~ 2 weeks later ~

Lucy sat, exhausted, on her couch. They had just finished moving Gray and herself into their new homes. Almost everyone from the guild had helped but still, the effort left her and her nearly eight month baby bump exhausted. She leaned her head back and smiled as she looked at the ceiling. She was here, in her own home. She placed her hands on her belly and could feel the babies moving inside. She could feel the ever-present need to start shopping for everything they would need. There wasn't much time left, and if they came early she would be in trouble if she didn't start shopping soon. The house felt quiet now that everyone was gone. Natsu and her hadn't talked about what had happened two weeks ago. It was almost as if they were scared to approach the subject again, scared of what it would bring up, scared of the memories and fears that would surface if they truly confronted the past. He was still there for her, every day, only going off on missions to help with the bills. She heard him walk over and sit down beside her on the couch and she turned to face him. She couldn't help but smile. The image of him there, of them together, and her giant stomach was like a dream. Well, except for the part that the babies were not his.

"So, you finally have your own place?" He smirked and quirked his head, his hair flopping adorably to the side. Still, she couldn't help but frown a little when he said 'your own' as if he had nothing to do with the new house, the babies, or this new life.

She smiled faintly up at him before nodding. "Yea, I can hardly believe it. It's all coming, so soon Natsu."

His eyes traveled down to her stomach and instead of his usually loving gaze he looked cautious and even, perhaps, worried. "Yea, you're going to have a family soon."

She tried to look at him reassuringly. "I already have a family Natsu. You."

His face lit up for a moment but then it went away again. Lately, it was hard to get him to really smile. It was clear something was on his mind, that their conversation from before was on his mind. She knew they were going to have to talk about it again and they might as well do it now. She leaned against him on the couch and curled into him, his hand combing through her long silky hair.

"I love you Natsu."

She could feel him lean down and kiss her head and the wonderful feeling made her dread the conversation they were about to have.

"I love you too, Lucy."

She rolled over and looked at him, her head in his lap. She could see him so well from here, with his head bent down their faces were so close, she could read his expressions so easily.

"Natsu, don't you think that we are your family now too?"

He sighed and reached down a hand to continue running his fingers through her hair. "I want to think that Lucy. You are my family…"

He let that thought dangle there, the subtext clear. He thought she was his family, but maybe not the babies, or especially Gray…

"Natsu, these babies are your family too. They are going to love you. I want them to grow up with you, I want them to be like your children, I want you to be like a Dad to them…" With that his hand clenched slightly in her hair before it continued its soothing stroking motion.

"But I'm not, am I Lucy?" This time around there was no anger in his voice, just sad acceptance of the truth that laid gigantic in front of him. "I can never be what Gray is to them, or what he is to you."

Her eyebrows furrowed up and she sat there confused for a minute. "Gray and I are nothing. We are friends."

Natsu sighed and took his hand out of her hair and gently placed it on her stomach. "He has done this with you, he gave you your first babies, he was with you first… Lucy he even kissed you before I did." He looked longingly at her lips before his eyes moved to her stomach. "These babies, I want to be their Dad, but I can never be what Gray is to them or he is to you Lucy. He is the father of your children and I'm not."

Lucy reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, having him turn to face her, his hand still lovingly placed on her stomach. "I can't deny that Gray is their father. I can't deny that, yes…" Tears began to prick her eyes, "… he did all those things with me before you. But, we can all still be a family. He has those things with me, but that doesn't mean you cant have them too in the future if its what you want. Natsu, that's what I want. I want you. I want a life together. I want to have your babies one day…" His face started to light up but she continued, it was important that she finished. "Natsu, I want us together in this house."

"Lucy…" He leaned down and kissed her, hard, before pulling back. "I want that too. It's just, I'm not sure how this is going to work exactly. It hurts Lucy…" He turned his head away from her, the short happy moment over. "I want this more than anything but it hurts Lucy. You say there is nothing between you two but I see the way he looks at you sometimes, I see how you act together…"

"Natsu we don't act like that together. Yes, we are closer than we used to be. That is true. But we don't have those feelings for each other."

He looked at her a bit speculatively. "Lucy, I know I haven't done it yet but I imagine having a child together is going to change things. Even if you say there is nothing now…"

"Natsu," her voice was firm, "there is nothing. He loves Juvia."

Natsu just looked at her and smiled faintly. She could tell he was hurting. He tried not to let it show, but once in a while she could tell how much the whole thing hurt him and she couldn't help but think back to discarded flowers and a broken Natsu who had picked up her ultrasound pictures from the street.

"Natsu?"

"Yea?"

"The day… the day you found out about me…" he winced a little but she was determined to keep going, "Were you bringing me flowers? What was your plan?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking a bit distraught. "Lucy, I don't like thinking about that day, I thought… I thought I was going to kill someone." His eyes met hers and with reluctance he continued. "I was coming to ask you to dinner. I wanted to ask you out. I had it all planed, the flowers, the restaurant, the kiss… Then I saw you with Gray. I knew something was wrong, the way you two were together. Then I saw you nearly fall and he caught you, I was relieved for a second before I saw those pictures on the ground. Lucy…"

She reached a hand down and placed it on top of his on top of her stomach, squeezing his hand lightly. "Please, Natsu, please continue."

"My heart shattered Lucy." He looked away from her, his voice gruff. "I don't like saying these things, but I broke Lucy. I thought you two were dating, I saw you were having babies, I felt betrayed. Completely. Utterly. Betrayed." She could feel the anger come back into his voice and she realized that maybe, she shouldn't have asked the question. "My world broke, all my dreams vanished. I could never…. I knew I could never…" He looked at her with a dawning realization and moved her so he could stand up. She stood up too and held quickly onto his hands so that he wouldn't escape the little house. "I know it was the room." His voice was so stiff, it was like ice, immobile and hard. "But Lucy, it still kills me." He looked at her, his eyes desperate and watery. "I need time to think…"

"Natsu, no, please stay…" Her voice was pleading, tears already falling down her cheeks as he gently removed her fingers from his hands and walked to the door.

"Lucy I'm sorry, but I need time."

"Why didn't you take time months ago!" She couldn't help but yell, her voice cracked as the tears intensified.

He choked up, she could see a tear fall down his face and it made her break a little inside. "I thought I had. I thought I had Lucy." He was at the door now and was about to step out of it as he looked back at her, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't cry," even though he told her to stop crying, it was clear he was crying too even though he was trying to hide it with his bangs, "I'm going on a mission for two weeks with Erza. I was going to tell you tonight. The money is enough to pay for this place for two months." He smiled faintly at her. "I love you Lucy, I'll be back. I promise. I love you more than anything."

With that, he was gone and she collapsed to the floor in a messy blob of tears as it felt like her world was crashing down all around her. What did it mean that he needed time to think? She knew the answer, she even understood why he needed time, but it still killed her inside to hear it out loud. She had always known this would be hard, that his hurt feelings would come back into the picture eventually. It couldn't be avoided, at least, not if they wanted even a remote chance at a happy future.

~ 1 week later ~

She could hardly stand being apart from Natsu for so long. Her heart ached every day. Gray and her were just leaving the doctor. She was eight months pregnant now and they were on their way to go baby shopping. It simply couldn't be put off anymore. He looked at her with knowing eyes as they were searching through items at the baby store. They had decided to let the gender of the babies be a surprise. So they weren't trying to buy anything too gendered. But, they were grabbing a few outfits of clothes for either a girl or boy. Lucy just couldn't resist the adorable little clothes. She was staring at an adorable carved wooden crib. It was perfect. Her hand rested on the railing of it as she became lost in thought. She felt a presence beside her and looked up to see Gray.

"It's perfect." He said, reading her thoughts. As they tallied everything up she suddenly felt confident that they actually had everything they needed. The delivery people helped to cart everything to her house and then, all of a sudden, it was just Gray and her standing in the babies' room putting together the cribs, and diaper table, and dresser, and toy chest, and rocking chair… It was Gray sitting there putting together their lives. Her heart yearned for Natsu, but yet she was still oddly happy to see the father of her babies putting together all of the baby furniture. It put a strange kind of yearning in her heart that she simply didn't understand. She sat down beside him to help a bit and as the hours got later and the sun went down their casual and lighthearted discussion turned much more serious and heartfelt.

"What's going on with you and Natsu?" Gray was fiddling with a baby blanket as he helped her fold the clothes and blankets they bought.

She sighed. "He said he loves me, that he will be back, but he needs time to think. This is, hard on him."

"Yea, I know…" Gray's voice trailed off, lost in a memory.

"How about you and Juvia?" Her voice was gentle, prodding. He winced a little.

"She keeps pushing but I know she hurts. She won't say it though. She is all support right now. I just feel so guilty." He looked over at her and nervously down at her belly. She smiled at him and grabbed his hand, placing it on her belly.

"You're allowed to feel them you know."

"I know…" He whispered. "It just, it feels like I'm betraying Juvia, somehow…" His voice trailed off but he didn't remove his hand from her belly. She liked how it felt. Their little family together like that. She felt a little broken and a whole lot confused by the warmth that emanated from his hand. "I can still hardly believe there are two babies in there…"

"I know." She smiled at him, a bit nervous and she wasn't sure why. They hadn't been alone like this in months, with the reality of the babies pressing in on them by her belly and the very room they were siting in it was hard to ignore the reality of the situation.

"I never meant for this Lucy. I never meant to hurt Natsu, or Juvia, or…" He looked at her and she felt his fingers rub gently against her stomach. "You."

"I know, me too."

They sat their in silence, simply enjoying each others presence for a moment before he broke the quiet.

"Lucy, have you ever thought about the train?"

"Hm?" She looked at him quizzically.

He smirked a little and moved his hand away from her belly and looked at her seriously. "When we were on our way back to Magnolia, the train, when we… When we cuddled and almost kissed."

Her cheeks blushed and she looked away. She had tried to block that memory from her mind. She felt almost more guilty about that train ride than she did about how the babies got in her stomach to begin with. It all came down to one important detail, if anything had happened, she wouldn't be able to honestly tell Natsu that there was nothing there. She wanted Natsu, only Natsu. Yet, with Gray's babies floating around in her belly she couldn't help but feel this odd draw to him in this moment. In this moment when they were alone, her heart was hurt, and they were surrounded by the beginning of their babies' lives.

"I try not to."

"Me too."

She coughed, gently trying to change the subject. "Are you ever going to tell Juvia you love her?"

He blushed but didn't turn away. "I can't, not yet. It wouldn't be… honest."

She tilted her head to the side, confused. "What do you mean, honest?"

His hand reached out and lightly grabbed hers. She was so confused. He looked confused. Yet, his hand felt nice and strange. "I mean, ugh, Lucy I don't know how to say this but…"

He didn't get the chance to finish. She instantly keeled over and her eyes bugged out as a pain in her stomach felt like it ripped through her. Gray shot up instantly, hovering around her desperately asking if she was ok. The doctor had said she was fine, that she was healthy, but this didn't feel right. It didn't feel like the pains from many months before. Tears seeped out of her eyes and a vice grip on Gray's hand begged him to take her to the hospital. Within moments he had picked her up, her giant belly and all, and he was running out of the house carrying her to the hospital.

It felt like ages before they reached the hospital, but she knew that Gray had run all the way there at top speed. She was in agonizing pain, tears streaming out of her eyes, and all she wanted was Natsu to be there holding her hands. She felt so desperate, so terrified, there were no words to truly describe it. But, Natsu wasn't there and as she laid on the hospital bed, scared out of her mind, she reached for the only other person that was even remotely as scared as she was. Her hand gripped Gray's so tight she thought she would break it but he didn't complain. He sat there, eyes wide, staring at her stomach. They both sat in tense silence as they awaited their fates.

"Gray, what…" her voice broke and she sobbed out the rest of the words, "what if they are not ok?"

Suddenly Gray was on the bed, her head dug into his chest. She could feel him shaking. His hand rubbed her back lightly, trying to be reassuring. "They will be fine…" She felt something wet drip onto the back of her neck where his head rested. "They have to be fine…" His voice caught on the end of the sentence and she clenched her hands into his shirt. In that moment nothing else mattered, only the babies and their fear of loosing them. They were the only ones who could really understand the utter desperation and terror that they were feeling. They could understand each other, in that moment, in that space.

A small knock on the door caught their attention and they only slightly separated from each other. Hands still tightly grasped together as they sat beside each other on the bed. The doctor walked up to them and with a straight-forward voice gave them the news.

"They're ok…"

Lucy let out an audible sigh.

"But, you need to be extremely careful from now on. Bed rest until its time for the babies to come. I don't want them to wind up in danger, one is already smaller than the other… You need to be strict about this."

Lucy nodded through her tears and Gray stood up to take a pamphlet from the doctor. The doctor paused on the way out and looked at them.

"I'm glad to see a couple who cares so much about each other." With that, he walked out.

Lucy and Gray sat there in silence for a moment, this wasn't their usual doctor and it threw them off that he had thought they were a couple. With a small cough Gray sat down on the chair next to the bed, he pulled it up so it would be even closer to her and still, he did not let go of her hand. They both looked at each other, relief plastered on their faces.

"Bed rest, its just, bed rest…" Lucy sighed and Gray squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"All of you will be ok…" Gray smirked up at her before nervously reaching his other hand up to grab her one hand with both of his. "Lucy, we haven't done this yet, but do you want to talk about baby names?" His gentle, begging, smile immediately had her saying yes as they tossed baby names back and forth with each other. For a moment she was able to forget about how sad she felt about Natsu, for a moment she could forget the fear from only a few minutes before and concentrate on the happiness of the names of their babies. After an hour they had finally settled on four possible names: two boy names - Daichi and Kaito; two girl names - Emi and Hana.

It was so late by this point, nearly midnight. The doctors wanted her to stay overnight just to be safe. Gray hadn't moved from her side. She hadn't even noticed that he hadn't let go of her hand. She was laying there, her eyes closed, nearly asleep, when she felt it. His hand came up and brushed a stray hair out of her face. It felt nice, comforting even, but a touch a worry began to invade her. Then, she felt it. He had leaned down and gently pressed his lips to her forehead. It was obvious that he thought she was asleep because when her eyes began to open his flew wide in shock and embarrassment. The whole room was frozen for a brief moment, as they were both unaware of the newest occupant.

"What the…" Natsu's voice was loud and confused. Lucy's head snapped in his direction and her smile from seeing him disappeared in an instant at the emotions evident on his face. Hurt, confusion, betrayal, anger… So much anger. His hands were in flaming fists and Gray shot up, tearing his hand away from hers and stared Natsu straight in the eyes. Lucy sat up slowly, her hand placed tenderly on her stomach. Natsu's eyes flashed over to her, looking worried, his anger dissipating for a moment. "Are you ok, Lucy?"

She nodded and tried to smile her best reassuring smile up at him. "Yea, it was a scare, I'm on bed rest until the babies are born." He just looked at her for a moment more before fiery eyes met ice and him and Gray were in a deathly stare off.

"What were you doing with Lucy?" His voice was demanding. He was about to snap and Lucy could tell.

"You're back early Natsu." Natsu just stared at him and Gray stiffened up a bit more. "You saw what I did, you know what I was doing."

"Why did you do it?"

"Please calm down you two…" Lucy silently begged, her voice pleading but they ignored her.

"I'm not sure."

"That's a lie." The fire was nearly gushing out of Natsu's mouth now, the room was heating up with his anger.

"Fine, Natsu. What? Do you want me to say I might like her? That I might have some small feelings for the mother of my children?"

Lucy could tell that Natsu was about to jump him and she yelled, "Stop!" They both turned to look at her, stunned. "Please, stop. I can't take this right now. Please, just sit and talk." They both looked at her and the worn out condition she was in and seemed to come to some silent agreement as Gray went to sit in the chair that was now a bit farther from her and Natsu plopped himself up by her, his arm slung protectively around her shoulders. Lucy sighed and looked at Gray. "Gray you don't like me, you love Juvia." She said it as a fact, because to her, it was.

"Yes, I love Juvia."

"So then why did you kiss my girlfriend?" Natsu's voice was harsh.

Gray gave him an icy look before continuing. "I also like Lucy. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's just because she is carrying my babies, or maybe it just became obvious when I rushed her, screaming and in pain, to the hospital as we were both terrified for the lives of our children!" By the end he was nearly shouting, his arms thrown up in exasperation and a tad of that desperation and fear from earlier seeped back into his voice. "Natsu you do not understand the utter… fear… that we both experienced."

Lucy could feel Natsu's arm tighten around her, his hand grabbing her arm protectively. "I may not be able to really understand, but I love those babies too!" His voice was full of emotion and Lucy couldn't help but lean into him.

"You don't like me Gray…" Lucy said, completely sure in what she was just about to say. "You're only feeling these things because I am carrying your babies. Of course we're close, and after picking out all the baby stuff…" Natsu's arm tightened even a bit more around her, he didn't know about the baby shopping yet, "… and the scare tonight, of course your feelings are confused. Everyone knows that you love Juvia. Even you know it. If I wasn't carrying your babies, honestly Gray, do you think you would have ever thought about me that way?"

The room was silent as Gray debated and Natsu fumed. "No. But, the fact is you are carrying my babies and I do feel something, even if that is the only reason. Plus, even if you weren't, that time on the train when we didn't know if…" His voice trailed off as he caught the death glare from a frozen Natsu.

"What do you mean that time on the train?"

Lucy froze. She didn't want to admit the weird mix of feelings that had come over her at that time, that she had rubbed up against Gray to snuggle, that they had cuddled, and it had made them both, ever-so-slightly, want to repeat the act that made her pregnant in the first place. That a small part of her had wanted to kiss him… Suddenly, she was terrified. Terrified at really loosing Natsu when he knew the truth. He withdrew his arm from around her and stood up, backing away a bit.

"After our job, on the way back we took a train so we could get back faster. We were scared and nervous. We didn't know if I was pregnant yet… I felt so, scared, and I… I…"

"You what?" His voice snapped.

"I cuddled him…" She saw Natsu visibly wince. She didn't have the vague defense of the Love Room's influence this time. This was all on her and Gray. She steeled herself to be completely honest. "His body, reacted…" Now Natsu looked like someone had destroyed him, more so than she had ever seen before. "We were both confused and we almost…"

"Almost kissed." Gray finished when she couldn't go any further.

"But we didn't, we didn't like each other that way Natsu. Never again did anything like that happen. Never." Her voice was desperate and her heart ached so deep. She felt like she had just stabbed him in the back.

The night had gone all wrong. Everything was a disaster. Natsu had come back and the way he was acting originally, how protective he was, made her think that his time away had let him really come to terms with the situation. But, now, with this new and disturbing information, information she had hoped he would never learn, she felt like his decision would immediately reverse and that she would forever loose him and that's the one thing that she could not handle.

Natsu just stared at them. The room was beyond tense. Nothing more was said and he stormed out of the room.