BlackLynx17: I felt like writing a Nalu, so here you go. Pretend the whole Igneel being inside of Natsu thing didn't happen at all because in this story it didn't. Thanks.
"Mommy? What's Daddy like?"
Lucy froze as she folded the laundry, the question she's been fearing to hear from her daughter for what seemed like ages now finally getting spoken out loud. She slowly placed the shirt back into the pile and turned her head, seeing her daughter sitting on the counter swinging her legs as her hands were squished up again her face.
"Layla, you remember Daddy."
"Do I? I know what Daddy looks like, I see his picture all the time, but what's he like?" Layla asked tilting her head side to side.
Lucy completely walk away from the laundry and over to her daughter, brushing back her curly salmon hair away from her face. She wrapped her white scarf around her tightly as she picked her up.
"What do you think Daddy's like?" Lucy asked walking into the other room with her.
"Strong, really, really strong."
She giggled, "that's correct dear."
"And Daddy's a fire mage, right? So I think he's hot or warm, really warm. He never gets cold like Uncle Gray."
"Correct again."
"Hmm, he's funny maybe? Auntie and Uncle are funny and since they're friends with Daddy that must make Daddy funny too. He also eats a lot, right? Which is why we have so much food at our house! But that's about it that I know about Daddy." Layla frowned, narrowing her eyes as she glared at the wall.
"Well that's good so far. Your father dear, he's very brave. I can't remember how many times he's helped me back to my feet with his words, and he's also kind... when he's not being an idiot. He's sort of like a kind idiot, a sweet idiot. Your Daddy isn't as smart as Mommy, let's just say that." Lucy giggled thinking about him.
"But Daddy's nice like Mommy, right! He got me this scarf, right?! And my dragon plush!" Layla started yelling as she asked, excited to know the answer.
"That's right, Daddy gave you those things along with a lot of other things. He's always sending us gifts in the mail for us, remember?"
"How come Daddy doesn't come in the mail? Does he not like us or something?" Layla asked.
Lucy started climbing up the stairs, a frown on her face.
"It's not that Daddy doesn't like us, Daddy's just sacrificed a lot for Mommy earlier in his life. I told you, remember? Daddy's on a journey to find his father, so he can't see us too much. Daddy has come and seen you though Layla, back when you just learned how to start walking and talking."
"But I was a child then! I don't remember any of that!" Layla frowned, tugging at her mom's hair.
"Ow, Layla, hahaha, I'm sorry. Daddy's off fulfilling his dream though, but when he comes back you'll be able to see him again. Until then though, would you like to meet Daddy?" Lucy asked.
"Meet Daddy? But you just said he was on a journey?" Layla asked.
Lucy opened the door to her room and placed Layla on the floor, patting her head as she started heading towards the closet. Layla watched as her Mommy started looking through it all, pulling out a big box and pushing it over to the side.
"You're right, Daddy is gone, but that doesn't mean you still can't meet him. Come here Layla, look at this." Lucy said opening up the box.
Layla peeked inside and saw a whole bunch of paper stacked on top of each other nice and neat.
"What's this supposed to be?"
"Your Daddy. You see Layla, when Mommy first met Daddy she started writing down all her adventures with him and Auntie Erza and Uncle Gray, with everybody. In these pages are countless stories of when your father and I were teenagers. If you read them then I'm sure you'll learn all about Daddy and what type of person he is."
"Really?! Daddy's in there?!" Layla gasped.
"Yup, so until Daddy can come home how about we read about him while we were younger?" Lucy smiled brightly.
"Thank you Mommy! I'm going to start reading right away, could you bring the stories to my room?" Layla asked, her eyes sparkling.
Lucy sighed a little, "um, how about you just take one book and I'll work on that dear."
"Alright! Thanks Mommy, you're the best." Layla said grabbing one of the story papers.
It was a bit heavy and thick, she rushed it to her room though and jumped on her bed, opening up the pages as her eyes immediately started scanning over the words. Lucy blinked and picked up a book of her own, running her fingers over the title and sighing lightly to herself.
"Natsu," she whispered to herself.
"Did Daddy really fight Uncle Laxus?" Layla asked eating her morning cereal.
"That's right, it was a grand fight I was told. That was back when Uncle Laxus was a bit evil, so he and Uncle Gajeel had to kick some sense into him!" Lucy cheered.
"And Daddy won?!"
"Of course your Daddy won, your Daddy's strong! He never loses!" Lucy smiled.
"Wow, Daddy's amazing." Layla said looking at her cereal, "do you think... do you think I could be as strong as Daddy?"
Lucy reached over and started stroking Layla's hair, "of course sweetie as long as you train. Maybe Daddy could even train you when he comes back home."
"Really?! I wouldn't be too weak to fight against Daddy?!"
"Of course not silly, Daddy will go easy on you."
"Hooray! I get to fight Daddy when he gets home!" Layla cheered.
Lucy started laughing, "finish your cereal dear before we head over to Fairy Tail and start your training."
"Mommy, Mommy, who's Igneel?"
"That's the name of your Daddy's Daddy."
"Oh, so Igneel is who Daddy is looking for?"
"That's right dear."
"Your book doesn't say why Igneel left Daddy, do you know why?"
Lucy paused, "... no sweetie, I don't. That's sort of why your Daddy left also, to go find out why and finally see him again."
"Oh... I hope Daddy's able to find Grandpa Igneel. Do you think Grandpa would like me?"
"Of course, you look just like your father. Of course he'll love you! He might even bring you treats and toys of all kinds just for you!"
Layla started giggling, "I like Grandpa Igneel. I hope Daddy can bring him home soon."
Lucy smiled as she rubbed Layla's hair, "I'm sure your father will."
"Really? I love you Mommy. You always say things that make me happy."
Lucy's eyes widened slightly and she started giggling as she hugged her daughter, "aw Layla, I love you too."
"Mommy? Do you miss Daddy?"
Lucy yawned, adjusting her lamp light to just a dim as she got ready for bed. Layla was lying right next to her, the tale of Natsu Dragneel fighting a giant robotic dragon in Edolas scaring her too much to sleep alone.
"Of course I do dear, of course." Lucy yawned again, settling down in her pillow.
She wrapped her arms around Layla and hugged her close, running her fingers through her daughter's hair to get her to sleep more easily. It worked; Layla was blinked and yawning, struggling to stay awake to finish her questions.
"And Daddy misses us, right?"
"Yeah, Daddy misses us as well very much."
"Do you get lonely Mommy because Daddy's gone for so long?"
Lucy stopped her fingers and took a sharp inhale of breath, "... I do... Mommy does, but at the same time Mommy has you so she doesn't get that lonely."
"In the books you hit Daddy a lot, are you going to hit him when he comes back home?"
She started giggling, "yes Mommy will, but that will only be a love tap for what took you so long."
"Can I hit Daddy too? A love tap? Because he is taking a long time."
Lucy started laughing harder now, "of course dear, I think Daddy would love that from you."
"Hooray! Good night Mommy! I love you."
"I love you too Layla, good night."
Layla was busy reading another epic tale of Natsu Dragneel, really liking his flying sidekick, when all of a sudden she heard the door start moving. It suddenly opened, when it was supposed to be locked and Layla knew this because she saw Mommy lock it, and she started hearing voices.
"Lucy?! Lucy!"
"LUCY!... I don't hear her Natsu."
"But I hear someone else in here, someone is home."
Oh no! Burglars! Mommy always said to run and hide when burglars came into the house! Even though Layla was pretty sure she could take them with her celestial keys, she didn't want to risk getting grounded because of not listening to Mommy and quickly started looking around the living room. There was no place to hide and go into, but wait! There was a small space in the corner between the bookcase and grandfather clock!
Layla ran over there and squeezed in, hoping that she couldn't be seen or heard. She tried holding her breath and covering her nose to make extra sure she didn't make a sound.
"Happy, check upstairs for me will you? If she's not there go ahead and go to the guild, I know how much you want to see Carla."
"Aye, sir!"
Layla blinked... aye sir? Why did that sound super, super familiar with her. And these names, Happy... Natsu... Lucy... those were the names in her book. Her mother's name was Lucy, Natsu was her partner, she believed. He-
"Hello?"
Layla froze and watched a shadow creep around.
"I know you're in here, I can hear your heart beating."
WELL HOW WAS LAYLA SUPPOSED TO STOP THAT?! DIE?!
"I'm not going to hurt you, unless your a burglar then get ready for a world of pain for trying to rob my house."
She blinked... his house. He lived here? Layla slowly crawled out of her hiding spot, seeing the burglar that broke in. He was really tall and had spiky hair on his head, the color of it... Layla looked at her hair then back at his. It was the same exact color; this man was, he was...
"I'm going to give you to the count of- oh. Oh." Natsu froze, turning around and finally seeing the little girl who was hiding, her salmon locks flying everywhere.
"Are you... Layla?"
Layla couldn't speak, so she nodded her head up and down.
"Oh my- you're so big! Wow! I hope I didn't scare you, do you remember who I am?"
Layla tilted her head. She didn't remember him, but she knew who he was because of the books she's been reading, so she just nodded her head again.
"Good, come here darling. Oh it's been so long since I've held you in my arms." Natsu said walking over.
Layla allowed him to big her up and crush her against his chest, giggling a little when his hair tickled her nose. Natsu pulled back and kissed her forehead, a grand smile on his face as he stared at her.
"You're Daddy, right?"
"That's right, I'm Daddy. Where's Mommy Layla?"
"She went to the store real quick, I'm watching the house!" Layla cheered.
"All by yourself? That must make you strong Layla, good girl." Natsu smiled pinching her cheeks.
"Oh, um... welcome home Daddy. You aren't leaving again soon, are you?"
Natsu froze for a second before sighing out, "no, no I'm not. I'm going to be staying here for a while, forever even."
"Hooray! Daddy's home! Daddy's home! I missed you a lot Daddy and so did Mommy, but now we won't miss you since you're going to be here with us! We can be a family again!"
Hurt flashed in his eyes; Natsu hugged Layla close against his chest again and let out a shaky sigh.
"I'm sorry Layla, I'm so sorry, but you're right. We're going to be a family again; me, you, and your Mommy."
"I love you Daddy."
"I love you too Layla."
"Layla! I'm home! Why is the door unlocked-... NATSU?!"
Natsu turned around and placed Layla on the floor, "hey honey! I'm back ho-"
"WHAT IN THE WORLD TOOK YOU SO LONG?!" Lucy screamed running up; she jumped in the air and kicked his chest, sending him flying across the room.
Layla watched with wide eyes as she saw her Daddy fly into the wall, crashing into it and laughing to himself.
"Aw I missed you too." He said.
"Wow Mommy, you weren't kidding about Daddy's love tap." Layla mentioned quietly.
Lucy turned to Layla and blushed a bright red, embarrassed, "oh dear, just forget you saw that Layla."
"Yes Mommy! Daddy's home now, can we make him something to eat? I'm sure he's hungry."
"I could actually go for some food, I'm starving." Natsu said dusting himself off.
"Alright then, dinner for the Dragneel family coming right up." Lucy grinned rolling up her sleeves.
Natsu walked over and picked Layla right up, bending down to give Lucy a small kiss.
"I love you girls."
"I love you too Daddy!" Layla cheered.
Lucy smiled gently and wrapped her arm around Natsu, "I love you Natsu."
Natsu hugged his girls real close to him, feeling like the happiest man on earth. It took a minute, but finally he let Lucy go to start cooking and walked behind her to even help, having a lot of the chores to make up on with how long he's been gone.
"Daddy? Where's Grandpa Igneel?"
Lucy stumbled into the kitchen while Natsu stiffened up, looking down at Layla in his arms. Layla knew enough to see that he was sad and raised her hand, touching his cheeks.
"It's alright Daddy, because you have me and Mommy. You'll never be alone." She smiled.
"Thank you Layla, you're right. I have you and Mommy." He repeated, kissing her hand.
"And maybe next time you look, you can take us too! I'm sure we can all find Grandpa if we search together!"
Natsu started laughing hard and even Lucy threw in a few giggles of her own.
"What? I'm serious!"
"We know dear, that's why we're laughing." Lucy giggled.
Layla frowned and pouted, "I don't get it."
"We're laughing because we love you, thanks Layla. I'll be sure to remember that." Natsu grinned kissing her forehead.
"Mommy? Are you going to give Grandpa Igneel a love tap too? Because I don't think it'll do him any harm since he is a dragon after all."
"No dear, I think I'll leave the love tap to your father this time."