Sunrise, Let The Rays Light Up Your Soul{LaxusXLucy} [By Trinity531]

Things would never be the same

Walking aimlessly.. not wanting to go home just yet.. she thought over the events of the past couple days.... She was so tired...

The kiss... the fight... drunk Natsu... Laxus'... Gray... UGH.....

She looked up to find herself in front of the rainbow sakura tree... she smiled... it was the tree Natsu and Happy had uprooted and sent down the river in front of her apartment... it was a nice gesture.. kind of romantic... but she now guessed that it was meant to be nothing of the sort..

They were just friends.

Her eyes caught something blue at the base of the tree. She walked up to find...

Happy. The exceed was sleeping on Natsu's lap.. and Natsu... was staring off into space.. lost in thought.. This was a rare sight and he actually looked... a little gloomy...

Slowly and quietly... Lucy came up to Natsu and sat next to him.. it was only then that he sensed someone next to him and turned his gaze towards... Lucy.

He was shocked... how had she found him.. and where was Gray?... He stared at her.. and she just looked forward.. calmly and comfortably..

Here she was.... Finally.. they finally got time alone... at least first time alone sober... he wanted to soak her image into his brain.. wanted to hug her and not let her go...

Lucy had died twice to him.. and he desperately wanted to make sure... that she was really there.. in front of him... it was so hard... when future Lucy died during the GMG... he was traumatized by her death... although the present Lucy was still alive.. it didn't make it less real... and ever since the games.. he had nightmares from time to time.. about his nakama dying before him... especially Lucy and Lisanna since they were his two closest friends who had died...

That was why... he had the nightmare about Lisanna the night before the... that's why he was so emotionally compromised... and now he had to live with this overwhelming guilt... that he caused Lucy's death... the girl he promised to protect her future.. he had been the cause..

Natsu couldn't speak... he was in so much anguish... life without Igneel was hard enough... life without Lisanna was hard too.... But life without Lucy...

No more sleepovers.. or her wonderful cooking... her friendship.. her constant efforts to take care of Natsu and Happy.. her smile... her brightness... he never realized how big of a role she had in his life...

"Natsu stop staring. It isn't polite."

She still didn't look at him.

"Luce.... I..."

"Do you remember that time when Loke was dying.. He was disappearing and he felt guilty for having indirectly caused his previous master's death..."

Natsu didn't move. He listened to everything.. Lucy's words.. her breathing.. her heart...

"When I was saving Loke... I thought to myself.... If...if someone got hurt or died because of me, I think I'd suffer a lot like Loke.... But it's okay, because if we, Fairy Tail, all work together, we can overcome any trouble we might have..."

Natsu's eyes widened...

"Let's stop suffering... I think we've had enough... It's our choice to be happy.. and I'm going to grab my own happiness."

She looked into his eyes.. Natsu had started crying... and she cried too....

"Friends?.." She smiled.

"Friends" Natsu said smiling back.

She wiped away her tears from her face and felt something cold drop on her hand. She looked up and saw tiny snowflakes falling down.. It was snowling..