Natsu and his friends were hanging out in the guild, they decided to take a break from jobs…well Natsu decided much to Lucy's disagreement. Lucy sat at the bar pouting and talking to Mirejane, and from what Natsu could hear, she was talking about the rent again. Recently Natsu and Lucy have been going on jobs alone together, he enjoyed being able to spend time with her. The other team members have been doing solo missions; Erza has been meeting up and doing jobs Gerard, while Juvia has been asking Gray to join her. The last job he and Lucy went on, took a lot out of him. It was definably graded a level to low, if he had known it was going to be like that than he would have waited for Gray or Erza to return, then maybe Lucy wouldn't have been hurt.
"Oi, Natsu, you alright?" Romeo asked, waking Natsu from a daze he didn't realize he was in.
"Oh ah, yeah." Natsu said grinning
"Are you sure, you've been staring at Lucy for a while." Romeo said half concerned and half sheepish. Romeo knew the Natsu had feeling for Lucy, he just wasn't sure if Natsu had realized it yet.
"Oh yeah. Just making sure her injury is still ok. She didn't let Wendy heal her all the way." Natsu replied, and before Romeo got to say anything back, Master came in.
"Everyone, we have someone who will be staying here in the guild for a while." Master said walking in to the main bar area. Everyone looked to see a little girl with straight pink hair, bashfully stand really close to the master. "Erza and Gerard found her about a mile from town."
"When we found her she just kept repeating 'Fairy tail', I decided to bring her here." Erza added.
Natsu walked over to welcome the little girl to fairy tail, he knelt down and gave her a big grin. Before he realized it, she ran to him and gave him the biggest hug, everyone could hear her crying as she stayed latched to Natsu. Natsu felt his heart stop a moment...her scent.
"Natsu, do you know her?" someone asked
"She has your hair color and seems to know you." He heard Freed say behind him.
"No I don't know her." He said awkwardly. It true he had never met her but her scent…so similar to her's.
"Now everyone back to what you are doing, you're scaring her." Lucy yelled and ushered Natsu and the girl latched to him to the corner where Gray, Juvia and Levy sat.
"Oh she is just precious!" Levy gushed with Lucy. Natsu just sat awkwardly with the girl in his lap still clinging to him. Her cries soften and she fell asleep. "She can't be more they 5, right?"
"Natsu, you alright?" Lucy asked, noticing an odd look on his face.
"Yeah, it's nothing." Natsu replied.
"Hey Natsu, I almost forgot. Happy went to my house, he went with Juvia and me on our job. He was to tired to come today so I told him you'd come pick him up later." Gray informed him.
"Oh that's right, I promised Happy we'd go research for sometraining." Natsu said feeling guilty.
"Why don't I come with you." Lucy offered.
"Wait, Natsu." Master said approaching them. "I have a request for you, would you please take the little girl with you? You're the only one she doesn't seem to be afraid of."
"Oh…yeah, sure." Natsu said looking down at her; it would give him a chance to find out why she has that smell. "Oh Lucy, you should go with Levy, you promised her to have a girls night right? I'll do research another night."
Shortly after Natsu and Gray headed out of the guild… with little girl still clinging to Natsu.
"Wow, she really likes you, and she really isn't scared of you at all." Gray said looking at the girl.
"Yeah. And you know what the weirder part is, she smells like Lucy and slightly of something else too, I'm not sure what."
"What? How can that be?" Gray replied.
"I'm not sure."
"Well clearly she isn't a relative, otherwise Lucy would have known."
"Maybe I'll be able to ask when she wakes up."
"Natsu!" Happy said flying quickly out the door heading right for Natsu's chest.
"Happy slow down!" Gray grabbed him.
Gray and Natsu quickly filled Happy in on how he ended up with the little girl.
Gray was far too curious about the little girl and stayed at Natsu's the rest of the night, but the girl didn't wake up till morning.
"Natsu wake up, where's the girl?" Gray said waking up Natsu. Natsu was still a bit hazey but quickly jolted up when he realized the girl's scent wasn't in the house. They quickly ran outside but found her sitting next to a tree.
"Hi, Hope it didn't scare you to be at my house. I was going to tell you last night but you never woke up." Natsu said sitting in front of her.
"I wasn't scared. Daddy taught me to never be scared." The girl looked at him, she had Lucy's smile…but those eyes.
"Who is your dad?" Gray said suddenly behind Natsu.
"I…I can't tell you that." She became bashful again.
"What about your mom?" Natsu asked. The girl suddenly got teary eyed, she looked like she was trying to hold back tears.
"Somebody took mommy." She looked close to tears. "I heard daddy tell stories about Fairy tail, and how strong they were. I knew that if I found fairy tail, they would help. Daddy said they can do anything."
"We'll help you." Natsu said with a grin. "Oh what's your name?"
"Oh sorry. I'm Layla." She said with a guilty smile.
"Layla is a pretty name." Happy said joining them outside.
Natsu saw as Layla's face light up, she got up and gave Happy the biggest hug.
"Natsu, shouldn't you be heading to Lucy's?" Levy said as she past his house. Gazille lived close to Natsu, and he knew she was heading to his place to make sure he woke up.
Natsu showed up at Lucy's door, but when Lucy didn't answer, he walked in.
"Who lives here?" Layla asked.
"This is Lucy's house, she is a good friend and teammate."
"Lucy? That my momma's na…"
"Natsu don't just let yourself in. Oh you brought her with you, such a cutie." Lucy said coming out from her room. "I see you slept well." Lucy grinned at Layla.
Layla stared at Lucy, her eyes watered. Lucy looked her slightly confused.
"What's the matter?" Lucy knelt down in front of her.
"Mommy!" Layla said latching on to Lucy in a big hug, she cried in to Lucy's hair.
"Mommy?" Gray said surprised. "Layla, what are you saying?" He looked at Natsu who couldn't say anything.
"Layla?" Lucy said. "Ok wait a minute, it's ok. Calm down."
After 5 minute Layla calmed down, and sat on the couch with Lucy, Natsu leaned up against a wall next the chair Gray was sitting at. Natsu and Gray filled Lucy in on what Layla had told them.
"Layla, you know I'm not you mom right? I'm sure you miss her…"
"You are my mom. I know it sounds weird but I'm from the future. Virgo helped me get here." Layla said quickly.
"Wait, Layla why don't you tell us from the beginning." Gray said, Layla nodded.
"I'm Layla. In the future my mommy gets taken away by a dark guild. Daddy and mommy use to tell me stories of Fairy tail, and how strong they were. So I thought if I went back in time and got them to help me, then maybe mommy won't get taken."
"Layla, why didn't you just get Fairy tail in your time to help?" Natsu asked.
"They don't exist anymore." Layla said sadly.
"Layla, if you're my daughter in the future, surely you know our friends would help you." Lucy said.
"Auntie Erza and Uncle Gerard are looking but they are the only ones able to." Layla gave a quick look to everyone, staring a bit longer at Gray.
"Layla, what happened to us?" Natsu said, sounding like he didn't really want to know the answer.
"Most of them… past away when the dark guild took over, but Uncle Gray is still comes over with Yue and Iroh sometimes."
"Layla, you said Erza and Gerard are the only ones able to help, what about Natsu and Gray?" Lucy asked.
"Uncle Gray can't use magic anymore and…" she look at Natsu, then quickly looked away. "I was told not to say."
"Wait, I can't use magic anymore?" Gray asked.
"Daddy says you lost your arm in order to save Yue, when he was born."
"Who's Yue? And who's Iroh?" Natsu asked.
"Yue is your son, uncle Gray. Iroh is your adopted son. Mommy says auntie Juvia couldn't bear to see him grow up on his own, so you adopted him."
"Wait I need to sit for a minute." Natsu saw the jolted look on Gray's face. "Yue is my son…with Juvia?"
"Guess you gave in after all these years." Natsu teased.
"Iroh was adopted by Juvia and Gray, who son was he?" Lucy asked.
"Daddy always called them Tin-chan and Levy-nee." No one said anything for a bit…they all realized at the same time…Gazille and Levy. Layla got uncomfortable with the silence and began to fidget, Natsu noted that it was just like Lucy does.
"Wow this is turning out to be a whole lot different than I imagined." Lucy said.
"Hey Layla, can I talk to you one on one for a bit?" Natsu asked.
"Sure." Layla got and ran to the room where Natsu went. She sat on Lucy's chair and Natsu kneeled before her.
"Layla I want you to answer me honestly. Am I your father?" Natsu asked, he really had to know. He had put some of the pieces together-Her pink hair, the fact she couldn't talk about her father or Natsu, her eyes matched his, her smell was of Lucy and of cinder…and then the way she hugged him the first moment she saw him. He saw the panic in her eyes for a moment.
"I can't say, Uncle Gray told me not to. He said it might change the future and I may not be born." She look at him teary eyed.
"Layla, please tell me. I promise you will be born and will exist. Am I your father?"
Layla didn't answer at first then nodded slowly. Natsu let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, he felt relaxed…almost gitty. He pulled Layla into a hug.
"Will I really be okay? Will you really love mama?" Natsu could tell the Gray in the future didn't know of his current feeling and was just looking out for them.
"I already do. I promise, you will be fine. I also promise that Lucy will not be taken in the future. Why don't you tell me what happened and I'll see how I can fix it." Natsu said with a smile.
"It's been almost 45 minutes since Natsu took her in there." Gray said. "Hey Lucy, what do think of this kid being your future daughter?"
"Honestly I'm a little shocked still. She is so mature for her age, she speaks well too."
"Well if she really is your daughter, it make since, you alway reading and the way you were raised…why wouldn't you teach your daughter to at young age." He replied, she had to agree with him…that sounded just like her.
Natsu finally came out of Lucy's room, he was carrying out a sleeping Layla. He walked over and handed her to Lucy.
"Watch her, I'll be gone for a bit. Gray come with me."
"Wait, what did you find out?" Lucy asked.
"I'll tell you later. I need to go make something right first." Natsu said as he shut the door behind them.
"So Natsu, where are we going?" Gray asked walking behind him.
"Ever heard of a Dark guild called the Red Reapers?"
"Yeah, why?"
"We're about to go destroy their guild. Layla tells me that in two years from now I told her that Red reapers got really strong and started to take over. Right now they are a weak guild, as we know at least, and I won't let them destroy the future."
"Wait Natsu, tell me what you know." Gray stopped Natsu, he could tell something was wrong.
"Gray, they kill everyone. Erza, you, me and Lucy is all that is left of Fairy tail."
"You too? She told you everything?"
"I'm her father." Natsu said shyly.
"That explains the pink hair." Gray looked like he was thinking of something.
"Gray you don't get it do you? The four of us are the only ones who live…think it through." Natsu said very seriously. It took Gray a moment.
"What happened to Juvia?" Gray finally gets it.
"I don't know details, since I didn't tell her in the future. All she knows is that Juvia is the reason the four us are alive." Natsu said then quickly turned and started walking. "Apparently, Lucy and I taught her to get along with you and the two boy at a very young age."
"Natsu, in the future they take Lucy and kill our guild members…it will change the future if we take them down right?"
"We have to try. I made a promise that I'd protect Lucy's future, back when we had the dragon festival thing, I promised future Lucy I'd protect the future. I never knew that would eventually mean our daughter too." He said but he couldn't hide the blush creeping to his face.
"What are you going to do when we do defeat all of them?" Gray said, noticing the blush.
"I should be asking you that. Knowing the future is a big burden to carry isn't it." He said grinning back at him.
"Why are you grinning like that, it's like you know something."
"Of course, she told me everything." He said as they continued to walk, they headed toward the train station.
"Like what?"
"Well think about this. Red Reaper take over in two years and have been in control for 4 years. Layla is 5. Which means Lucy and I have Layla before they take over."
"Oh I get it. You and Lucy would have gotten together pretty soon then."
"Well here's an interesting piece of information, Yue is a year older than Layla." Natsu said sheepishly.
"Yue's is my son right…so…"Gray stopped walking, his face turned bright red.
"You and Juvia have been going on jobs together, is that all you've doing." Natsu raised in eye brow.
"We've done nothing, I swear. This new info makes me break out in a cold sweat though." Gray said still blushing.
"Gray you like Juvia don't you?" Natsu said seriously as they made it to the train station.
"I guess pretending and denying it now is stupid." Gray pouted. "I wonder what happens to make me change my mind about denying it to her though."
Natsu and Gray boarded the train, Natsu was getting nervous, he still hated this kind of travel.
"Natsu, why aren't you worried about you and Lucy?"
"Well I know her and I have a future together, it probably should scare me a little but knowing she chose me is exciting. You know how many guys are interested in Lucy? Too many." Natsu sat with his arms over his chest, he was trying to brace himself as the train was starting up. "Plus I already love her, so of course I'm excited."
"Natsu, you consider me a friend don't you?" Gray ask a bit shy., Natsu shot him a quick look.
"Of course. I know we argue but yeah. I know you have my back."
"Then can I ask you something." Natsu gave him a quick nod, mainly because the motion was starting to kick in. "How long have you been in love with Lucy?"
"I don't know when it started but I knew when she taken by Phantom Lord guild. Knowing she wasn't wear I could protect her made every vein in my body burn. I knew I cared about her back then, I don't know if I loved her yet though. I definitely knew when I saw Rogue kill her right in front of me and I couldn't do anything to save her."
"So Lisanna had no chance when she rejoined huh?"
Natsu shook his head, with a smile on his face, but that quickly change when the train car rocked.
Lucy waited for hours for Natsu to come back, she watched at Layla laid sleeping on her couch. She felt a warmth when she looked at Layla and felt tears sting her eyes when she thought about her own mother. Layla was her mother's name, and she loved that she used her mother's name. She examined the girl from the chair. She had a lot of her features…but a few features that she could tell belong to someone else. She smiled knowing who it was. The moment she accepted this girl was her future daughter she could see his feature as well. She should have guess the moment she saw Layla's hair, it look liked Natsu, but just a tad lighter, she had his eyes and even his sleeping habits. She giggled to herself.
"Lucy we're back." Natsu called. Lucy ran toward the door. She saw Natsu, and Gray with tattered clothes, they were holding up a man with black hair. Lucy couldn't see his face since his face was down.
"Welcome back. Who is this?"
"Funny story…"
"This is…future me." Natsu said cutting off Gray. They walked him over to one of her dining chairs.
Lucy got a good look at his face now, it was clearly Natsu but he seems different, besides the black hair.
"What is future you doing here? And how did you…he get here?" Lucy said.
"Short story, He came here looking for Layla, and found us at Red Reapers guild."
"Wait, why were you at Red Reapers guild?"
"They were trying to change the future." Future Natsu said, he slightly looked up at her, and smiled. "It's good to see your face again."
"We defeated Red Reapers." Gray said.
"You attacked a whole guild? What were you thinking?" Lucy said to both of them angry.
"He's thinking about what he's always thinking about." Gray said.
"Yeah, what's that?" She asked a bit huffy, hands on her hips.
"The future, Luce." Both Natsu's said together. Hearing both say it, her anger quickly left.
"Daddy!" The girl said running toward the future Natsu.
"Layla, You knew going to the past was dangerous."
"I knew that's what you would have done. And I wasn't scared." Layla said. Natsu went and stood next to Lucy.
"You knew I'd save mommy, what would have happened if I lost you too?" future Natsu hugged Layla.
"Sorry Daddy."
"Wow you're a good dad Natsu." Gray whispered to Natsu. Natsu didn't reply, he just watched.
"Future Natsu, that doesn't really explain how you got here." Lucy cut in.
"That Celestal King spirit, heard from Virgo about Layla and brought me here. I didn't think he would land me right into my past self, right before the guild attacked us. And I knew it was me right off due the hair." Future Natsu grinned.
"I wanted to ask, why is my hair black?" Natsu finally asked.
"Well after Juvia helped us all escape from the dark guild, I ended up using too much power, lost all of my magic. Since magic is our life, I guess you can say I pretty much died." He said still with that grin. "Actually it was Gray here that saved my life. He gave me half his magic since he can't use it anymore." His grin faded, as he looked at Gray's arm.
"Why can't I use it anymore?" Gray asked, almost unsure if he wanted to know.
"The day Yue was born is the same day Juvia died and you lost your arm. She gave birth during the attack on the guild. Lucy and Mira helped him deliver. Someone got past us and made it to the room, they were about to take Yue's life when you turned your arm to ice to stop the sword. You saved Yue but lost the arm. After that, more broke through, so I came down to help protect them…there were to many." Future Natsu said staring at the ground, they all knew it was hard for him to say.
"What happened to Juvia?" Gray asked.
"Gray it's best if you didn't hear the rest. With the guild gone, the future should be different." Future Natsu said.
"What happened to Juvia? How come I didn't protect her? I can still mold with one hand." Gray asked almost panicked.
"We had not choice, and she turned into a barrier and made you freeze her. The barrier contained the enemy, and so you did freeze her. It gave us time to escape. After you and I went back to find her, she was killed by a magic canceller. You never forgave yourself for leaving her, and you could never use magic again."
"I abandoned her?" Gray looked broken, he sat down on the chair behind him.
"Gray, there was nothing for us to do." Future Natsu tried.
"Gray, that future won't happen. Remember you and Juvia haven't even gotten together yet." Lucy tried.
"If I would just leave her to be killed maybe I don't have the right to her. Maybe it'd be better not to be with her." Gray said sadly. Natsu couldn't stand this atmosphere anymore, he walked over and punched Gray in the shoulder.
"I told you knowing the future is a big deal, now man up and find a way to protect her, your whole life." Natsu yelled, shocking everyone but future Natsu.
"Please uncle Gray, Yue is my best friend." Layla said with tears in her eyes.
"Layla, I think we should head home. They have a lot to think about, and if the Red Reapers are really gone, mommy will be waiting for us." Future Natsu said to Layla.
"Actually I'm here." A young woman with long blond hair said. Everyone just looked at her surprised.
"Lucy!" Future Natsu ran to her, and kissed her. This made the current Lucy blush then looked over at Natsu. His eyes were really big and he looked like he wanted to say something.
"Natsu?" Lucy asked shyly, he didn't response, he just point at future Lucy. "Natsu is something wrong?"
"Lucy, you are still just as beautiful." Natsu said to Lucy in a hushed tone, but she still heard him. She blushed and smiled shyly.
"I was informed by Virgo what all had happened and got an update from Loke. Red Reapers is no longer a guild and hasn't been heard of for years." Future Lucy said to the group.
"And what about Fairy tail? What about Juvia?" Gray asked hastly.
"Since the guild has been taken care of now, I bet Juvia is doing what she usually does. Watch as you teach Yue to use Ice magic. Gray I heard what you said about not feeling like you should be with her. She needs you, I can't count how many times you have saved her life. Before we go, you didn't willingly leave Juvia to die, but in order to save your new born child, Natsu had to knock you out."
"Yeah it was one of the hardest things to do, and it took you a whole year until you forgave me." Future Natsu said.
"It's a good thing we won't have to see a future like that." Gray replied.
"Well we should get going." Future Lucy said.
"Wait before we go, I want to say something." Layla said. She ran over to Natsu and motion for him to come closer. He knelt down and she whispered in his ear. His face grew very red. She then pulled away. "Please."
"I'll see it through." He said with a grin and still very red cheeks.
Layla's smile grew and she ran back to her parents. Virgo suddenly appeared then a moment later they disappeared. Natsu, Gray and Lucy sat on the chairs in Lucy's apartment, they couldn't believe all that happened. Lucy got up to make some tea.
"What did she whisper to you?" Gray asked Natsu.
"Um well she told me that since the Red Reapers won't be attacking, I should make sure her mom's wish comes true." He replied.
"What wish is that." Lucy asked from the kitchen.
"She said that it's her mother's wish was that Layla would never know what it feels like to be an only child. She asked me to help make her wish come true." Natsu said with a smirk, the smirk grew larger when he heard Lucy drop two cups in the kitchen. He heard Gray holding back a laugh beside him.