He coughed hoarsely, falling against the wall. The right shoulder of his brown jacket was stained in red. He clutched to his shoulder with his left hand, trudging forward. His body felt like it was burning, it had reached its limits maybe hours ago yet he continued forward. He had a goal to reach, and he had to get there as soon as possible.
He pushed off the stone surface, nearing an opening of the wall to a large building. He recognized the orange banner that hung at the front of the building, he turned and walked toward the big double doors. His body felt heavier with each step he took. He reached out his hand, coated in the blood that had soaked through his clothes.
He dragged himself to the door, but it opened before he could reach for the handle, the force of it hitting him made him fall onto his back. He grabbed his shoulder, hitting the ground made him whole body vibrate with agony. His vision went blurry, his ears filling with muffled voices before passing out from the exhaustion.

~~~

The laughter and sound of breaking furniture from the group fights was dying down from the Fairy Tail guildhall as dawn began to come over Magnolia. The shadows growing long as the sun lowered in the vast sky, letting the stars peak out through the cast of the moon.
The Guildhall was no longer full as people left, either out on jobs or getting back home after another rowdy day at the guild. Some lingered back, helping Mira and her sister Lisanna tidy up the mess for tomorrow's unplanned party of booze and rough housing.
Wendy was nodding off at a table near the bar area, having helped sweep up and wipe down tables along with Carla, Happy, and Levy.
Gajeel and Panther Lily threw out the rest of the broken wood and were making their way to the couple tables where the rest had gathered when the chores they were tasked with were complete.
Erza, Gray, and Juvia helped bring over some desserts and lemonade for Mira and Lisanna to treat those who assisted in the cleanup.
"Best after party ever," Levy smiled as Juvia came over with a couple slices of cake, one in each hand.
"Chocolate or strawberry?" Juvia asked, holding the slices up for her to choose.
"Oh, a choice? Chocolate please," Levy said.
Juvia placed the chocolate cake in front of her.
Mira came to the table, setting down a tray of lemonade and putting a glass in front of everyone. Soon, they each had a lemonade and a piece of delicious cake to feast on accompanied by the dim light of a few candles that lined the two tables they occupied.
Lisanna was the last to sit down, seating herself next to her sister with a sigh, "What a day."
"Indeed," Mira reminisced of the good moments the day had to offer them as she took a sip of her lemonade.
"It's a little weird," Gray mumbled out.
"What is?" Juvia questioned him.
"It's not as loud as when Natsu is here," Gray answered, "It's nice."
"Remind me again why you didn't go with them on their job? You always do," Carla looked over at Happy.
"I was sick," Happy sighed sadly before letting a grin crawl on his face, "aaaaaaanndd it gives Nashu and Lushie some bonding time."
"That dunce and Lucy?" Gray scoffed.
"Good luck with that," Gajeel commented with a chuckle.
"Speaking of bonding time," Mira turned to face Gray and Juvia, "When are you two going to go off on a job together?"
Gray almost choked on the lemonade he had sipped in the moment as Juvia was lovingly gazing towards him with anticipation in her bright big eyes.
Wendy stood up, having finished her treat of strawberry cake and sour yet sweet lemon beverage.
"Calling it a night?" Lisanna asked.
"Yeah, I'm getting tired," Wendy said, catching Carla as the white exceed flew into her arms.
"I'll accompany you, I'm going the same direction," Erza offered.
"Alright," Wendy smiled, appreciating the company of the redhead.
They said their several good nights to each other, getting a last few teasing and verbal jabs at one another before tomorrow came.
Erza and Wendy were walking out, starting their own conversation amongst themselves and Carla as they began their walk home at Fairy Hills. That was until Erza opened the door and hit an opposing force.
With a brow raised she looked out ahead wondering what or who she had hit with the door, her gaze lowering to a shocking sight.
A familiar face contorted into a pained and exhausted expression as the man lay there unconscious as he held a hand to his shoulder.
"Natsu!" Wendy called out his name, kneeling next to his body and raising up her hands to cast her healing magic upon him.
"He's terribly pale," Carla frowned, pressing a paw to his sweaty head, "looks he may have a fever as well."
"Do what you can, then we'll carry him to the infirmary," Panther Lily said as the others had gathered at the door after Wendy had shout out the name of their fellow fire dragon slayer.
"Sister are you sending a message to Master?" Lisanna looked back at the She Devil who wrote in the candle light with urgency.
"Yes," Mira nodded, folding the parchment into a paper plane and then throwing it into the air where it took off leaving a glittery path that lasted only a few seconds.
Gajeel and Gray were the ones to lift Natsu from the stone and bring him to the infirmary where Lisanna and Mira joined them to help in anyway they can.
"I hope he wakes soon," Happy teared up, upset to see his dear partner be in such a state.
"I do as well," Levy placed a hand on the blue exceed's head in attempts to comfort him as they watched Juvia and the Strauss sisters clean the blood off the fire wizard before wrapping him up in gauze.
"Wendy you should rest," Lisanna suggested once they had finished their treatment of Natsu as Juvia was placing a cool cloth on his reddened forehead.
"How long do you think it'll take for the message to reach Master?" Erza leaned in towards Mira.
"In about two hours, but I don't know when he will return," she sighed softly, concern in her eyes when she glanced over at Natsu, "I wonder where Lucy is."
"Let's hope in a better state than his," Gray commented, overhearing them as he was walking up; shoving his hands in his pockets as he spared a moment to turn and look back.
Now all they had to do was wait for his wake.

~~~

It was bright and warm, and there was a sweet scent in the air; it was calming.
He felt something soft slide up both sides of his face. He didn't need to open his eyes to know the hands that caressed his face. He could never mistake her comforting touch.
It was blissful serenity.
"Natsu," her voice, it rang in his ear like a melody. It had been so long since he had last heard her call him in that enchanting way she did in his happiest memories of her.
But those happy moments in his memory would never last. It came apart in pieces.
He slowly opened his eyes to see a glimpse of her hair as her body fell to the side.
He sat up in a panic, scrambling to pull her into his arms.
"Lucy!" he shouted out her name in hopes she'd respond, but as he brought her body into his lap he noticed her strange eyes; two dark marbles in place of her beautiful hazel irises.
His gaze lowered to a deep cavity in her chest, it was a black abyss in the middle of her chest.
Uncontrollable laughter filled his head with it's mocking tone.
That bastard did this!

He jolted upright in a cold sweat, waking from his unsettling dream. He hissed as a sharp pain raked at his shoulder from his sudden movements, grabbing his shoulder as his gaze fell down to his body covered in bandages. Gauze wrapped snuggly around his torso, his aching shoulder had small red spots where he had bled through the bandages.
After analyzing his condition he rose his head to look up at a familiar ceiling. It seemed so long ago since he was last there, he couldn't help but reminisce for a moment as he remembered many moments he had in this exact room; the infirmary within the Fairy Tail guildhall, he could never mistake it for anything else.
"So you're awake," a voice made him jump, turning his head to see who spoke.
"Gray," he moved his leg off the bed to try and stand, clutching to his shoulder.
"You shouldn't move, Wendy wasn't able to heal all your wounds," Gray stated, sticking his hands in his pockets.
Natsu ignored him, standing up from the bed, "Where's Gramps?" he asked, "I have to talk to him."
"Not here, council meeting," Gray answered bluntly.
Natsu clenched his jaw, "I don't have time to wait for him, where's Erza?"
Gray raised a brow at Natsu's reaction, "Why don't you just lay down for a second, we already sent for gramps. He'll be back any moment."
"Did you not hear me? I said I can't wait for him."
"You're gonna have to," Gray crossed his arms.
Natsu grumbled for a moment, sitting back on the bed he had woke in. He didn't have the time to be waiting like this.
Luckily, for his sake, the door opened, Erza, Makarov, and Happy entering the infirmary room.
"Nashu!" Happy cried, flying to Natsu and clutching to the dragon slayer's arm as he sobbed, having missed his close friend tremendously.
"Hey buddy," Natsu patted the exceed's back before meeting Makarov's gaze.
"I hear you arrived home in a rough state, what happened?" Makarov was the first to ask.
Natsu held his knee as he spoke, pleading, "I need help."
"Natsu," his name slipped out in empathy from Erza.
"I can't protect Lucy on my own," the dragon slayer said through clenched teeth, "We can't do the job on our own."
"I think who goes is obvious," Gray stated, "But we still got some unanswered questions."
"What happened to you? Where did you get those wounds?" Erza questioned.
"I was fighting, and I underestimated that bastard," Natsu growled.
"Who?" Gray asked.
"Liwon," Natsu uttered the name with venom dripping from his lips, a hatred for the owner of the name festered in his gaze that Makarov didn't like too much when seeing it.
"Where's Lushie?" Happy wondered.
"She... She's been stuck in a coma," Natsu hesitantly stated, his voice shaking a bit as he spoke of his partner's condition. All he wished for was for her to be awake when he returned.
Makarov hung his head over the saddening news of a dear child, "Bring Wendy with you, I'm sure her healing magic will be of great help."
"After she's rested a little more we'll leave," Erza assured, glancing over at Natsu, "You should rest up as well."