Hey Guys! Back again with another NatsuXLucy one-shot! These guys sure are popular, huh? ;D
MY TO-DO LIST:
-Post this (Done!)
-Update DHAHTTT (Fire next, first parts done, should be up in a week if I get round to it)
-Write WendyxJoel one-shot
-write Halo (bleach)
Anyway...this one is more sad, and I won't lie - I was crying just thinking up this story... but the song is just so beautiful...
This one-shot is based around the song "Lucy" by Skillet. It's a very sad one, so be warned.
So here it is, the (kind of) sequel of my other one-shot Easy To Love You. Hope you loved!
Here we go!
"How you doing, Luce?" Natsu squeezed the hand of his wife as she panted hard.
"...It hurts..." Drenched in sweat, the Stellar-Spirit Mage was ten hours into labor and just told by her doctor that there were some complications arising in the birth.
Just then, her doctor, Dr. Karasawa - an old friend of Makarov's, with long silver hair and warm brown eyes - walked in, looking troubled.
"What's...wrong?" Lucy coughed, wincing in pain.
Dr. Karasawa frowned, glancing at the medical papers in her hand. "The father has Dragonslayer Magic, correct?"
"Yeah." Natsu answered, rubbing a thumb across the back of Lucy's hand.
"I see. Well, to put it short, your baby's body is being rejected by the Dragonslayer magic she inherited from you. It's causing an Overflow."
The couple's eyes widened. "Is that even possible?" Natsu gasped.
"I'm afraid it is; due to it being a particularly strong magic, it opened it's second origin on its own. Her magic is over-flowing and once she's born she won't be able to control it."
"That's stupid! I can teach Heather to control it myself!" Natsu yelled.
"Even if that is what you intend, the magic is too strong for her body, it would reject her anyway. To stop that from happening, we've removed the magic from your daughter, or in better terms, locked it away in her second origin." However, Dr Karasawa still looked grim, almost pitying.
"What?..." Natsu looked confused, Lucy looked worried.
"The bad news is, a Mage with no magic can't continue living, as you well know. Her body is stable for now, but after a year or so.. well, the outlook won't be good."
"How many years?"Lucy spoke up, still panting but with a determined look on her soaked face. "How many would a Mage have with no magic?"
"Depending on the age and determination... a child three; an adult five." Dr. Karasawa raised her eyebrow.
"And if she were given a more stable magic?" Lucy continued.
"If her body doesn't reject it immediately, I'd say she could continue to live normally as any Mage would." Dr. Karasawa replied. "However, once she starts being able to control her magic, Lucy's time will be incredibly shortened."
"Doesn't matter." Lucy nodded. "Loke, open your Gate."
"Luce?"
"Princess?" Loke appeared, grabbing her other hand.
"Give me a contract paper, blank. And some ink."
Loke frowned, but did as requested.
Struggling to sit up, Lucy scribbled on the parchment:
I, Lucy Dragneel, hereby passover all my Magic and Spirits to my beloved daughter Heather Layla Dragneel the moment she is born in order for her to live a beautiful life with her family and friends.
Signed, Lucy Dragneel.
"Luce!" Natsu shouted, shocked. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Giving my daughter a life! What else?" Lucy yelled back, wheezing. Natsu frowned, he knew very well that without her Magic Lucy wouldn't have long to live herself.
Loke patted her shoulder and gently pushed her back so the she was lying down again.
"Lucy, are you really sure about this...?" Loke frowned again.
"Promise you'll take just as good care of her as you have me, ok Loke?" Lucy gave him a warm smile, running a hand through his mane of orange locks as tears spilled unnoticed from his eyes.
There was a 'poof' noise and suddenly all of Lucy's spirits were there, even Aquarius. They all had tears in their eyes, especially Plue and Aries.
"I'm counting on you guys," Lucy grinned softly.
"As you command, Princess," Virgo whispered, for once not asking for punishment and instead sobbing softly. A few other spirits murmured their agreement almost reluctantly.
"Then let's go." Lucy, now determined, restarted the painful birthing experience.
"A healthy baby girl," Dr Karasawa announced softly, entering the waiting room where Natsu and the rest of Fairy Tail were waiting.
Natsu stood up abruptly, dragging his feet steadily to the surprisingly small doctor.
Opening his arms, a bundle of pudgy, pink skin wrapped in a paler pink blanket was gently passed to him.
"Heather Layla Dragneel." Natsu whispered, cradling the newborn in the crook of his left arm while his right stroked small tufts of pink hair - not quite his shade, definitely lightened due to Lucy's. His smile of relief saddened a little, until Heather opened her eyes.
Warm, chocolate-brown eyes, just like her mothers.
A fat, warm teardrop splashed Heather's face and she cried out indignantly, pouting. With a small chuckle, a sad version of Natsu's old grin appeared as he turned to face the rest of the Guild.
"She's got Lucy's eyes!" he cried, sniffling.
The rest of the Guild, having being told by a sorrowful Loke beforehand of the deal, burst out in sobs and strangled cheers. Makarov and Erza cried silently with gloomy smiles; Levi cried openly as she clutched Gajeel's shirt, said Dragonslayer frowning whilst furiously blinking his eyes; Juvia cried so hard everyone was standing up to their ankles in water while Gray gripped her shoulder tightly; a few others cheered congratulations though everyone had tears in their eyes.
"She survived the magic transfer will little to no troubles. She'll officially become a Celestial Mage." Dr. Karasawa told Natsu, who nodded.
A small nurse came out of Lucy's room and whispered into the doctor's ear. She nodded and the nurse scampered off somewhere.
"You may go see her now. Why don't you introduce her to her daughter?" she murmured, resulting in Natsu freezing a little, nodding, and jerkily turning to head to Lucy's room.
He knocked once, his super senses picking up the quiet 'come in'. Opening the door with his available hand, he saw his wife in a bed with dry sheets, already changed and looking tired.
"Someone here to see ya, Luce." He choked out horsely, walking over slowly to sit next to her on the bed. "Meet Heather. Heather, this is your Mom." Another tear dripped down his cheek as he passed the girl over to her mother.
"Oh Natsu..." Lucy smiled, chuckling. "She has your hair."
"She has your eyes." he replied, keeping his head down and staring at his hands on his lap.
"Natsu? Come on, look at me."
"Luce, why did you do that?" Natsu snapped, glaring at her with tears in his eyes. "Five years, Luce! That's all you have left once she starts using her magic! Even then that's only, what, in a couple years? What about Heather? And Fairy Tail? And me? Are really giving us all up?"
"No, I most certainly am not," was the surprisingly sharp reply, catching Natsu unawares. The sudden coldness in her glare scared him more than Erza ever could. "Dr. Karasawa said depending on age and determination; in other words, as long as I have the will to live, I can live longer than her estimate of a few years. Besides, what I did was to SAVE Heather's life! Would you rather have me live with my magic and for our daughter to die at barely three years old!" she muttered harshly so as not to disturb the baby who was dosing in and out of sleep in her mother's arms. She spoke again, in a softer tone.
"Natsu, I love you. Really, since you've joined my life we've had so many life-changing experiences, good and bad. All those ups and downs in life, I want Heather to experience them too." Lucy's gaze drifted to Heather, who'd opened her eyes at her name and was staring at her curiously.
"Fight, Luce. For all of us." Natsu whispered, cupping the back of her head and leaning in to kiss her temple gently.
The first 3 months.
Boy, was this hell.
That was the only thought running through Natsu's mind as he got up for a second time that night. Lucy was spending the weekend at the hospital due to a dizzy spell, so Natsu was left on his own to handle their daughter. Not that this wasn't new, seeing as Lucy had spent one month after the birth in hospital and he had to take care of Heather alone then too.
"Come on, you," Natsu grumbled, picking up the fluffy-haired wailing baby and holding her to his shoulder, rubbing her back gently as he went into the kitchen, plucked a prepared bottle off the shelf and heated it gently in his hand with practiced ease.
Rocking the girl back and forth silently, humming under his breath as he watched his daughter drink quietly.
"Good thing you're tough like me, squirt." Natsu mumbled sleepily. It was all he could do not to fall asleep there and then but eventually she finished the bottle. He threw in the sink with practised ease. Without bothering to put her back in her crib, Natsu crawled into Lucy's bed that they'd taken with them when they moved her things into Natsu's newly re-built house. (Said house now had two bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms, a large kitchen and a spacious living room.)
Together they drifted off for a short sleep.
One Year
"Mama!"
Lucy let out a girlish shreik, bouncing Heather in her arms as she jumped around the house in her dressing gown. Natsu came running in from their bedroom, sleepily clutching the wall.
"What? What?"
"She said 'Mama'!" Lucy giggled happily, cuddling her daughter to her chest while the child burbled nonsense into her skin.
"Sheesh, Luce, I thought you were in trouble when you screamed like that." Natsu rubbed his head tiredly. Nowadays Lucy slept like a log and due to his sensitive ears he always heard the baby crying, so he'd gotten little sleep. Though thankfully Heather slept for a period of six hours at a time now, instead of three like she used to.
Looking his wife up and down, Natsu noticed that her frame was less curvacious and becoming more boney and frail as of late. Her hips stuck out a little and when she breathed in deeply he could see her ribs. Though he forgot all that the momet she turns and shows him that special smile that sends his heart fluttering every time.
Over the course of the following year and several trips to the Guild, Heather's first ten words were as followed:
Mama(because Natsu and Lucy refer to Lucy as 'Mama' constantly),
Papa(for Natsu),
Gay(for Gray, and the name stuck for months afterwards and still to this day),
MAN(I wonder where she got this from...),
Ka(after being baby-sitted by Gajeel and Levy so many times she picked up the name of their daughter Kara, who is a month older and refers to her as 'Heth'),
Beer(courtesy of Auntie Cana)
Cake(thanks to Aunt Erza)
'Lex(Erza's son Alexander who is about 2 and a half year older and plays with her all the time)
'Ris(Gray and Juvia's four month younger daughter Iris)
FAIRY TAIL!(Okay, that's two but still...)
5 Years
"Mama, Mama! Looky looky!" A five-year-old Heather ran up to her mother, who sat quietly on a chair near the back door of their house, reading. Natsu sat next to her dozing, though he opened his eyes to watch his daughter run around.
Heather was growing up fast, he thought. He'd been away on missions when she took her first step, her first walk and her first run. Being an S-Class Mage meant he could take bigger jobs for a bigger pay. However he didn't regret a single bit after watching his daughter's face light up when he brings back a souvenir for her or a good story.
As he watched, he noticed that her hair, despite being a pale pink, looked a lot like Lucy's. Her bangs draped to the left with a long strand on either side of her face. The biggest difference was she kept her side ponytail on the opposite side of her head than her mother's. Though he noticed that she had his fanged grin and his slightly pointed eyes.
Suddenly, the girl stopped in the middle of the garden infront of them, catching their attention as she whipped out a silver key.
"Open! The Gate of the Canis Major! Mikkora!"
Slowly, a small white plume of smoke appeared and out popped a Plue-Like nikora. It looked relatively the same though it appeared more female, with slightly drooping eyes and a cute black dress with a matching bow on its head.
"Hey there Mikki!" Heather patted the Spirit's head, oblivious to her parents and their shocked faces.
"Puun-Puun."
Natsu watched his wife's face as a range of emotions flitted across it. A single hand covered her mouth as her eyes started to water.
"Luce..."
"Amazing! Heather you did so well!" Lucy interrupted gleefully, smiling through the tears that were now pouring down her cheeks.
"Mama, you watched? Did you like it? Why are you crying?" Heather gasped as she ran towards her, Mikki following slowly. Lucy got up and met her daughter half way, falling to her knees and wrapping her daughter in a tight hug.
"Mama's so happy," Lucy sobbed.
It tore Natsu's heart to see the two loves of his life caught in such a disarray. Now that Heather can sucessfully use her magic, Lucy's reserves will be drained in the next couple of years, eventually ending in...he couldn't even think about it.
Instead, he grinneed his usual grin and hugged both of his girls to his chest.
9 Years - Goodbye Lucy Dragneel.
The time had finally come.
"Mama?" Heather whispered quietly whilst clutching the hand of her mother. She sniffed hard, trying to stop crying but despite all she cried and cried and hasn't stopped since she was told the truth about her magic the day before.
"My little Flower," Lucy grinned, ignoring the fact she was lying on her deathbed in Magnolia Hospital. After a frightful dizzy spell that caused her to collapse in the Guild, she'd been rushed to the hospital only to find out her time had come. There was nothing anybody could do.
"Mama, I don't want you to go!" Heather wailed, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.
"You can have your magic back, I don't want it anymore!"
"Don't say that, Heather. Aren't your Spirits your friends?" Lucy chided gently.
Heather nodded, sniffing. "But they were yours first, so you can take them back!"
"Now, now, Little Flower, you know why I gave you my magic. I want you to live life to the fullest, to be a strong Fairy Tail Mage who's dreams come true. I know mine did." Lucy smiled again. "Are you going to do that, or am I going to have to make you promise?"
Heather nodded mutely. Lucy sighed quietly and pulled her hand out of Heather's grasped so that she could run it through her daughter's pale locks, which had been unceremoniously left down today.
"You remind me so much of your father, despite your looks." Lucy whispered, knowing her child had the same unique senses as her father. "You have his hair colour, his grin, his energy and his loyalty. You like spicey food and fire. You like fighting - though I wish you didn't sometimes - and you love all of Fairy Tail like your family. I'm glad you aren't an idiot like he is though." Lucy chuckled.
"I can see myself in you too. You love astronomy, and reading, and shopping. You love peaceful days spent relaxing with friends. You have the ability to stop your friends fighting and you can be scary sometimes too."
Lucy chuckled again as Heather pouted at the 'scary' part.
"Come here." Lucy ordered, patting her bed. "I have a secret to tell you."
Surprised, Heather hesitantly climbed up onto her mother's bed and waited quietly.
"Let me tell you about a special kind of Magic: The One Magic. It is what is thought by some to be the original source of all Magic. Those people believe that every form of Magic as it is today descends from this source. While One Magic is supposedly the "all-father" of Magic, in present day it is little more than a concept. Its roots have never been fully disclosed and there are many different interpretations and theories to its actual nature. Even with such ambiguity, those who believe in The One Magic do seem to share a common belief about it: that it is the source of all Magical Power, and it is a potent power.
Many people have their own interpretations on The One Magic, as many sources, as Darkness, or other. My Mother taught me this particular version." Lucy absent-mindedly stroked her daughter's hair as she lied down beside her.
" 'It's not something that can be obtained so easily, and while it's indeed a formidable power that can triumph over anything, at the same time it's an incredibly fragile power as well..' She told me that all Magic began from Love."
Heather scrunched her face up in confusion. "What? Is that it? Love?"
"You'll understand someday. Love for your family, for your Nakama and for the people around you will always make you strong enough to protect them. Love gives you the strength of protection and devotion. Remember that."
A knock on the door shook them out of their peaceful silence and in stepped Natsu, closely followed by two nurses.
"Sweetie, we have to do a check-up with Mama now, please wait outside with the nice nurse." Natsu picked her daughter up, struggling when she refused to let go of her mother's hand. Lucy gave her one last hug and kiss on her forhead before forcefully making her let go. Heather began to cry loudly again, breaking into hysterics as the nurse carried her out of the room.
"Don't worry," the remaining nurse spoke up. "She'll only be given something to calm her down."
Lucy nodded and let the nurse check up on her.
"Nn, Natsu." Lucy murmured quietly.
"Yeah?" Hesitantly, Natsu dropped into the chair next to his wife and held her hand.
"Take care of everyone for me." Lucy smiled.
Despite the fact he was shaking and tears were pooling in his eyes, he nodded and grinned the way he knew she loved.
Eventually, Lucy slipped away peacefully with Natsu holding a half-asleep Heather by her side. Hours afterwards and Natsu hadn't ceased his tears yet.
Dropping off Heather and Happy at Gajeel's house per request he ran through the woods to his house, ignoring the cuts from thorns and branches as he made his way blindly through. Eventually he ran out of steam and fell to the ground, rolling onto his back and screaming into the night sky. Each time he screamed out his pain it sounded more and more like a dragon's roar.
His roars died out by the time dawn approached, his throat sore and his tears dried in sticky tracks across his face.
3 Years Later: Heather = 12 years old. Date = July 1st.
(AN: this should be where you find the song and play it in the back ground)
"Hey Luce."
A tall, pink-haired man stood in front of a grave. His clothes had changed over the years, and his new attire consisted of a v-neck white vest, plain black pants with gold linings, a black ankle-length jacket with gold lining that was left open.
Infront of him was his problem; the person who was his mate was buried here. It was plain and quite lovely. It also had Fairy Tail's insignia carved into it, next to the name.
Lucy Dragneel
X767-X803
A loving mother and wife and a
proud member of Fairy Tail
The man chuckled humorlessly as he sat down of the grave. He chucked a boquet of roses in front of him, muttering a 'Happy Birthday you weirdo'.
Then he remained silent.
"So Heather took her first job today." He spoke up suddenly, keeping his eyes trained on his folded hands in his lap. "It wasn't dangerous, I promise. She helped an old lady clean out her apartment and move to her new house. I watched over her just in case. You should've seen the old hag's face when Taurus popped out!" he laughed properly this time.
"She cut her hair," he sighed, running a hand through his own pink locks. "She said she hated being recognised as your daughter, and not as her own person. It's short and spiky now, like mine, though, I dunno, girlier? She kept her bangs like yours though, swept to the left with a long bit on each side, they reach her collar bones now, the rest is about to her ears." The man paused, as if remembering something. "She also said she didn't want to hurt me either, the weirdo. Just because she looks so much like you..." he trailed off. Lifting his head to the sky, he continued to avoid looking at the grave in front of him.
A short bubble of laughter escaped his lips.
"She picked a fight with Iris yesterday." At the mention of his comrade's daughter, he smiled. "She learned that from me. Those Fullbuster's need to be brought down a peg or two, always thinking they're so great..."
He stayed silent for a while again, enjoying the breeze.
Suddenly he jumped onto his feet, flames spewing out of his mouth.
"Then that Alexander put his hands on my daughter! 'Stopping the fight', my ass... he was trying to touch my girl!" he growled. "Why does he have to be Erza's kid? So scary..." he muttered on for a while; standing, pacing and sometimes jumping around in frustration as the vision of Erza's son calmly touching Heather(and Iris)'s shoulder and pulling them apart. Eventually, he sat down again.
"She's growing up too fast, Luce..." he sighed.
This time, he did look up at the grave. Folding his arms, he stared at it without blinking. The wind whipped hair into his face, causing his eyes to water. He swiped at his eyes, keeping his hand there when he realised he was crying. Again. He cried everytime he came on her birthday.
His senses tingling, he dried his face and stood up. Brushing off his clothes, he twirled his wedding ring around his finger once for good luck, then bent and kissed the headstone.
"Bye bye, Luce. See you next year, you weirdo."
Walking away, with his silhouette outlined in the setting sun, anyone watching would have seen the ghost of a spirit walk down the path with him, only to disappear as a short, pale pink-haired girl joined him at the gate of the cemetary.
As they say, when one door closes, another opens.
Sorry this took me so long to write! :(
It was so sad that sometimes I couldn't write because I was crying so hard, that song is so damn emotional!
Also are you interested in playing a part in my Fairy Tail fanfiction: Dragon Hearts and How to Tame Them? Please check out the Author's Note on the latest chapter! Or click the LINK on my PROFILE! :D
Love you guys x
