To Protect You

Chapter Three: Traveling to Sabertooth: Twin Dragon's down?

Hello! Man I have been in a great writing mood lately! I am so excited to write the characters who aren't from Fairy Tail so my imagination is going haywire! I hope everyone enjoys this unusually long chapter! I dedicate this week's chapter to chemomantic simply because her story Healing Gabriel gives me life. I've never talked to her so she could hate anime for all I know but I feel like she deserves the dedication! I hope every one likes this chapter and I'll see you soon!

~Dylan

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Lucy and the others weren't allowed into the infirmary when they got back to the guild, due to Porlyusica needing to concentrate on the Dragon Slayers. Lucy sat at one of the many tables in the guild hall, bouncing her leg and tapping her fingernails against the surface of the table. Gray sat across from her, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the table, his own legs bouncing up and down in anxiousness. No one was in the guild other than the two of them and it was deathly silent, save for the noise from Lucy's impatient fingernails. Even Mira had gone home, discovering that her siblings had left in an attempt to find some answers as to why their comrades had fallen ill so suddenly. Makarov had told them before he left to go meet the council for some damage to a town that Team Natsu had saved, that Juvia and Macao had left to gather some supplies for Porlyusica, Romeo and Wakaba their companions. Levy had left to grab some things from Fairy Hills and check up on her team.

Lucy sighed, leaning forward to rest her cheek on the cool surface of the table. She was worried, no doubt about that, but exhaustion from three days of extensive cleaning were finally catching up to her. That, and the fact that the whole deal with Flare's village had exhausted her beyond repair. Her eyes fluttered closed and a yawn spilt past her lips before she could stop, making Gray make a noise of concern.

"Tired?" He asked, his voice echoing slightly through the guild hall.

"Mhmm." She mumbled, sitting up straight again and casting her eyes to the door that led to the infirmary. Her legs itched to stand, walk towards it and yank the door open, demanding to see Natsu and the others. Gray watched her before reaching to his side, pulling up his gray hoodie and handing it to her. Like always, Gray had stripped his shirt and jacket, leaving him in his pants and shoes and as he slid the jacket over to her, Lucy's eyes moved back to discover the fluffy material before they ventured to his face, her brows furrowing.

"Use that for a pillow. I'll wake you up when Porlyusica comes out." He said simply, recrossing his arms over his chest and leaning back. Lucy looked at her teammate before swallowing, taking the coat and rolling it into a ball.

"Why don't you get some sleep? It's pretty late." She said and Gray chuckled slightly.

"I can't sleep knowing that the Flame Head isn't alright. I haven't had enough time to beat him up." He said with a weary smile. Lucy watched him before his dark eyebrows drew down, shading his half lidded eyes in a darkness that showed the pain in his features, one Lucy hadn't seen in her friends dark eyes since Galuna island those many years ago. "Natsu can't die."

"Who said he was going to-"

"He's never been sick." Gray interrupted. "This is weird. Especially for him. Never once in all of the years I have known him has he ever gotten sick." Lucy tightened her jaw before he sighed, resting his forehead in his hand. "Don't mind me, I'm probably just over thinking things." Lucy watched her friend before slowly laying her head down on the coat, her eyes closing immediately.

"Get some sleep, Lucy." He said before her eyes shut and she fell into oblivion.

***

"They've been poisoned." Porlyusica said to Lucy and Gray an hour later. Lucy wiped her eyes, stifling a yawn as the older woman leaned against the door leading to the infirmary, her red cape startling against the paleness of her skin. Gray watched his companion before turning to the pink haired woman.