heal these wounds and return you to your family. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do," the celestial king whispered, one single tear streaming down his blue-green face as he looked at one so pure-hearted and young.

"You can't but perhaps I can" another voice called and the celestial king looked towards the voice and Lucy tilted her head to see since she was still unable to move.
"Zeref," the Celestial king said, surprised.
"I owe you a great debt Lucy Heartfielia, this all happened because of me. If I was not so obsessed with bringing my brother back to life I would have seen what I was doing was wrong but I was too busy wallowing in my own misery. Thankfully Mavis and Natsu managed to bring me out of that.....I can save you Lucy Heartfielia and I am going to after all I heard you promise to be with Natsu for a long time" Zeref smiled.
"But how would you do it? This is even beyond my powers, we can not bring the dead back" Celestial king reminded.
"By sacrificing myself" Zeref replied, making their eyes widened.
"I can not ask you to do that Zeref, you are a living being. For you to take your life for me, I would never forgive myself" Lucy protested.
"Listen to me Lucy Heartfielia, I am immortal in a way therefore I will not die, I shall just be giving up my physical body. Just like Mavis once I do this my body will then turn into pure magic and transfer to you, it will not hurt or change you in any way. Think of this as me repaying you for what has happened as well as repaying Natsu for the pain I put him through if you want. The truth is that I am tired, I do not want to live and hurt anyone anymore. I wish to be happy with Mavis but I can't even hold her when I am alive. You accepting this will allow me to be the one love of my life for eternity, it will truly be a sacrifice well worth it" Zeref explained.
"My sacrifice was well worth it as well, but you wish to be happy and dead while I want to be alive and happy, if there is a way for us to both get our wishes by helping each other out then so be it, I would like that very much Zeref" Lucy decided and Zeref smiled happily.
"Make my brother happy Lucy Heartfielia" Zeref said as he walked up and placed his head on her forehead.
"I will make sure you are put next to Mavis" Lucy promised and he gave one more smile before he turned to ash on the spot, coating Lucy with them, who smiled before everything went black, the last thought in her mind was that both sacrifices had been well worth it.

Meanwhile
Wendy had tried her best rushing and using all her magic to try and save Lucy but she was exhausted, Romeo having to hold her up as she couldn't even stand tears streaming down both of their eyes as they held each other. Erza had covered her face and hugged Jellal close to her chest as she too cried and Jellal was speechless, silent tears trickling down his face. Juvia was trying to comfort Gray who was crying, his face stuck in a shocked look even while she herself had tears streaming down her face. Laxus had a brave face, hiding his tears more focused on holding Mira who had fallen to her knees crying. All of Fairy Tail was there, crying or silent in shock as they saw the salmon head fire dragon slayer throw his head back wailing hysterically, hugging their blonde celestial mage's body to his chest, his wails breaking their hearts.
"Natsu" Makarov whispered, not wanting to pull the boy away from his mourning but they had to move since they had been there for three hours already, Natsu crying all the time.
"She will be back soon" a voice smiled and they looked to see Mavis there.
"How?! How can she come back? She is gone" Natsu snarled. his eyes circled in red glaring at the first master's spirit who just smiled sadly.
"A sacrifice well worth it, will bring her back.......Zeref is giving up his physical form to save Lucy. He will become much like me, not alive and not dead but his magic will no longer bother him. Zeref wished to die and Lucy wished to live so he sacrificed himself in her place" Mavis explained and they all went silent in shock. After all, even though they had been told that Zeref had changed, they never truly believed it until now.
"And....And Luce?" Natsu asked in a broken voice.
"She will recover normally like she never had the wound since it was transferred to Zeref, she will be like before the battle" Mavis assured him and Natsu nodded.
"Tell him thank you.....And when he has time I would like to get to know my brother" Natsu said and Mavis nodded smiling before she left.

Fairy tail all headed back to the guild to treat the wounded all except for Natsu who had scooped Lucy up in his arms and he went a different way, Makarov was going to stop him but Gajeel stopped him.
"Natsu needs to be with, bunny girl right now, he almost lost her once again today so his bond is strained just as hers will be when she wakes. They need each other right now more than we need them" Gajeel explained, as the oldest of the dragon raised slayers he knew what a strained bond felt like. Natsu had gone straight for Magnolia park, the place that he had stolen the prized cherry blossom tree for when Lucy was sick, the place he had confessed to her and the place that Natsu had taken Lucy on a picnic date that Mira had helped him plan out. He sat there looking at the sunrise with Lucy in his arms looking peaceful and had colour back in her cheeks.
"You can't leave me Lucy you told me we would be together forever do you remember? That we promised each other we would never leave each other again....I'm sorry Luce I promised that I would protect you, that I wouldn't let you get hurt but I let you down. You got hurt and you're once again on death's door. If I was stronger I would have been able to beat Acnologia without you needing to sacrifice yourself. I will grow stronger and stronger so I can protect you so don't leave me" Natsu whispered.
"And I will protect you" said a beautiful voice, that was like a song to Natsu's ears as Lucy reach a hand up to his cheek. Natsu instantly placed his hand over her hand and nuzzled into it.
"Nothing will take us away from each other not ever again, I'm not letting you do anything like that ever again. You are normally the smart one that thinks everything over before you go and jump into the fight, I am meant to be the stupid reckless one" Natsu sobbed, tears streaming down his face.
"I'm sorry Natsu but I promise you, never again, I am never going to do something like that ever again. I should have focused more on other abilities but he was strong and the demons were strong as well, I wanted to protect you guys" Lucy explained.
"Then stop trying to protect us, let us protect you while you protect us. It's a two way street. You have to let us protect you as you protect us, you can't take the world on by yourself we are all there for you" Natsu said and Lucy smiled and kissed him softly but passionately that he responded to happily.
"I promise no more sacrifices that are well worth it, from now on it will be fights well worth it" Lucy promised and Natsu nodded his head and beamed as he hugged her tight and kissed her as she held him just as tight. The last few months had been full of ups and downs but finally, finally they could breathe without worrying about an attack. They could sit there holding their beloved one close and watch as a brand new day dawned.