A/N: Hey guys! Woo, so another new/old/new story. The reason I say this is because I have a similar one on another fandom, but I wanted to make some huge changes and post a sister fic here too. I hope you all enjoy!
Summary: After the death of her best friend, Lisanna, Lucy Heartfilia takes it upon herself to fulfil her last request. So, with a little help from her friends and the boy she wants to forget, they set off on the journey of a lifetime to give Lisanna her final wish. Seemed simple enough, but simple never really was their style.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Alas, I own nothing. . .
PLEASE NOTE: I just want everyone to know that although this is supposed to be a light-hearted story, I do not take cancer as a joke. I have personally been through cancer scares myself recently. Thankfully, I don't have cancer, but at the moment I am very unwell and unable to walk. The only thing which keeps me and my family sane is maintaining a good sense of humour. I believe laughter truly is the best medicine...unless you have diarrhoea, of course.
. . . . . . .
The Road to Happiness
Life is the greatest journey you'll ever be on.
Chapter One
Twenty-two-year-old Lisanna Strauss was dying, and as brutal as it sounded, it was true. Her doctors knew it. Her family knew it. Even she knew it. So, denying the inevitable was not an option as far as she was concerned.
At first, the diagnosis of Osteosarcoma had been a hard pill to swallow for the Strauss family; and an even harder pill to pronounce for her older brother, Elfman. Referring to it as 'Oscar' had been his only solution in the end. Or so he had said, anyway. That very first trip to the doctor's office at the age of fourteen had only been to retrieve a few pain killers for her 'Best Kicking Leg' as Lisanna had so eloquently put it. But as time carried on, and the pain had persisted, she quickly came to the acceptance that no amount of ibuprofen, co-dydramol or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were going to make her feel any better.
As an avid dancer, Lisanna's doctor had originally come to the conclusion that it was nothing more than a bad sprain, and as a result, she needed to spend a few weeks off the dance floor. At that news, she was pretty sure that the world was coming to an end. Well, a few weeks quickly turned into a few months, and before she knew it, Lisanna was back at the clinic complaining once again. By that time, the doctors were becoming increasingly concerned by her swelling knee and as a result booked her in for emergency physiotherapy. One session in and Lisanna was convinced that if her career in dancing fell through, then there was always contortion.
When physio failed, x-rays were introduced; quickly followed by CT scans, MRI's and bone scans. But through it all, Lisanna never lost her sense of humour, even offering to swallow a penny so the doctors could have their very own warped session of 'Where's Waldo?' while they worked. They politely declined, however. But as they had sat studying the scans thoroughly for hours on end, they started to wish that something had been hidden within them that would bring them a semblance of joy. Instead they got the duty of informing the Strauss family that Lisanna was in Stage II of her cancer.
It had been her fifteenth birthday.
Treatment started immediately, and to the surprise of the doctors, Lisanna still managed to maintain her positive outlook on life. But as time went on, the prognosis began to look bleaker and bleaker. The tumour situated in her right knee continued to grow, and after weeks of debating the doctors finally removed her leg. But again, it didn't faze her. In Lisanna's mind it could have been a lot worse.
After all, they could have cut off the wrong leg.
Things began to pick up again after the amputation. Mirajane, Lisanna's older sister by six years, had finally built up the courage to leave the family home and go to college, something that she had been postponing since Lisanna had fallen ill. Elfman had taken a job in the neighbouring town shortly after, and after many debates and 'family meetings', was encouraged to accept the little apartment that was offered to him by his employer. They had been difficult decisions to make, but ones that had been a lot easier to do so when Lucy, Lisanna's oldest and closest friend, had offered to move in with her. Things were finally looking up.
But like most good things, that quickly ended.
Once again, Lisanna began to get sicker, her body becoming more frail and weak as time went on. Mirajane had moved back home around the time Elfman quit his job, and Lucy found herself sneaking into Lisanna's room in the middle of the night just to lie with her.
After more tests were carried out, it was revealed that Lisanna's cancer had spread to her other bones and lungs, and that's when they knew. At the age of twenty, doctors informed Lisanna Strauss that she was going to die.
Two years later, and Lisanna was still smiling. A smile that never seemed to fade or fail to warm the hearts of those around her. But as she sat squashed in the back of Mirajane's old banged up car listening to her and Lucy belt out the chorus to yet another generic break-up/make-up song, she was highly doubting that a smile would be tugging at her lips anytime soon. When they finally stopped at a red light, she took the opportunity to reach for the dial of the radio.
"Lisanna Strauss," Mirajane said, as she sifted the car into first. "Touch that radio and I'll bury you the second we get home."
"You are such a way with words, my darling big sister. Y'know that?" Lisanna giggled, smacking a kiss on her cheek before settling on a classic rock station. "But trust me when I say, that if I must listen to you two songbirds squawk out a tune until then, then I'll happily throw myself out the car while doing sixty and save you both the trouble."
"Aw, c'mon, Lis," Lucy laughed, linking arms and nudging her friend slightly as she sat back in her seat. "I think Mira and I have what it takes to be on Fiore's Got Talent! Don't you?"
"The blooper reel, probably." She replied, Lucy feigning hurt as Mirajane quickly put the car in gear and continued the journey home.
After watching Lisanna sit at home and cough her lungs up most of the day, Lucy had suggested that the three of them go into town for a girly night and get some smoothies. It had taken their minds off of things for a little while, but after watching her cough up her lungs in the café, home sounded more appealing after all.
On cue, Lisanna began to cough once again, quickly wiping away the tiniest bit of blood from the corner of her mouth. Mirajane glanced at her through the rear view mirror with helplessness in her eyes. She watched as she pulled a well crumpled napkin from her pocket, holding it tightly to her mouth before bursting into another fit of spluttering.
"Did you take your pills this morning?" she asked once she had settled back down, their light-hearted banter quickly dissipating.
"Yes, mom, I took them," she replied with a small smile, Mirajane shooting her a playful glare as Lucy giggled. "Tasted just like M&M's."
Lucy giggled. "You are unbelievable Lis, d'you know that?"
They continued on in silence before turning down the dirt road towards the old Strauss Farm House, Lisanna struggling to keep her eyes open. It had just gone 9:30, the sun barely going down, but she was already exhausted. All she wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep.
When they finally came to a stop outside the house, Mirajane ran inside after helping her sister out the car, or as Lisanna liked to think, tell Elfman of every burp, sneeze and hiccup that she shared while they were out.
"Just you wait, Luce," Lisanna said, shaking her head slightly at her older sister, Lucy quickly coming to her side to help her stay upright, "When I'm gone, it's you who's going to be stuck with her."
Lucy laughed as they slowly made their way for the porch. "What makes you think I'll be subjecting myself to that and still living here."
"Please, you'll never leave this place," Lisanna smirked.
"Then you know not to joke then," Lucy replied, the girls bursting into a whisper of giggles.
Helping her friend up the old rickety staircase of the porch, Lucy couldn't help but remember times when Lisanna was able to jump three at a time. She remembered when they were kids playing cops and robbers, Lucy standing at the top with her standard finger gun as she attempted to apprehend whatever 'villain' Lisanna had decided to be that day.
Not even Death himself could tear those memories away.
Once reaching the top step, Lisanna motioned to sit down for a little, her prosthetic outstretched as she took a seat on the porch swing. The sky was darkening in the distance as they stared out onto the fields, Lucy gently swinging her legs back and forth as she watched the horses in the distance.
"Are you afraid?" Lucy finally asked, turning to look at Lisanna who sat staring at the sky with a smile on her face.
"Of death?" Lucy nodded. "No, not at all," she said, causing her to smile in return. "Life is the greatest journey you'll ever be on. Some journey's last longer than others, but that doesn't mean they're any less special. My journey's coming to an end, but I've enjoyed the view."
Lucy laughed, feeling the familiar tears burn the back of her eyes. "You sound like a damn philosopher," she gently swung the seat back and forth. ". . . You aren't afraid of what will happen to you?"
"I'm more afraid of what dress Mira will pick out for me!" She said wide eyed, again, causing her friend to laugh. "But, in all seriousness, no. Not really, anyway. I'm just. . .I'm ready to be free. I have no regrets in life."
"None?" Lucy asked.
"Nope," Lisanna replied, with a soft smile. "The only thing I wish is that we had managed to take that trip to Stella last summer." Lucy smiled, sadly. "I always wanted to see the Stellanium. See the stars. I hear the skies over Stella are so beautiful."
"The Island of Stars," Lucy agreed.
Leaning back a little, Lisanna sighed, happily. "I'm content with my life, Lucy," She said. "I'm happy, but as stupid as it sounds, I don't want to be stuck on a little farm in Magnolia when I die. I don't want to be buried six feet under in a tight little box wearing my Sunday Best. I want to be free. Cremated. Dancing in the wind with those stars as my limit."
"You're crazy," Lucy chuckled, nudging her slightly, to which she returned. ". . .I mean, could you imagine the look on Mira's face knowing that you had been cremated in your Sunday Best?"
Lisanna laughed. Music to Lucy's ears.
"I love you, Luce," she smiled.
"Love you too, Lis," Lucy replied, leaning her head on her shoulder. "You're my best friend."
"You're my sister."
They soon fell into a comfortable silence, Lisanna coughing every now and then and they continued to look out onto the farm. The sun had gone down, and it was starting to get a bit cooler, but neither wanted to move. . .That was until Lucy heard the familiar roar of the motorcycle in the distance, however. At the sound, her stomach heaved, and anger bubbling up inside of her as her worst fear came into sight.
"Down, Cujo," Lisanna laughed, nudging her friend slightly as her smile turned into a grimace.
"I mean it, Lisanna," she warned, turning to face her, "if he so much as says one word to me, I'll kill him. Okay? I am not afraid of prison."
"Duly noted," she chuckled as the engine to the bike died.
With distaste in her mouth, Lucy turned to see none other than Natsu Dragneel standing before them. A muscular, pink haired scoundrel, who she hated with the fire of a thousand suns. Older, by a good five years, he stood around six feet, his grin beaming ear to ear. Unfortunately for her, however, he was one of Lisanna's close friends, so, Lucy had to come to the realisation a while ago that she was going to see him more often than she wanted to.
"Well, if it isn't my favourite Strauss," he smiled, waltzing towards the porch. "Oh, and the lovely Lulu, too," leaning on the railing, her smiled up at her. "What'cha say, Luce? Wanna ride?"
The fact he tried (and succeeded) to piss her off on a regular basis did nothing but fuel her hatred more.
"Shove your bike up your ass, Dragneel!" She spat, Natsu laughing as he bounded up the porch steps. "What are you here for anyway?"
"Came to see your pretty face, of course," he said with a smile, Lisanna biting at her lip to refrain from laughing, "that, and I need to see Elfman about some jump cables."
"He's inside, Natsu," Lisanna giggled, motioning over her shoulder to the house.
With a salute, Natsu headed for the door, but not before stopping to get his last word in. "She's so damn cute when she's mad, right?"
The minute the door slammed closed behind him, Lucy growled. "What an asshole!"
"There, there," Lisanna cooed, mockingly. "Y'know, I don't understand why you hate him so much. I mean. . .you did date him."
Holding a finger out, Lucy prepared for her rant. "Okay, firstly, four dates do not classify as 'dating'," crossing her arms, Lisanna cocked a brow in amusement, "and secondly, he's an ass!"
Shaking her head, Lisanna laughed. "I'll turn in my grave the day you marry him," she joked, a cough escaping past her lips as Lucy patted her back.
"You're getting cremated, remember?" Lucy smirked. And believe me, there is no way on this earth that I'll be marrying that man."
"Whatever you say, Luce," she laughed, Lucy glaring slightly. "Whatever you say."
Lucy loved Lisanna. She loved her humour. Her love for life. After Natsu left, where (naturally) a few more words were exchanged, she helped her out of the swing and inside, the cold night air affecting her chest a little more than usual. She helped her upstairs and into bed, tucking her in before turning her light out and going to say a prayer for her. A prayer she said every night. A prayer that she would see her again in the morning.
That night, Lisanna Strauss died.
. . . . . .
A/N: Well guys, I hope you all liked that chapter. Please leave a little review to tell me what you all thought. Thanks! :o)