The Gate of E.N.D.

Chapter 3: Taking Natsu Back Home

"Please, let me go!" Lucy pleaded to the villagers.

"I'm sorry, miss, but we can't allow you to bring this dead boy with you! What will people think?" A lady said.

"You have to! He's my best friend!" Lucy shouted furiously.

"Lucy, calm down." Happy laid a paw on her shoulder.

"Fine." Lucy pretended to be calm as she waited for an opportunity. She watched as the villagers seemed satisfied at her behavior and left. Now! She carefully picked up Natsu's body and took off. Happy followed her.

"Hey! That girl's leaving!"

"Catch her!" The villagers thundered after Lucy. Happy wrapped his tail around Lucy's waist and lifted her into the air. He flew as fast as he could back to the guild. 

"AHHH!" Happy's wings disappeared and they plummeted to the earth. 

"Ouch!" Lucy cried as she landed on her burnt back. "How are we supposed to get home? We can't exactly take the train."

"We're going to have to." Happy said firmly. "It's the only way."

Lucy's eyes watered as she stroked Natsu's head. "I wish you were still here...."

She cleaned up his face and wrapped him in her cloak. "There! Now he looks...better..."

"He looks peaceful..." Happy smiled sadly. They headed to the train station, Lucy carrying Natsu.

"Hi, I need 3 tickets to Magnolia." Lucy faked smiled.

The lady in the booth gave her the stink eye. "What's wrong with him? And why's your face all burnt?"

"Oh! My boyfriend's asleep, so I'm carrying him! And I'm a wizard. My face got burnt fighting a monster." Lucy wrinkled her nose. Boyfriend? God, this is so wrong of me...

The lady seemed to buy it. "Here you are."

Lucy let out a breath as she sat down in the train car.

"Boyfriend?" Happy asked quizzically.

Lucy blushed. "That was the first thing that popped into my mind..."

"You loved him, didn't you?" Happy smiled sympathetically.

"A bit..." Lucy's lip trembled and she bit it. She laughed softly as the train started moving. "Right about now, Natsu would be complaining about taking the train."

Happy smiled. "And throwing up."

Tears streamed down Lucy's face as her body shook. Happy looked out the window to hide his tears. They silently cried the remainder of the journey. When they reached Magnolia, Lucy carried Natsu on her back. They slowly headed towards Fairy Tail. 

Suddenly, Lucy stopped. "I can't do it..." 

"I know, Lucy, but you have to..." Happy said.

Lucy gulped as she walked into the guild hall. Immediately, Gray, Erza, Carla, and Wendy swarmed her.

"Lucy?! What the hell happened?!" Gray gasped at the blood and burns all over her.

"What's wrong with Natsu?" Erza demanded.

Lucy started crying as the grief and exhaustion of the night prior finally broke her. "He's....dead..."

"WHAT?!" They shouted. The entire guild fell silent.

"He can't be dead!" Wendy sobbed as she tried to heal him, to no avail. Lucy gently laid Natsu on the table.

"The monster...impaled him....he saved me...I had to...watch him...die..." Lucy choked out. The rest of Team Natsu started crying. Gray was silent, but covered his face. Wendy was wailing. Erza's lip trembled.

"Gray, my darling, are you alright?" Juvia asked worriedly. He squeezed her hand in response.

"What happened?" Makarov asked worriedly as he came up to the tearful team. 

"Natsu's...dead!" Lucy said shakily.

His eyes widened and filled with tears. "One of my children is...dead...?"

"It's all my fault!" Lucy wailed.

Erza placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, Lucy, it's not."

"He was just trying to protect you." Gray said reassuringly.

"We must have a funeral." Makarov wiped tears from his eyes. "Lucy and the rest of Team Natsu, can I see you in my office?"

They looked at each other uneasily before following the old man. Makarov closed the door. 

"I know how hard this must be for you." He began. "Losing a member of the guild is one thing, but losing a team member is another. You have been with Natsu for a long time and have made many memories together. I know you must all be confused and grieving. I think it'd be best for you to stay at home for a while. Try to make sense of what is happening without others distracting you." 

Erza nodded. "I need some time...to process everything..."

Gray's eyes shifted to the ground. "I can't believe he's gone."

"I miss him so much! He was like my big brother and now he's gone!" Wendy cried.

Makarov sadly nodded. "He was many things to each of you. A brother, a comrade, a best friend." He looked at Lucy. "A first love."

Lucy's face heated up. How did he know?

"Take some time, my children. We're going to hold the funeral tomorrow at sunset. I'll have Mirajane fix Natsu up. If any of you would like to help or want to put something in the casket, feel free to. I'm sorry." He sniffled. "I can't believe he's gone." He silently cried as he left. The rest of the team followed behind him.

"I'm gonna go home..." Erza said, her voice breaking.

"I'll come too." Wendy followed Erza. She held the red-headed mage's hand as they turned toward the doors. Carla flew out of the guild with Happy. She tightly gripped his hand. Lucy watch as everyone else left, except for her and Gray.