Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.


CHAPTER 12: Ceasefire

It has been three days since Lisanna stormed out of Natsu's unit and she hasn't heard from him since he stopped calling and texting her two days ago. She was frustrated at him for getting angry at her for keeping the fact about his kid with Lucy but still, she couldn't help herself feeling lonesome without him near him.

"I miss my Natsu but I should be pissed at him for what he did," Lisanna said with a pout.

A knock came from the door and she heard a woman's voice speak from the other side.

"Lisanna, can I come in?"

"Yes Mira-nee," Lisanna replied to her big sister and she sat up on her bed hugging her big fluffy pillow close. Mirajane walked in the room wearing a bright smile on her face.

"You've been sulking for a couple of days now. You should already forgive Natsu now," Mira said making Lisanna gawk not knowing that her sister read her too well.

"How did you - ?"

"I'm your sister. Of course I know," Mira replied smiling more making Lisanna sigh and smiled at her sister.

"It's his fault for putting the blame on me," Lisanna said and pouted again at her sister.

"Blame you for what?" Mira asked completely not getting what her sister was talking about.

Lisanna diverted the talk to try to cover up for her slip up, "Just something. He got pissed about it then channeled it onto me."

"Well whatever it is I know you will be able to forgive him for it. It's normal for couples to have arguments, it's what makes you stronger together and if it makes any difference, I can always try to talk to him for you," Mira suggested obviously hinting a different meaning for 'talk' by the way her smile turned sinister.

"I don't want you to break my boyfriend in two so I'll just go talk to him tomorrow. Thanks for the pep talk Mira-nee," Lisanna said and hugged her sister on her waist before standing up to prepare to go out for a change of pace.


"He said what?!" Levy exclaimed as she slammed her hands on the table and stood up from her seat. Lucy just looked down at her linked hands and frowned.

"I don't have a choice. As much as I don't want to see him right now, I have to go. I can't let him take Natsuki away from me. She's all I have," Lucy said as she frowned deeper. Levy sat down and looked at Lucy with a soft expression on her face.

"So you're going over there?" Levy asked and Lucy nodded to affirm this.

"And what if he does something similar to what he did the last time? What are you going to do?" Levi asked but Lucy stayed silent and concentrated her sight on her hands before she responded.

"...I don't know..."

"Lu-chan..."

"But I need to do this or else I might lose my daughter to Natsu. I still can't tell what's going on in his head right now but he is still the father and I have to at least hear him out," Lucy answered.

"I hope you know what you're doing Lu-chan but what about Natsuki? Will you tell her about Natsu?" Levy asked.

"I will but not right now. They just met and it will be a bit of a shock to her if I tell her that her father that she didn't know she had for seven years is suddenly introduced to her," Lucy responded before she rose up and posed to leave, "Natsuki will be arriving soon. Please tell her I just went out for a bit and that I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I will. Be careful," Levy replied and Lucy gave a wry smile before she went out the door. Levy sighed feeling tired for Lucy and her complicated life. She couldn't really say that she knows how her friend is feeling because she hasn't known anyone who had a very complicated life in the past like her.

And there's that thing seven years ago too... Levy thought and sighed again.


Natsu was looking out the window of his car driving past familiar stores and buildings going to his condominium. It was only a few yards away when he saw a familiar looking blonde woman walking with a sad expression on her face.

"Stop the car," Natsu ordered and the driver parked the car on the side.

"Jet, call that blonde woman and tell her to ride the car," Natsu further ordered to which Jet obeyed without hesitation but it was clear on his face that he was confused as to why his boss would pick up a random woman off the streets.

Lucy was unaware of her surroundings when she felt a man tap her on the shoulders while she was walking.

"Can I help you?" Lucy asked as she looked at the orange-haired man standing behind her.

"I'm sorry to bother you ma'am but my boss wants you to go to him. He's in that car," Jet replied pointing to a black limo. Lucy looked at the car and was wondering who could the owner be.

"I'm sorry but I have someplace to go now and I don't know who your boss is - "

"Lucy"

Said woman looked at the owner of the voice and saw Natsu standing near the open dorr of the black limo.

"Natsu?"

The pinkhead approached her and grabbed her wrist dragging her to the car.

"H-hey what are you-!"

"Get in the car," Natsu said and pushed her inside before getting in himself and sitting beside the door effectively blocking Lucy from it. He closed and locked it and they heard another door open and closed before the engine of the car started again.

"Drive us home Jet," Natsu ordered and he heard a muffled 'yes' before they felt the car start to move. Lucy immediately situated herself away from him and glared angrily at him.

"What's wrong with you?!" she demanded.

"You were going to see me anyways, might as well drag you along with me," Natsu responded.

"Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather walk so you can drop me off here," Lucy retorted.

"You'll just waste time so suck it up," Natsu answered back.

"I won't take orders from you."

"Then you're willing to give up Natsume to me?"

"What?" Lucy was shocked upon hearing Natsu's question.

Natsu didn't answer Lucy and just kept quiet looking ahead. The air around them became eerily silent as Lucy just waited for Natsu to respond but seeing that he wouldn't say anything at all unless she asked, Lucy decided to speak up, "What did you mean - "

"We'll talk about it later," Natsu cut her off knowing what exactly she was going to ask and remained silent afterwards. Lucy could only look worried knowing that this talk would not be really happy for at all.

The car pulled up and stopped a few minutes later and the door beside Natsu opened up. They both stepped out with Lucy following after Natsu who was headed to the elevator. When they both boarded the elevator, Lucy stood on the right side of the door with Natsu standing on the left. Both were still very silent and Natsu noticed Lucy being completely tense the entire time.

"I won't do anything to you so you can relax," Natsu said giving Lucy a side glance but she did not respond and instead looked more nervous than earlier. The doors opened and Natsu walked ahead first while Lucy took a while before she followed breathing a large amount of air and sighed heavily after.

It has been a while since Lucy stepped inside Natsu's home but the place looked the same as it was the last time she was here as if nothing was touched. Natsu threw his coat on the couch before sitting and instructed Lucy to have a seat as well. She took a seat across from Natsu not really feeling comfortable of his presence and it clearly showed on her face.

"I'll get to the point. I want to be with my daughter," Natsu blurted out and Lucy just looked at him before she responded.

"Then you acknowledge her to be your own then?" Lucy asked to confirm if what she heard was correct and if she understanding what he was hinting at.

"I already did and I want her to know that I am his father not just some acquiantance," Natsu answered.

"You can visit her as much as you want. I won't stop you since you have a right as her father but let me be the one to tell her. I don't want her to be shocked once she finds out soon enough," Lucy replied and then added, "just don't try to take her away from me. I know you might be thinking of getting full custody on her but she's all I have. I don't care if you hate me but don't use her to hurt me."

"I'm not thinking of doing that," Natsu replied back completely shocked that Lucy had thought through all of that on her own, "At some point I thought of doing exactly that but I won't. The reason I wanted to talk to you was so we can agree on terms so I can spend time with her. I know how it feels to grow up without a father so I want to be with her as much as I can."

Lucy just looked at Natsu with disbelief. Is he somehow saying sorry to me...? she thought to herself.

"Alright. I'll tell her about it. Thank you Natsu," Lucy said.

"I'm going to terminate your contract with me so you don't have to go here to clean my unit. Also, it's not doing any good to my relationship with Lisanna if she keeps seeing you here," Natsu added and Lucy just nodded her head in agreement.

"If you don't have anything else to say then I'll be going now," Lucy said and stood up to leave to which Natsu just replied with a nod. Before Lucy went out the door, Natsu called out to her and she heard him speak as she turned around.

"This doesn't mean that I forgive you already but I will at least be civil with you," Natsu said and Lucy felt a bit disappointed but she hid it by smiling at him and she bowed to leave.

For a brief moment, Lucy thought that Natsu was starting to return to his old self. The warm and caring Natsu that she loved but with that one statement she felt all hope vanish from her. She stepped inside the elevator as the doors opened and was completely deep in thought.

What was I getting hopeful for? Of course he's still mad at me. He does have every right after what I did back then but he was also at fault, Lucy thought as she was slowly descending each floor. The elevator 'dinged' and the doors opened allowing her to step out and headed straight back home intent on speaking with Natsuki once she comes home.

When Lucy left, Natsu was left to wonder on his actions and words in the silence of his room. He initially wanted to use the kid to make Lucy suffer but when he thinks of doing harm to the kid, his conscience starts to kick in and so he decided to declare a truce for the meanwhile. No matter what, he cannot do harm to the child because he knows how it feels to grow up with a parent missing. He wants his daughter to feel loved by a father and if it meant forgetting his vengeance on Lucy then so be it. After all, he needed Lucy to gain Natsuki's trust.


"Levi-san can I ask you a question?" Natsuki asked as she was doing her homework while Levy was setting up the table for dinner.

"Sure, what is it?" Levy asked as she waited for Natsuki to ask her question.

"Does Mommy know Natsu-san personally?" Levy gawked at the question but Natsuki just looked at her funny because of her reaction.

"Why did you ask?" Levy asked thinking of a way to avoid the question.

"Well...I just think that they somehow knew each other. I just can't understand why Mommy seems to be afraid of him even though he is really nice," Natsuki answered.

"Well, they were childhood friends before. You can ask your mom about it when she comes home," Levy replied instantly avoiding the question.

"I'm home," Lucy called out as she closed the door behind her.

"Welcome back Lu-chan," Levy responded.

"Welcome home Mommy," Natsuki replied and went to hug her mother on the waist.

"Sorry for causing you trouble Levy-chan," Lucy said after she beamed at Natsuki and smiled apologetically at Levy.

"Don't worry I don't mind it at all," Levy replied, "I need to leave now since I have to go early for work tomorrow."

"Okay, be careful and thank you for looking after Natsuki Levy-chan," Lucy said as Levy excused herself. When Levy left, Lucy and Natsuki went ahead to have dinner. Natsuki was stealing glances at Lucy while they were having dinner and Lucy was very curious on her daughter's behavior.

"What's wrong Natsuki-chan?" Lucy asked as she stopped eating for a moment to address her strange behavior but Natsuki just pointedly looked away too shy to ask her question earlier to Levy. Lucy got worried and faced her daughter fully wondering if something was bothering her daughter's mind.

"Can I ask you a question Mommy?" Natsuki asked as she looked a bit hesitant at Lucy.

"What is it?" Lucy asked and Natsuki just fidgeted on her seat, "I won't get mad at your question so you don't have to worry."

Lucy smiled after she said that to prove to her that she was okay in answering her question.

"Levy-san said that you and Natsu-san were childhood friends, is it true?" Natsuki asked.

"Yes, why did you ask?" Lucy replied and was somehow worried to respond to her questions.

"Are you scared of him?" this question shocked Lucy.

"Do I really look like it?" Lucy asked somehow feeling down that her daughter noticed something awkward on her behavior.

"Well, I noticed that you were very tensed when he was around not to mention you had that look on your face," Natsuki replied.

"Really? I did?" Lucy answered and was surprised that her daughter noticed the things she was trying so hard to hide.

I guess now's a good time I tell her about her father, Lucy thought.

"Natsuki what would you feel if I told you that your father wants to see you?" Lucy asked with sad eyes waiting for her daughter to answer her. Natsuki was surprised at the question and was unable to answer immediately.

"I... I don't know... I mean isn't it his fault that you always cried at night? He left us because he hates right?" Natsuki asked back not really sure of how to feel towards her father that she had never seen for the past seven years.

"No Natsuki that's not it. Your father didn't know I was pregnant with you back then so it was basically my fault you had to grow without a father. I'm sorry. Your mother was selfish so please don't hate your father because he is innocent," Lucy said as she smiled a sad smile at Natsuki.

"It's not your fault Mommy. Okay I won't hate Daddy if he shows up if that will make you happy," Natsuki replied, "But who is he and when will I see him?" she added.

"You've already met him. Natsu is your father," Lucy admitted which shocked Natsuki copmpletely.

"Natsu-san?! Your childhood friend?" Natsuki asked again and Lucy nodded.

"We talked earlier and he said that he wanted to spend time with you to make up for the years he wasn't around with you. I'm really sorry to keep this a secret for such a long time," Lucy said and she tried to stop tears from falling on her eyes to not make her daughter worried.

"It's okay Mommy. Please don't be sad. I was just shocked but I don't hate you. I love you Mommy because you always took great care of me," Natsuki replied, "I'll get along with Natsu-san to make you happy so don't cry okay?" she added and grinned at her mother.

Lucy smiled at her daughter and rubbing away the stray tear on her left eye, "All right food is getting cold so we should hurry up and eat first. I'll answer all your questions about your father later."

"Okay," Natsuki replied and both mother and daughter proceeded to eat their dinner in silence.


A/N: Sorry for the very long time it took for me to update. I was seriously having a writer's block and keep getting stumped at some point as to how to continue with the story. I really want to thank you all for the support for this story and it is what keeps me working harder for each chapter to meet everyone's expectations. I'll start the next chapter and hopefully this stupid writer's block leaves me alone already.