CLANK!

"To our guild!" The sounds of glasses clinking and breaking (from some of the rougher or already drunk members) echoed and filled the room of a black magic guild, cheers and good wishes (for once) on the tips of everyone's tongues. This was the guild known as "Nazo". Their headquarters resembled that of an old-time dark castle, the only light in the room coming from a few candles on the walls, casting an almost evil orange glow upon the room. A red carpet ran down the middle of the room, ending just before a staircase that contained two sets of stairs separated by the second floor they ran up to. In the space separating these two staircases was where the male head of the guild stood, his black robe covering his entire being with the exception of his head. His dark purple hair was made out to seem even darker in the dim light of the place. His blue eyes glistened and danced in amusement. He himself held a warm smile on his face as he chugged down his own mug, watching as the members of his guild laughed and cheered before a fight broke out in the corner of a room. A chair went flying by as a member, who's used to this treatment by now, sat there in the flying chair still drinking his beer with a jaded expression on his face.

The chair hit a happy drunk on his head, bouncing off (how the chair didn't break or land on anything other than its legs nobody seemed to understand) and merely confusing the large drinker. He shrugged and continued to laugh like the drunken fool he was, raising his beer even higher than before. The uninterested member of the guild still sat there in the chair that had been thrown, not a drop of his beer missing his mouth.

It was days like THESE where a certain member wondered how her children had grown up in such a place and were still so sweet and fun. Well, she understood the fun part but not the sweet part. The female leader, who stood next to the male leader, looked over at her children who were toying around with a small brown fluffy creature who bared its teeth as it took one of the girl's dolls and shook it in its mouth. The girl didn't cry or whine; instead she broke out laughing and fell back, rolling around. Not because she wasn't into dolls or because she wasn't girly. It was because it was so amusing to see a stiff doll shaking around in her little friend's mouth like it was a chew toy and not a puppet meant to play dress-up. The boy had a sweat-drop running down his head before he laughed nervously and patted his creature friend's head, telling him to drop it before his twin sister realizes exactly what the implications are of him shaking this doll. It was her favorite and if he knew his sister well enough, he knew that she'd laugh now and be upset that her doll was missing her head later.

The fluffy baby monster put the doll down and smiled sheepishly, saying he was sorry. How did they teach him to TALK? The female forefront shook her head, smiled cordially at her children. Oh how amusing it was to see them making such a friend and interacting in such a way. "Are you alright?" She turned to the masculine figure she stood next to as he smirked cockily in her direction. "Korvich, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? After all, this is the anniversary of that day." She scoffed; angered that he would bring up such a thing on such a joyous occasion. It was sad that the day she became the sovereign of this place was the day she lost her home in another…

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"No, just saying I understand if you want to let loose and drink a little more. I can watch the kids."

This man… he was not committed to her romantically but he was the replacement father of her children. He promised her this the first night that she… "arrived"… here as a member of Nazo. It was his fault she was there and he would raise these children with her so long as she agreed to stay.

Of course, even if he hadn't promised that she would have stayed here as his queen. Not his wife, but as somebody who ruled next to him. Heaven knows this was the better choice. Korvich seemed to grow close to the children, knowing that as he was not their father, he had to actually try to establish that bond with them.

It was better to have a man you're not related to by blood love you and care for you rather than a man who WAS related by blood to you be forced to stay because it was "the right thing to do", no matter how unhappy it was for both you and him. She frowned at the memory of a man she still, even after five years, couldn't bring herself to stop loving no matter how corny or cheesy that sounds. She couldn't believe the sounds of that. Eight years ago she found out she was pregnant. Eight years ago he promised her he'd stay (even though she knew what he really wanted). Eight years ago she was kidnapped from her guild by the man standing next to her under orders of the actual HEAD of the guild. Eight years ago this new man agreed to help her raise her children. She still remembered why he said she was kidnapped. "Those children in your womb are going to be powerful, looking at exactly who their parents are."

She laughed bitterly to herself. Oh they were powerful, alright.

"If you want to watch the kids you just can, you know. They're technically your kids too, now."

"YOUR blood runs through their veins."

"They call you Daddy."

Korvich blushed, pouting like he was a three-year-old. "Oh alright, alright."

"Mommy?"

The woman looked down at her daughter, bending down with her hands on her knees, wanting to be close to her baby girl like the mother she is. "What is it?"

The girl nonchalantly pointed over the railing (keeping people from falling down a story) to the first floor. "Another fight broke out."

She heard Korvich sigh and moan in annoyance as he looked down at the guild below. The fellow guardian did not seem pleased whatsoever. Deciding she would not like the sight either, she readied her glare before looking down at the huge cluster of fighting members. A few things had changed about her over the years. After all, she was the leader of a black magic guild- which warrants an excuse for slowly becoming just a vicious when provoked, if not more, than the people that followed her. She took a deep breath, cupping hand right hand over her right cheek. And…

"QUIIIIIEEEEEETTTT!"

The scared members pulled back from their fights and saluted her. "YES M'AM, LUCY M'AM!"

Lucy Heartfilia bared her teeth, making sure every single person remembered who she was and that she was not to be tussled with. It seemed to work as everybody backed down, returning to their former states of drinking and being merry (as much as they could be with a brute watching over them with those glaring, essentially inflamed eyes of hers.)

Lucy sighed as Korvich let out a hearty laugh at his companion, her glare being sent his way. "What?"

"Nothing. I just find it amusing that when you're not angry you're just the same as the old Lucy but when angry… whoa, you better watch out!" She huffed at his teasing, being reminded of how badly he used to tease her. It made her blood boil sometimes.

"Mom?" Lucy glanced down at her son. "You hurt my ears, you know."

That's right. Her son was so much like his actual father in every meaning of the word… besides personality.

"Sorry, Jett. You know it's the only way to shut those idiots up."

"I know. Just please never yell at me like that."

"She can't make any promises." The young daughter spoke up. "What if you do something weird or dangerous and Momma has to scold you?"

Jett jeered at his little sister, annoyed that she thought he would do something stupid enough to make their mother yell in THAT way at HIM. "I only do stupid things when it's to protect YOU, Odette. You know that." Said little girl giggled and grabbed his arm, hugging him. "Yeah, I know."

Lucy smiled affectionately once more as her children cuddled like the bonding siblings they were.

Odette wore a soft pink leotard; her blonde hair curled and bouncy in two pigtails, her shoes were two brown ankle-boots with an artificial folded and wrinkled top. The doll that was being shaken in the brown creature's mouth before was now wiped clear of any drool and in her arms, hanging limply with a couple strands of hair missing. Jett wore a yellow sweater that contained two zippers on the sides as pockets. An orange shirt was under that jacket, not completely hidden. He wore a pair of jeans as well, boots the same color as his sister's, albeit a different style, warmed his feet. The brown creature jumped up, getting into the hug as well, earning a hearty laugh from the pair of twins. Lucy's eyes wandered to the two things that tied her children to their father. Odette had deep onyx eyes and Jett had pink hair the same color as his father's. Of course, Jett had one more thing that tied to his father, while Odette had one more thing that tied to her. Lucy eyed the keys that she and her daughter share, hanging around a purple ribbon Odette had tied to her waist.

Korvich noted that Lucy was slipping into a state of nostalgia and quickly altered the topic. "How about you two go out and play?"

Odette and Jett looked at him, knowing that he used this unoriginal trick to get rid of them. "Why?"

"Your mother and I have some things to discuss."

Lucy gave him a questioning look, but he ignored it and continued on. "You two can go as far as you want. Just make sure not to get too close to another guild. And don't get lost."

The twins looked at each-other and shrugged, carrying on their merry way, taking the soft brown creature with them."

"Come on Buzzle." Jett called.

The brown creature responded to his name, transforming into a slightly bigger creature, the rough size of a Labrador, and carried Odette and Jett on his back. The guild cleared a straight path to the door for the three, knowing that if Buzzle tripped on anyone and the children, or Buzzle, were hurt it'd mean hell for them with their queen bee.

Lucy waited until her children were out the door and the guild returned to its former loud and obnoxious glory. "What do you want?"

"I know you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Lucy, I've known you and your children for eight years now. I think I know when you're upset."

Lucy was unnerved by his apprehensive voice. He never sounded unsure of himself. But it wasn't because he thought he was wrong. It was for another reason entirely.

"Why don't you go back and visit?"

"You kidnap me and tell me to never ever leave the guild and now you're pushing me out the door?"

"I know you'll come back. I know that you feel this place is best for you children."

Lucy couldn't help but question her ideas and opinions as more chairs, some with people still sitting on them, were thrown across the room along with mugs of beer and wine glasses/bottles.

"But being away from your friends, people you considered FAMILY… this is tearing YOU apart. I don't want you falling into this guild as much as you are."

Lucy turned away from him, facing the guild below. "This guild is my new family and the home of my children. I don't need them anymore."

The words she was saying felt hollow on her lips. It felt wrong to say such thing. She knew every bit of it wasn't true. She wanted to see Erza. She wanted to see Gray (and Juvia stalk Gray). She wanted to see Levy and Mira-Jane. She wanted to see Gajeel and Wendy and Romeo.

But that meant seeing him.

They all KNEW what was going on with her before she was kidnapped and surely they'd have questions about what had become of her children.

How was she supposed to tell Natsu that another man had taken his place as the father when he'd already told her he'd gladly take the job? When he'd already promised to stay by her side?

When she'd inadvertently wrecked his relationship with Lisanna for these kids?

Lucy didn't hate Lisanna. Oh no. In fact Lucy LOVED Lisanna. She wanted her children to grow up and call her Auntie Lisanna. She wanted Lisanna to be that sister-in-law that could come and crash on their couch if she'd watch the kids while she and Natsu are on a job so they wouldn't have to pay the babysitter or agree to go to karaoke and help her get Natsu up to sing.

But she was a little too dense to realize Natsu's relationship with Lisanna was a little more romantic than she had originally read it to be.

She didn't even mean for Natsu to find out, really.

But when he did and he told her he'd go talk to Lisanna about what it was they were going to do (she assumed to get advice from a sisterly figure), he came back and informed her that he and Lisanna had broken up. Lucy hadn't even known they were together in the first place! It had torn her up knowing she had caused his relationship to come to an end because she let him do something stupid. He had promised her that night, with a quick peck to the lips, that he'd stay and raise the kids with her. He'd then left to spread the word of her pregnancy (much to her disapproval) and get help from the all-knowing Mira-Jane. It was soon after that Lucy had found Korvich in her bedroom (why does everybody always show up when she's about to take a bath?). After-which he summoned a big brown, fuzzy monster (Buzzle's mom), to swallow her temporarily and take her to their guild (STILL in nothing but her towel!). He had originally wanted to take the womb for himself, as he had orders to raise it himself (how he thought cutting the baby out before it was born wouldn't kill the poor thing beforehand she had no idea) because with a father Dragon Slayer and Celestial mage mother the baby would be very powerful. Lucy begged and pleaded with her life to keep the baby. After allowing a soft spot for her story to seep into that beating place in his chest, he agreed to let her keep it on one condition:

She should never leave the guild. The children were to be born in Nazo, raised in Nazo, and were to learn from Nazo and be a part of Nazo- as was she.

"Lucy? Hello? EARTH TO THE VICIOUS WOMAN RULING BESIDE ME!" Korvich was snapping his fingers repeatedly in front of her face. Lucy glared. Sometimes he was a little too much like Natsu for her taste. She smacked him upside the head. "OH SHUT UP! I HEAR YOU!"

Korvich pouted like a child once again, rubbing the sore spot in which she hit him. "Lucy… you were already pretty rough with me a few nights ago. I'm still recovering, you know."

Lucy's face slowly went red before she began freaking out about how he shouldn't say those things.

Maybe they weren't married, but they still did THAT thing. Korvich would do it on nights where she was especially depressed with her past. It was his way to cheer her up. So maybe it wasn't for love but they did it because they were… friends?

Great, they were friends with benefits.

Many, many… benefits.

Korvich laughed at her reaction as she continued to throw a temper tantrum about how it was inappropriate to discuss such things outside of the bedroom. He just nodded his head and listened, completely forgetting about bugging her to visit her old friends.

Fairy Tail's Strongest…

"COME BACK HERE YOU MANGY CAT! THAT'S NO FAIR! YOU CAN FLY!"

A very light sky-blue cat flew as high as he could away from the five-year-old dragon slayer. "Can't… keep… this up…"

"GRAWWWWRRRRRRRR!" The child below him roared, stomping his feet, snarling. Gajeel looked over and laughed. "That's my boy!"

"I'LL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!"

"SHUT UP!"

A young girl who wore a similar hairstyle to Levy's (except for the curly, as opposed to spiky, hair) spoke up, slamming her book angrily. Her navy blue dress curled around the stool she was sitting on as she angrily turned around. The white, frilly, top part of the dress was accented in navy blue polka-dots. Just like that she started to throw curse words at the two. Wendy sat on the stool next to where her daughter sat, horrified that her daughter was saying such words. "A… Aina! Don't say things like that!"

"A little cursing won't hurt her. She's growing."

Wendy turned to her husband, pouting. "She's three!"

Romeo chuckled at his wife. "Oh just let her have this one. We'll scold her later."

Levy sat next to Gajeel, laughing nervously as her son attempted to shoot the light-furred exceed down with some metal spikes. "There is no doubt that he's your son, Gajeel. There really isn't."

Aina's eyes, the same color as her father's, lit up in anger as the two refused to stop their little quarrel. She hurled filthier profanities at them.

"DID YOU HEAR ME KATSUO?" She asked, almost out of breath from the slurs she had used.

Gajeel's and Levy's son turned to the girl, obstructing his spikes for a few seconds. "Yeah, but it doesn't make any sense! I don't have what you have down there! How can you call me a-"

The exceed was just as curious about the words that were being thrown around, flying over to his parents. Charle was in a state of stupefaction, and that's an understatement, as Happy found it comical to hear the words that Aina was hawking come out of their son's mouth. Wendy, terrified at the words her daughter had uttered, let her head fall into Romeo's chest as he chuckled fretfully at his daughter's verbal exploits.

Somewhere else in the guild were four mages, crowded around a table with a map, three of them with huge smiles on their faces. "They're so cute!" Juvia cooed, hearts circling in her eyes. Gray looked over at his girlfriend, snickering before agreeing silently with her, watching their bickering. Juvia pressed her cheeks together with her hands, puckering her lips. "Light-kun is learning how to fly! Aina-chan is speaking like a sailor! Katsuo-kun's learning how to handle girls!" Gray sighed. "Oi, oi….."

Erza sat there, next to Natsu, pointing out places on the map. "We went there the last time so how about we go HERE for the big Fairy Tail family vacation this year?"

Master had placed them in the position to find the place and work out costs and what each member will pay to tag along, and Erza was giddy with the idea that this would be becoming a tradition with the way things went last year. She couldn't put her finger on what she loved so much about it, but it was as good to her as Strawberry Cheesecake. The rest of the guild seemed agree with her (Cana because the entire trip long she got free booze). Of course, there was one person who seemed to not really care all that much. Natsu sat there, a neutral expression on his face. He still smiled, and for the most part was the same Natsu…. But he never really laughed. He never really smiled. And everybody knew why.

In eight years 93 searches were conducted to find Lucy and/or his child, but they always came up dry.

In eight years they still couldn't find what was supposed to be Natsu's family.

In eight years, Natsu has almost given up hope to find the child he had wanted for so long and the blonde he wanted equally as much- in a different way.

"Natsu…" He twitched, surprised when he felt Erza's hand rest on his shoulder. It was now a common thing to see her being so gentle (to him at least.) Everybody seemed to be a little gentler with Natsu nowadays. There wasn't very much of a difference, but everybody was careful to stay away from topics when talking to him such as complaining about their "other half" or things that world tick him off, knowing he was a little more irritable than he was before. God help the poor bastard that asked him when he was going to get a girlfriend.

"Do you want us to go search for them before we all leave tomorrow?"

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder, and if he weren't in such a "vulnerable state" as Wendy put it, then that would have earned his a swift boot to the head from the warrior sitting next to him. "You guys can just go on the vacation by yourselves. It'll just give me time to look for her." He turned away, attention focused on the wall across from him. Erza took a moment to note that his hair had grown a little longer; either that or it was because it wasn't as spiky as it was before. It was also a little duller, from what she could see. Just the same as his eyes…

"Natsu…"

"We'll go looking for them, okay?" Gray set a hand on Natsu's shoulder now, pulling back after his sentence was finished. "Christ… whiner." This of course got a little bit of a reaction from Natsu, who snarled at him like he used to for being called a "whiner". Juvia smiled at the interaction, happy that her friend's lover still had some part of the old him left somewhere in there. Juvia knew as well as Levy and Mira did that if Natsu wasn't himself anymore, no matter where she was Lucy would be upset.

Because Lucy loved Natsu.

(Wherever she was.)

Natsu pulled back, not wanting to give his rival the satisfaction. "I know you guys are getting annoyed with this…"

Erza gave the young man a death glare, grabbing his arm. "Natsu she is our family, too! We could never see looking for her as annoying! We understand that you're upset. Who wouldn't be?" She tore her hand off of his shoulder once more. "You haven't been around for the first eight years of your child's life. We'd all worry if you weren't so pissy about losing her!" Erza stood, grabbing his wrist. "Come on! Let's go search for Lucy!"

Just before the group went out Natsu could hear Gray mumble something to him.

"Lucy would never leave us, Natsu."

Fairy Tail's Strongest…

Five hours.

Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Juvia had been out there for five hours searching for Lucy and what should be an eight-year-old child.

Five hours and they still weren't done.

"LUCY!"

"LUCY!"

"LUCE!"

Over and over again their cries echoed throughout the forest, un-heard and un-answered.

Juvia bent over a branch, breathing heavily from how loud they had all been screaming.

"We've been out here for hours, Gray-sama!"

"We can't give up yet, Juvia. Hold on a little longer." Gray breathed back, a cool smile on his lips.

She nodded, standing up straight and dusting herself off.

"We may not have a choice, Gray." The two turned to Erza, who wiped sweat off of her forehead, the heat getting to not just her but everyone else in the space. "We may need to give up."

"YOU IDIOT! YOU GOT US LOST IN HERE!"

Heads shot up as the same voice spoke again.

"I'LL TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF AND USE IT AS A HAT!"

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing!"

"Like HELL you know what you're doing!"

"I DO TOO!"

"Children?" Erza spoke up. "We can hear you, do you need help?"

Everything went silent.

"…."

Nobody said anything and the children's voices were gone.

"Are they gone?" A little voice whispered. A smack was heard (along with a pained "OW!") along with a "Yeah, they grew wings and flew away! NO! THEY ARE NOT!" Knowing that the children were right behind the bush in front of them, their attention asserted itself upon that one bush.

"OW! OW! OW! Mommy said not to hit girls!"

A little blonde girl ran out, holding her head and crying.

"Oh like YOU ever listen to Mom, either!" A boy followed her out, growling like the two had completely forgotten what they had been hiding from (in this case, they had).

Erza, Gray and Juvia all gave each-other looks of confusion or irritation before turning back to the children.

All Natsu could seem to do, though, was stand there and stare at the children.

Those children… their looks… their behavior…that scent.

He knew it. Any blind fool could see who these kids were so long as their sense of smell was heightened and their deduction ability was moderately accurate.

"ODETTE! JETT!"

Heads turned back towards the direction they had been looking in before as a blonde woman slowly revealed herself, completely unaware that their small group was there as she made a bee-line for her kids.

"Your father is going to have your HEAD when he finds out how far you went! This is WAY too close to the guild we told you about!"

And now everybody was truly frozen, eyes looking at nothing but the Fairy Tail wizard they once knew, clothed in a black jumpsuit that squeezed her curves, not showing too much but just enough. Her eyes had been wide with fear before she had found the little ones, who were now being squeezed and suffocated by their mother's embrace. Natsu's eyes were now even wider as he stared down at his best dream, his world slowly turning into nothing but the woman he hadn't seen for eight years and the small children being squeezed in her arms.

And he hated himself when he realized that all he could seem to mutter out was "Lucy…"