Comrade chap.4
Natsu put a lot of effort just to crawl. He crawled toward Lucy.
“Lucy-san, are you alright?” He asked while holding her hand.
“I… will… be… ok” Lucy mumbled. “But… Erza…”
They both looked towards her direction. The dragon was still alive but terribly wounded. Gray crawled closer to Erza and checked her pulse.
“She is still with us, but dying fast!” He took his shirt off, placed it on her wound and pressed it down. “All I can do is delay the bleeding.”
The dragon got up slowly and tried to fly away. Suddenly he got hit by a lightning. Everyone looked towards the dragon, it fell down for good.
“Could that be..?” Gray wondered.
Lucy looked at him. “…Laxus?”
A figure with a cape was walking through the trees.
“Tsk. Kids leaving their job unfinished.”
“Laxus, what are you doing here?”
“I was at Hargeon and some villagers talked about trouble. Just came to take a look, but guess, I’m saving your sorry asses.”
“We can handle it just fine”. Natsu growled and got ready to attack him.
“Natsu”, Lucy held him back. “Erza is dying.”
“Can you take Erza back to the guild?” Wendy asked.
“Look kid, I was kicked out of Fairy Tail. I can’t go back there just like that.”
“But… there is a big need.”
“No, just no, Makarov wouldn’t be friendly.”
“Never mind him, Wendy, we will deal with this.” Natsu replied.
“Meh, Natsu, what do you suggest?”
“Carla and Happy can carry her to the town.”
“That will take too long.”
“Laxus, take her to the village, we will take it from there.” Lucy suggested.
“Deal.”
Gray helped Laxus hold Erza in a bride position. Natsu helped Lucy get up and the Exeeds got Wendy.
“You go ahead Laxus, we don’t have the strength to run, take her to the healer.”
“Laxus started running without saying anything.
***
Walking in this condition was hard for team Natsu. When they arrived at the healer half of Fairy Tail was already there.
“Everyone!” Levy said and went straight away to support Lucy.
Natsu, holding her all this time, collapsed. Some more hands grabbed everyone and sat them down on some chairs. But that wasn’t the healer’s place. It was a friendly guild based in Hargeon.
“Feel free to rest here.”
“Erza? How is she?”
“Your friend, Titania Erza, is in critical condition. We can only hope.”
Tears came up Lucy’s and Wendy’s eyes. Gray and Natsu lowered their heads in despair.
“I need to get back to the healer. I’ll heal her.” Wendy attempted to stand up.
“First of all, you are in no condition to use magic. Secondly, the healer can do her job pretty well, don’t worry. I’ll let you rest for now”, the guild leader said and left the room.
“Erza…” Natsu mumbled.
Lucy got up, walked to Natsu and heavily sat next to him. Natsu, buried deep in his thoughts, hadn’t noticed her until he heard the noise she made by sitting down. He looked at her with a face so empty of emotions, of life, that it shocked Lucy. Then he looked at his knees again. Lucy reached for his hand, slightly caressing it.
“I’m here” She whispered so only he could hear her.
They sat quietly for a while before Makarov came to see them.
“Master!” Happy was the one to notice him.
Everyone looked up. Makarov was serious but wasn’t worried. Or well, at least, he didn’t look worried.
“How is Erza?” Lucy asked.
“The same as before, in a critical condition.”
Natsu’s hand twitched, Lucy subconsciously turned around to face him. His face was whiter than before.
“Natsu get a hold of yourself.”
“Now, everybody, there is not much you can do. Why don’t you get some sleep and recover your lost energy.”
They were all reluctant to sleep but Makarov was right. There was nothing they could do especially at the state they were. When everyone was asleep, Lucy sneaked out of her bed and went to Natsu. She held the covers of his bed up, and slid under them. As soon as she took a closer look she realized Natsu was shaking. He had his back turned towards her which gave her the opportunity to hug him. When he felt her hand, he opened his eyes.
“It’s me, Lucy” she said with a reassuring voice. “Are you ok? You are shaking.”
“I don’t know.” He reached out for her hand.
“Look at me, Natsu.”
Natsu slowly turned around to face Lucy. She lifted gently his chin.
“Erza is strong, she will be fine, and you need to calm down.” She gave him an almost convincing, though fake smile.
He curled up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Lucy pulled his head close to her neck and kissed his hair. Her presence seemed to calm him down. But even then, Natsu was failing to fall asleep.
***
When they finally managed to wake up, they asked Makarov about Erza. He had some news for them, but they weren’t good.
“There is nothing the healer can do. Erza’s wound is poisoned by dragon poison. No spell or potion can heal that, only her body might be able to fight it. The healer says he hasn’t seen such a strong poison before. She is in a coma and has a high fever. I am afraid she is alone in this one.”
“No, I can heal her.” Wendy offered.
“It won’t help. They wound may close, but the poison won’t leave her body just like that and the wound itself isn’t fatal. She has to recover on her own, if she is lucky.”
“You mean... there is a chance..?” Lucy mumbled. She tried all night to avoid the thought.
“A high chance actually.” Makarov nodded his head.
“How can you be so calm?” Natsu seemed to be a bit angry with him. Maybe he just needs someone to blame, Lucy thought.
“You know I love Erza like my child. Maybe more than all of you together do. But someone has to keep it together.”
Natsu, really angry now, decided to leave. He didn’t have the strength to face Makarov… and the truth.
“Natsu-kun! Wait up!” Lucy followed Natsu.
“Natsu-kun?” Makarov tried to lighten up the atmosphere.
Gray just shook his hand in ‘no’ way. He didn’t feel like saying anything.
Makarov shrugged. “There is nothing we can do Gray. Sit back and wait.”
Gray hid his face in his hands and sighed. “I don’t think I can relax right now. I’ll go visit Erza.” He said and walked away wearily.
***
Natsu finally stopped at the park’s beautiful fountain and washed his face. If only the water could wash away his thoughts, fears possibly. Erza meant a lot to him, even if he had to grow up under her strict rules. He turned around to sit at the edge of the fountain only to find a furious, yet short of breath, Lucy.
“I’ve been calling you and trying to catch up through the whole town!” She yelled. “Why didn’t you stop?”
“I didn’t notice you.
“That’s just stupid! The whole town heard me!” Lucy sighed exasperatedly.
“You know what? Ok. Whatever. I’m sorry. Are you happy? Let me be.”
“Guess you are right, Natsu-kun.” Lucy said while sitting beside him. “There… is…” she looked for the right words. “A lot going on at the moment.”
“Indeed.”
“Don’t worry Natsu.” Lucy raised her hand and held Natsu’s arm tightly. “Erza is strong, she can do it. Have faith in her.”
“I’m trying to have faith, but it hasn’t helped so far.” He avoided looking at his girlfriend.
“Natsu…” Lucy’s voice was apologetic. “Don’t give up.”
“I won’t I promise.” He turned around, looked at the blonde girl sitting beside him and gave her a weak smile. Her touch and hearing his name from her lips, gave him some of his lost hope back.
***
Gray wiped Erza’s sweaty forehead and sat next to her bed. He noticed that her eyeballs were moving really fast, under her closed eyelids. She must be dreaming he thought, and he was right.
…it was pitch black in Erza’s dream. She looked around, narrowed her eyes, but couldn’t see anything. Cautiously, she started walking, hoping she wouldn’t fall or stumble on something. Then she heard it; someone called her name. “Erza?”
“Who is there?”
“Erza?” It was a kid’s voice.
She looked around trying to locate the kid. Still nothing pitch black.
“Erza?” The kid asked again. It was a boy. “Erza wake up.”
***
“Jellal…” Erza mumbled in her sleep, making Gray jump.