Everything IS Wonderful
By. Fanficer21
Chapter 11
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Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is mine...as soon a I find the key to the Secret Garden.
Rated: T
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I'm back! So please, enjoy!
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Natsu sat on the couch at Igneel's house. He hadn't left since he got their last night. His foot tapped the floor nervously as he waited. Igneel sat beside him, hoping his presence gave the boy some comfort. Placing a gentle hand on his son's shoulder, he was relieved when the tapping momentarily stopped. "She'll be here, and everything will be okay." The man said calmly, watching as the boy slowly nodded before tapping his foot again. Igneel could see that Natsu was trying so hard not to let his anger show.
They were waiting for Emma to come over for a family meeting. Igneel didn't tell her the details of said meeting, but that she needed to talk with him and Natsu. She agreed that she would come over after work, which would be in the next ten minutes.
"I know, Dad. I'm just...scared." Natsu said, rubbing his face with his hands. "Don't be. This is for the best. It's sort of like an intervention, but also not. Your mother needs to know that you know the truth, and talking with her face to face is a lot better than telling her over the phone. Also, she needs to know that you forgive her for lying to you all these years. She did it for her own reasons. I'm not justifying that it was the right decision, but it was her way of coping." Igneel said sagely, wrapping an arm around his son's shoulders and bringing him into a one arm hug.
"But she also needs to know that we are a perfect match for father and son, wouldn't you say." Igneel chuckled, tightening his grip on his son and giving the boy a noogie. "Whatever!" Natsu shouted, retaliating with pinch to his father's arm. "Ouch!" Igneel cried, releasing his hold on the boy. Natsu quickly jumped away, giving a playful chuckle.
Jumping to his own feet, Igneel smirked as he quickly ran around the couch and towards the kitchen, Natsu hot on his heels. Grabbing a pot lid, the man used it as a shield, holding a plastic spatula as a sword. Doing the same, Natsu grabbed another lid, and a wooden spoon. They proceeded to smack each other with their weapon of choice. "Oww! That hurts!" Igneel whined when his
hand was smacked by the wooden spoon. "Sorry!" Natsu called, suddenly feeling remorseful.
"Don't let your guard down, son!" Igneel shouted playfully, lunging forward with his spatula aimed for Natsu's heart. Not having time to block the attack, the pinkette cried out in mock hurt. Dropping the metal lid and spoon, he fell to the floor. "You have bested me, mighty dragon." Natsu said as if performing at a theater, before he pretended to die on the floor with his tongue hanging
from hs mouth.
"No! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry! Please forgive me, oh mighty warrior!" Igneel fell to his knees, dropping his weapon and shield, scooping his son's "dead" body into his arms as he pretended to cry. "You fought bravely for the princess. But she is not here, for she is in another castle."
"Augh! Come on!" Natsu grumbled, his arms flailing in the air for a moment before his body fell limp again. With a chuckle, Igneel picked his son up in a princess carry, taking him to the couch where he dumped the boy on the cushions. He was about to ruthlessly tickle his son, until a knock on the door drew their attentions.
"You got lucky, kid." Igneel said with a smirk, heading towards the door. Natsu quickly sat up, taking residence by the arm of the couch, his nerves and anger coming back all at once. "Good evening, Emma. Please, come in." Igneel said, motioning for her to enter. Doing so, Emma noticed her son sitting on the couch, his hair and clothes ruffled, just like Igneel's. She figured they were play fighting again.
"Hey son. How was your day?" She asked, sitting next to him. When he replied with a quiet, "good", she knew something was wrong. "What's the matter? You seem sad." She brushed her hand along his arm in a comforting motion. Natsu just looked at her, tears in his eyes and his jaw clenched.
"He knows." Igneel spoke as he sat on the chair nearest to Natsu. "Knows what?" Emma asked, suddenly on high alert, anxiety worming into her heart. "The truth." Natsu choked out, turning his head towards Igneel. "About him." He watched as his mother brought her hand back to her lap, her eyes downcast as she bit her lip. "Natsu." She started, her hands clenching and relaxing as her nerves showed. "I'm sorry for keeping it from you all these years. I should have just told you the truth a long time ago."
"Yeah, you should have. Why didn't you?" Natsu said, his voice raising. "I was...afraid. Afraid you would hate me. Afraid you would run away and leave me with Ian, alone." Emma whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I left your dad because I was scared that he couldn't be the father I wanted him to be. But I was wrong. I see that now." She paused, watching her son's anger dispel slightly. Igneel sat forward, elbows resting on his knees as he watched them. He wasn't going to say anything else unless it was needed. This moment was for Emma and their son to talk it out.
"When I met Ian, I was too blinded by my anger and hurt towards Igneel to see what kind of man he was. I should have listened to you all those years ago. I'm so sorry!" She paused again, getting her bearings as tears were slipping from her eyes. "I'm so sorry for the way he treats us, and I wish I could take it all back. I'm sorry, my baby." Emma cried, bringing her hands up to cup her son's face. She could see the tears in his own eyes, his understanding and love coming through the hurt and anger.
Without words, Natsu slowly nodded, swallowing thickly as he leaned forward to wrap his arms around his mother. Emma felt her heart skip a beat at the motion, before doing the same. She rested her head on pink hair, looking at Igneel with a thankful and loving smile. Her glossy eyes matching her ex's. Igneel returned the smile, glad to see the two making up.
Standing up, the man walked to the others and wrapped both in his arms, squeezing them tightly. Sitting on the couch by his son, they spent the next hour telling stories, laughing, and just having fun. Natsu couldn't have been more happy, sitting between his mother and father as if they were a happy family. He wished it could be like this many more times. Two hours later, Grandine and Wendy came back from their mother/daughter date. Seeing the three together on the couch with teary smiles, Grandine's heart skipped a beat. The meeting went better than she'd hoped.
"Oh, Emma! It's so good to see you again!" The bluenette cried as she walked towards the white haired woman, embracing her. "Come. Join us for dinner." The woman said as she practically dragged Emma to the kitchen to prepare the meal. Meanwhile, Igneel stayed in the living room with Wendy and Natsu. They took out the board game of Candy Land and played until dinner was ready. Every so often they would stop and chuckle when the women laughed and snorted in the kitchen while talking. Once dinner was ready, they sat around the table enjoying each others company. After dinner, they continued to have a wonderful night playing more games until midnight.
"Wow! It's already midnight." Emma said, a look of apprehension on her face at the thought of having to go home. Natsu shared her feeling, looking at Igneel for any help. "Why don't you guys stay the night. Emma can take the guest bed, and Natsu, you can have the couch." Grandine said happily, beating Igneel to the response. She smiled when Emma and Natsu both sighed with relief. Taking Emma by the
arm, the bluenette showed the woman the guest bedroom, helping her to get settled in for the night.
Igneel waited until Wendy was done hugging Natsu good night and went upstairs before he hugged his son as well. "Thank you, Natsu. Thank you for forgiving us."
"I'm still angry, though." Natsu replied in the embrace, his brows furrowed as he released a huff. "And you have every right to be. I wish we could have met sooner and under different circumstances, but I'm happy that I have you in my life. I love you, my son." Igneel kissed the boy on the forehead before breaking the embrace and headed upstairs.
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A WEEK LATER:
"Move a little to your right. That's it." The photographer motioned for Natsu to move a step towards Wendy. He stood at the back behind Grandine, who sat in a chair. Next to her sat Igneel, with Wendy behind him. Emma stood behind the camera, tears in her eyes as she watched her son smile as the camera flashed brightly in the room. She was so happy that her son was having this memory made. One that would last forever.
"Mrs., Come, stand over by your son." Emma jumped slightly from her reverie when a hand gently touched her shoulder. Looking to the others, she saw their smiling faces, happy to have her join them in the picture. Looking back at the photographer, she saw his understanding smile. Nodding her head, she walked over to Natsu and wrapped an arm behind his back, her hand resting at his waist as she pulled him slightly towards her. She felt his arm do the same to her, causing a smile to spread across her lips as they shared a knowing look.
"Where is he?" Igneel huffed under his breath through his smile, tapping his foot impatiently while another camera flash filled the room. Between shoots, he checked his phone for a message from his best friend, or text him for what seemed like the hundredth time. "You know Gil. He's late for everything. He'll be he-" Emma was in the middle speaking when the door suddenly fell off its hinges. Everyone's shocked expressions were captured by another camera flash as Gildarts and Cana's groaning forms sounded from the downed door.
"W-We're h-here!" Gildarts shouted breathlessly from his prostrate position laying on the door, his hands in the air in mock surrender. Cana sat on top of him, chugging a bottle of alcohol, and giving everyone a thumbs up.
"Where have you been! I've been trying to reach you for an hour now." Igneel shouted in surprise, getting up from his chair and helping Gildarts to his feet before brushing the dust off his nice clothes.
"Sorry. I was caught by our neighbor before we could leave the apartment complex. She wouldn't let us leave until she finished telling us the story of her break up." Gildarts said while scratching the back of his head. "And then she wanted Dad to be her rebound guy!" Cana cackled drunkenly, thrusting her bottle of booze into the air. "At that point, I dragged Dad's sorry rump out of there."
"You're here now, and that's what matters." Igneel gently smacked his best friend's back. By this time, everyone else had surrounded them, giving hugs and kisses. Natsu and Cana shared a hug, before the brunette kissed him on the cheek. "It's good to see you again, brother. Sorry we've been gone for so long." She whispered with a smirk. Apparently, Gildarts and Cana packed up and left for a month to explore the vast openness of Fiore on a backpacking tour. Igneel and the others didn't know about it until halfway through last month.
By the time everyone was back at their seats, the photographer had set up more chairs for the newcomers. Gildarts and Cana joined the large family portrait, before the photographer split everyone up into different units. Emma, Igneel and Natsu had their photo's taken, which made Natsu feel so happy to have his Mom and Dad together in a picture. Next, Igneel, Grandine, and Wendy had their pictures taken. Followed by that was Gildarts, Cana, and Natsu. Then the kids were together. Next, all the adults together. And finally, the three best friends had their picture taken. Emma stood in between Igneel and Gildarts, her arms wrapped around their shoulders. Their bright smiles seemed to light up the room. When they were finished, Igneel payed for the photos and set for them to be delivered to his house in about three weeks time. They were all together again, like a family should be. It was wonderful.
Everything was wonderful, now.
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The living room was dark, save the lamp near the couch lighting the coffee table. The TV volume was on low as more of a background noise. Numerous beer cans covered the already littered floor. Sitting on the couch, Ian picked at his fingernails with a pocket knife. Before him on the coffee table lay pictures of Emma with a red haired man; Emma, the same man, and Natsu; Emma and the man in a car at a stop; etc. He had just recieved the pictures a few hours ago from the man he asked to spy on Emma. Looks like the boy found his daddy after all.
Ian's blood boiled at the thought of his wife cheating on him. In his anger, he hissed when the blade cut into his
thumb, drawing blood. He watched as some of the blood fell onto a photo beneath his hands, right onto Natsu's face. Looking at the blood on his skin, a wicked idea came to mind as he turned his attention to the bloody knife. Licking his lips, he thought of giving Emma payback for her little stunt of disappearing thee past three months. No one crossed Ian. Especially his own wife. Laying along the cushions, Ian snuggled into the couch plotting his next attack, the wicked smile never leaving his lips.
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Hey guys. I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been suffering from a bad case of writer's block. But now that I'm working on the story, it should be great. Like Frosted Flakes.