Other Side Of Me (ZerefxLucy)

Chapter 21: sickness

Natsu and Lucy on a log in front of Erza, Grey and Brandish like two kids in a principal office being questions by the school board.

" Lucy are theses really your kids?" Grey asked at the right of Erza.

"Y-yes!"

"Well where's the father?" Brandish intervened. Lucy stayed quiet. She and Natsu turned to each other saying nothing with nervous looks on their face.

"*gasp* Is it Natsu!?" Erza accused in the middle. Natsu and Lucy's faces heated up at this.

"WHAT!?...... NO!"

"Then who?" Grey urged on.

"Well ....you see... he's..his name...his name is.....um...I-"

"Lucy!" They said annoyed.

"Fine. His name is Z-"

"Mommy?" Zerra called still half asleep sitting up. Lucy forgot all in front of her and tended to her child.

"Hey Lucy how come the other ones' still sleeping?" Natsu asked pointing to Lance's sleeping form. The others staying quite in confusion and intrigue, observing the situation.

"The spell wore off sometime ago but he just usually sleeps really long."

"Mommy who are these people?" Zerra questioned now sitting in between Lucy and Natsu.

"Oh these are some of my old friends,.. This is Erza, Grey and Brandish."

"Hello?" They said.

"Hi....mom are these friends of da-" Zerra was now suddenly fully awake at the realization, "Mommy where's daddy?"

"Well...you see-"

"There he is!...Daddy" Zerra started running towards Zeref but was suddenly stopped by Natsu in front of her and her mother's hand on her shoulder.

"Zerra you can't go near him." Lucy said nervy.

"But why?" She said her voice oozing confusion, worry and a bit disappointment.

Lucy guided her back to the log seats around the fire to explain.

"Zerra didn't you notice today like the sky was falling?"

"Yeah...the barrier thing broke right?" She answered meekly.

"Yes well although that barrier was keeping us trapped here, that barrier was also protecting your father and now its gone he's very sick and people can't be near him, OK ?"

Zerra processed this and stole a glance at her father.

"Okay, but if he's sick and people can't be around him, who's gonna take care of him?!" She finished frantically, at this she felt a calm hand on her head.

"Don't worry your mom and I are the only ones who can't be affected, so we'll handle, alright." Natsu said giving a big toothy smile. This eared a smile from Zerra and jumped at him giving a big smile.

"Thanks uncle Natsu!"

"No prob kiddo."

"*yawn* you know I suddenly feel really sle-" Zerra suddenly felt back asleep on Natsu's chest. Everyone turned to Brandish who had remaining of magic flying around her hand.

"Explain." The three other mages said. Natsu and Lucy's sweat dropped.

*An agonizing shit load of explaining later.*So Zeref. The dark evil wizard of all destruction and fear is your husband and your...brother? " Erza questioned.

"Yes."
"Yes."

" Lucy. Your situation might be too personal but ..NATSU!..you and Zeref..brothers how is that possible!? Grey asked getting slightly angry.

"I don't really know or have actual proof of what Zeref told me, heck I don't even remember him before we met on Tenrou island....but, something, something in side of me believes..no..knows its true....plus he does smell very familiar."

Okay we don't know how to react to this.....Brandish what do you think?" Erza and Grey said, everyone turning to Brandish.

Brandish stayed completly impassive for a moment not any emotion or reaction be seen. She then stood up and walk over to Lucy stopping right in from of her.

"Your Highness!"  Brandish blurted out bowing at Lucy's feet crossing a hand over her chest.

"Brandish?" Lucy gaped.

"What are you doing?" Erza  asked stunned.

"I may no longer directly serve Lord Zeref, but I'm still and always will be a citizen of  Alvarez, and Zeref is it's creator and ruler, Lord Zeref bethroned Lucy, there for she is royalty and is our 'Queen'. She finished standing up.

"Queen?..I-I never really thought it like that!?.

"Queen?" Everyone echoed.

Lucy slightly blushes as she walked passed the group grabbing a bucket of water.

"I should go check on him hehe."

As Lucy left, the atmosphere turned serious again, but stayed quite, huddling around the fire.

"Natsu!" Grey called breaking the silence.

"Yeah." Natsu answered not switching his gaze from the fire.

"If it's true, if you are some how related to Zeref....do you know anything about E.N.D?"

Grey's words lingered in the air for a while, the question growing in both Erza and Brandish's mind, all three waiting in anticipation.

Natsu gave up and heaved a big exaggerated ..
"*sigh* It's m-"

"Natsu!"

Everyone looked up to see Lucy face red and tears spilling down her cheek. Natsu quickly got up resting a sleeping happy down next to Lance and Zerra.

" Lucy what wrong?!"

"I- it's Zeref he's breathing really fast and he has a high fever, this has never happened before he never gets sick, and he hasn't gotten up once, I don't wanna lose him." She said breaking into new tears.

Natsu reached in time, just as Lucy suddenly fainted.

"Lucy !" Erza and Brandish piped as Natsu rest her down on their laps.

Natsu stares down at Lucy for a moments, then pick up a near by bucket filled with water and fetched a small rag from his pockets, and placed it in front of Grey.

"Grey, can you chill this water a bit?"

Grey's eyes pierced Natsu as if mentally defying him, refusing to help the creator of Deliorra.

"If your not doing this to help him, do it for Lucy."

AT Natsu's statement, Grey faltered and stole a glance at the unconscious Lucy on Erza's lap, swiftly touching the bucket, Grey chilled the water and turned his back to everyone.

" thanks buddy." Natsu said barely above a whisper.

Natsu walked off into Zeref's direction. Mind jumbled in thoughts, 'what do we do, what do I, Is this all really, is it all true?'

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           End Of Chapter 21