Chapter 9

The next morning, Mira came into the room with Minerva on the bed.

"Come on, Mother, rise and shine!" Mira called as Minerva groaned.

"I was tossing and turning all night!" Erza said, sitting beside Minerva, who wouldn't stop groaning. "Those three guys are still loose on this island, we got to do something!" she said.

"Erza, Erza, Erza, Erza!" Mira said trying to calm her down.

"It's all under control," she said.

Meanwhile with Lucy. "I have been tossing and turning all night, I've got three dads coming to my wedding and I have to tell two of them their surplus, only which two!" she said. Lisanna was lying in bed as Juvia was standing up.

"It's all under control!" Juvia said.

Back with Erza. "I'm taking Laxus and Jellal fishing…" Mira started.

"We're each gonna go off. We're gonna grab a man, interrogate him, swap notes and decide," Juvia explained.

"And Gray's talked Minerva into water sports," Mira explained. Minerva looked up and she look awful. "Oh god, nurse, donkey testicles, quickly!" Mira said.

Later that day, Mira was on a little raft. She was standing up and she took the oar and took a step but she lost her balance and she fell backwards into the water.

Gray came and jumped down into the home part of the boat and Laxus was standing in the hallway wearing nothing but a towel.

"No after you, please," Gray said.

"No, no go ahead," Laxus said. "You first," Laxus offered.

"I want to get something off my chest," Gray said.

"Me too," Laxus said. They both sat down at the little table. Mira threw the stuff she brought onto Laxus's boat and she climbed up. She was dripping wet.

Back with Gray and Laxus.

"Last night, I discovered something wonderful; it was a wake-up call, a way to look at myself and what I really want out of life," Gray explained. Laxus chuckled.

"Last night? You didn't know?" Gray shrugged. "You didn't even suspect you were…" Laxus started.

"Well no. Of course not, that's always been a secret," Gray said.

"Oh," Laxus said nodding. "And now we say it out loud," Laxus said.

"No! No! No! It's absolutely hush-hush, I mean for now," Gray said. Mira climbed over to the opening where the men were talking. She leaned in to hear. "All will be revealed tonight," Gray said.

"Talking of revelations last night, um…" Laxus started.

"You and the little lady? I think I know what's going on," Gray said.

"No you don't, you don't," Laxus chuckled.

"It's obvious," Gray said. "I saw it the moment you clapped eyes on each other," Gray said.

"You're kidding," Laxus said. "I'm gonna level with you, Gray. I don't think I can do this," Laxus said referring to Lucy. "Well, she's a wonderful girl, but can I take her on in my life?" he asked.

"Laxus, where's your spontaneity?" Gray asked referring to Mira, who was listening in.

"It's this…" Laxus started, "this family, you know?" Laxus said.

"You don't have to marry her," Gray said.

"What!?" Laxus exclaimed. Mira squealed a greeting. "Hey, right in time for breakfast," Laxus said getting up and walked over to the opening. "We're serving up the works here," he said. He then turned around and Mira realized the towel wasn't covering the other side of him.

"Oh! Think you just did!" she called.

"Sunny-side up! Lox or ham?" he asked.

"I'll just…uh…I'm just gonna," Mira said getting up.

Erza was picking up bottles and glasses from last night and she sighed. Lucy walked by and frowned when she saw her mother. She tried to walk away without being seen but Erza looked up.

"Hey!" Erza called.

"Huh? What?" Lucy asked as she turned around.

"You okay?" Erza asked walking up to her daughter.

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm fine," Lucy said. Erza grabbed her arm before she could walk away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Lucy," Erza said.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Last night, you and Natsu…what's wrong?" Erza asked. "Hmm? Tell me, tell me what's wrong," Erza said. Lucy looked like she wanted to burst into tears.

"I don't know what to do," Lucy said, her voice shaky.

"You know what to do," Erza said. Erza pulled her into a hug. "You don't have to do anything," Erza said kissing Lucy's head. "Not too late, I can still call off the wedding, everybody will understand-" Erza started. Lucy pulled back.

"Call…call off the wedding?" Lucy asked.

"Isn't that what you want?" Erza asked.

"No…no!" Lucy said. "No that's what you want!" Lucy snapped. Erza grew defensive.

"No…" she said.

"Yes! God!" Lucy groaned in frustration.

"Lucy!" Erza snapped.

"You just…You have no idea, you never had a wedding. You never did the marriage-and-babies thing, you just did the baby thing, well good for you!" Lucy shouted.

"You know, I don't know why you're going off on me now! I really don't!"

"Because I…God I love Natsu and I want to be with him-"

"Good! Great!"

"-And I don't want my children growing up not knowing who their father it, it's just it's crap!" Lucy yelled and she stormed away.

While Erza watched Lucy storm off, Hibiki, Natsu and another man came up the stairs singing off key while the other man played the bagpipes.

"Stop you're terrible!" Natsu laughed.

"Come on man, what are you talking about?" Hibiki asked. Erza walked up to them making them back up.

"Okay, okay, Lucy's gonna have an absolutely beautiful wedding, right?" Erza said throwing the basket of bottles at Hibiki. She snatched the bagpipes out of the man's hands. "You're supposed to be helping me," Erza said. "You guys…he's gotta get ready!" Erza said pointing at Natsu, the boys ran off. When they disappeared, Erza hugged the bagpipes and sighed. Erza put the bagpipes in a room and walked out.

"I see you kept my bagpipes," a voice said. Erza whipped around to see a man.

"They're supposed to ward off unwanted visitors," Erza said.

"Well, you don't need bagpipes to do that," he said.

"What are you doing here, Jellal?" she asked setting up a glue gun to fix the crack in the courtyard.

"This is our dream remember?" he said. "Villa on the island?" Erza sighed.

"Yeah, well, this is my reality, hard work and a crippling mortgage," she said. Part of the glue gun broke off, "Shoot! And a hotel that's crumbling around me," she said.

"Look I'll help…let me have a look at this," Jellal offered pointing at the crack.

"No, that's all right I can deal with my own disasters." Jellal raised his hands then looked at her.

"Why didn't you tell me it was Lucy getting married?" he asked. Erza got up.

"Well, I didn't think it was any of your business," she explained.

"Why is she getting married? Settling down on the island? I mean, if it was up to me, I'd be telling her to go get a life, she's a bright kid," Jellal stated.

"I know, I know, but you know, my daughter, has a mind of her own," Erza said.

"Oh yeah, I see that…I see that, but she's so young," he continued.

"I know," Erza agreed. "I mean does she know what she really wants? You see, I think part of her just wants to let you know that she isn't going to leave you alone here, on your own," Jellal said. Erza nodded, then she stopped and looked at him as if coming out of a trance.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Erza, look, I have two grown children, I know something about letting go. If Lucy felt you were okay on your own, would she want something different for herself?" Jellal asked her.

"Okay, here's the thing!" Erza said pointing her glue gun at him. "I love being on my own, I really do! You know every morning I get up and I thank God that I don't have some middle aged, menopausal man telling me how to run my life," Erza explained walking away. "You know, I'm free and I'm single and it's…great," she said.

S.O.S: Jellal Erza All

Where are those happy days they seem so hard to find?

I try to reach for you but you have closed your mind

What ever happened to our love?

I wish I understood

Erza ran off leaving Jellal alone.

It used to be so nice, it used to be so good

Erza sat in kitchen and Jellal came into the doorway.

So when you're near me darling can't you hear me SOS

The love you gave me nothing else can save meSOS The women in the kitchen all looked at Erza.

When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?

When you're gone, though I try how can I carry on?

Jellal was then in the courtyard hanging up glass jars with white butterflies around them as if they were circling them and Erza was in the doorway.

You seem so far away though you are standing near

You made me feel alive, but something died, I fear

I really tried to make it out

I wish I understood

What happened to our love it used to be so good

So when your near me darling can't you hear me SOS The men in the courtyard pointed at Erza looking at Jellal as if saying "Look at her you loser".

And the love you gave me, nothing else can save me SOS

Erza and Jellal leaned against a pillar but facing opposite ways.

When you're gone when you're gone

How can I even try to go on?

When you're gone when you're gone

Though I try how can I carry on?

Don't own anything