Hello fellow Fairies!
Sorry for the update the other day everyone but I needed people to know what was happening. I'm really hoping that the other sites will be taken down. I will still post on this site because I promised myself I would finish this story for all of my fantastic readers. It was a difficult decision because these sites are still posting my chapters but I don't want to fail all of you.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry it took a little while. Hopefully I get the next one done a little faster, but no promises. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. The people who responded to my update thank you for expressing your concern and thank you so much for the wonderful words that you said. Your support is what motivates me to keep writing, so THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Hope you enjoy the chapter :)
I do not own Fairy Tail, but I do own my OC's and this plot.
ENJOY!
A warm breeze blew up the grassy hill blowing the edge of a dark blue cloak that clung to a lone figure. Lucy stood alone on the top of the little hill. A place she had passed over multiple times but today held a different atmosphere as it shifted around her. Anxiety and nerves fluttered in her stomach as she pulled her cloak tighter around her body and fixed her hood so it better covered her blonde hair. Her brown eyes fluttered uneasily over the large building that stood before her. She was having second thoughts, and who could blame her. She had only ever entered this building knowing that she would be unnoticed and her life would continue to travel down the same discreet path she had lead for so long. Today, however, was different.
"Luce?" she heard her name being called. Her eyes jumped from the building and locked onto the pink haired male that stood in front of her. Natsu frowned slightly as he took in Lucy's frozen figure. He gave Gray and Erza a small nod, indicating them to continue into the building without them before he approached Lucy.
"Luce what's wrong? Aren't you coming in?" Natsu asked as he stopped in front of her and leant down to look into her chocolate eyes. He could see the nervousness that shifted her eyes away from his own and landed on the building behind him. Before she could answer Natsu slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders hoping that he could get rid of some of her anxiety and let it float away in the breeze.
"What's bothering you?" Natsu asked as he brought Lucy into his side and tightened his grip on her shoulder in an act of comfort. He could feel the tension in her shoulders and knew that she must be nervous about going inside. Natsu heard her sigh as she slightly relaxed into his side. Natsu couldn't help the small smile that touched the edge of his lips at her small gesture of familiarity.
"It's just…" Lucy began wanting nothing more than to shrug the nerves off her shoulders and move on, but the more she thought about it the more nervous she became. She hated that she felt so vulnerable, and exposed. She hated that she felt like everything was slowly slipping from her grasp and spiraling into a vortex of chaos. She needed to get ahold of herself. She trusted Natsu and knew that he would listen to her and so Lucy voiced her concerns hoping that maybe that would help her move forward.
"I'm nervous. I've been here numerous times but that was always with the security that no one would ever find out who I am. I could always just disappear back into the shadows, but now…" Lucy trailed off as her eyes locked heavily on the doorframe that still separated her from what waited inside. The fears that she bottled up, the responsibilities she held, all of it weighed down upon her and took her breath away.
"What if this is a mistake, what if I mess everything up and put everyone in danger. What if I go in there and you all become a target and get hurt because I wasn't strong enough to go on by myself. What if they don't trust me and give me up to the authorities. I mean I am a thief after all and some guilds have tried to capture me before and there is a nice bounty on my head~" Lucy began to ramble as her voice became more rushed and distant to her own ears. Natsu interrupted her before her rambling got out of hand.
"Luce," Natsu began in a calm and soft voice, "it's going to be fine. I will be right beside you the entire time, Makarov see's you as a daughter, and Erza and Grey both speak highly of you even though they've only known you for a little while. The guild is excited and anxious to meet you and they already see you as one of their own. Just take a deep breath and we will do this together," Natsu said as he waited for her to take her first step towards the building. He would not push or plead Lucy to walk into the guild, but wait for her to make the decision herself.
Lucy took a deep breath of the cool and refreshing air that blew up the small hill and after a long moment took her first step towards the guild. Natsu was right, she was just thinking too much about the possibilities of what could happen and she was letting her mind escalate her fears into something far worse. Lucy's nerves never truly left her as she began to walk towards the guild with a new sense of determination; if anything with each step she took her gut seemed to twist itself into a new knot. Natsu let his arm slide of her shoulders as he walked beside her, a small smile flashing across his lips at the determined look that was engraved upon Lucy's face. He put a hand on the wooden door and paused giving Lucy one final comforting smile before he pushed the door open and the two of them walked in together.
The first thing Lucy saw when she walked into the guild was a chair heading straight for her head. To say the least it was not what she had been expecting at all. Ducking quickly she let a squeak of panic leave her lips before she moved to the side and pressed her back firmly against the wall. The chair smashed into multiple pieces as it shattered against the doorframe. Her mind jumped hastily to a conclusion about how she hadn't even been through the door and they had attacked her, but as her eyes looked up to the guildhall she saw that her assumption was entirely wrong.
Natsu stood beside her laughing manically at the scene that was unfolding before her. Tears sprouted in the corners of his eyes and he folded in half as he burst into a fit of giggles. Makarov was standing on a table knocking people left and right yelling at the top of his lungs "Why can't you brats ever be well behaved. One day, that's all I wanted. One day to make a good impression and this is what I get! She'll be here any minute," he said as he took a large swig of some drink and attempted to fix a very nice hat that sat lopsided on the top of his head.
People were flying everywhere. Laughter danced throughout the air. A young girl was drinking an entire barrel of ale to herself. Another very muscular man was shouting about how manly he was in the corner. Gray, whom she had only known for a little while, was practically naked and running from a young women dressed in blue, who was crying about how she had lost him to some rival. A young blue haired girl was unfazed by the chaos and was quietly reading in a corner with a very terrifying man sitting beside her. Lucy recognized him immediately as the son of one of the four Dragon Realms, the son of the Redfox Domain the Iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel. Lucy didn't miss that a young dark blue haired girl sat beside Gajeel with a little white cat perched on her lap. It seemed that another daughter of one of the dragon realms was here as well, the Sky Dragon Slayer Wendy Marvel.
However it was one red haired woman that caught Lucy's attention. The usually composed and sophisticated Erza was having a very heated and amusing argument with the young barmaid that Lucy had ran into so long ago, Mirajane. A large cake was held firmly in Mirajane's grasp with a look of protection that furrowed her usually calm brow. She had her body between Erza and the cake and was talking to Erza like she was some misbehaving child. Erza on the other hand looked like she had been granted every wish on the earth. Stars danced in her eyes and her mouth was slightly agape as she gazed at the perfect cake that hid behind the barmaid. Lucy could have sworn that she could see a little bit of drool on Erza's face as the argument continued. "Erza you know perfectly well that I only made one cake," "No I am not giving it to you, this is for Lucy," "Erza where are your manners," "No I am not going to bake five more cakes," "No I am not giving you a slice right now either. Now go sit down and wait for our guest."
All of Lucy's fears, expectations, and nerves disappeared as she began to laugh. She had never expected that such a chaotic mess would have an atmosphere of such warmth and comfort. There was an indescribable truth in the scene she was witnessing and it made her feel welcome. Lucy clutched her stomach as her laughter only continued to grow with everyone else. She had been expecting silence and curious gazes to fall upon her when she walked through the large doors, but not a single soul had actually realized that she was indeed there. It was beautiful and heartwarming to walk into a new experience and see everything for what it truly was. Lucy was surprised to realize that it had been the first time she had laughed like this in years. Composing herself as best as she could she tugged on Natsu's shirt to get his attention.
"I'm going to go talk to Makarov," Lucy said, her voice raised just a little in order to make herself heard. Natsu nodded as his laugh slowly died off and he wiped a tear from his eye. Without any hesitation he took Lucy's hand and began to lead her around the side of the guild to the still raging guild leader. Lucy froze only momentarily at the gesture as she felt her face heat up ever so slightly but she let Natsu lead her towards Makarov. It turned out to be a very good idea to let Natsu lead her through the guild. People were constantly on the move, flying across the room, jumping from table to table, or dodging in order to avoid the debris that was moving through the room.
"So you're the Lucy we've been hearing so much about," Lucy heard someone say beside her. She paused as her nerves slowly began to return. Gajeel was casually leaning against the wall but his gaze was fixated on Lucy with an intensity she had not been expecting. As she paused and looked sideways at the royal she promised herself she would not let her nerves show. Letting her hand drop away from Natsu's she turned to the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"Unless there is another Lucy present, then yes I'm that Lucy. It's a pleasure to meet you Gajeel Redfox," Lucy said her voice guarded and on edge as she stretched out her hand in greeting. This was her first introduction to someone within the guild and she wanted to make a good impression. There was only a slight moment of awkward silence before he grasped her hand in a very firm handshake. Only a small quirk of his lips was Lucy's indication that he wasn't hostile towards her, just possibly indifferent.
"This shorty is Levy, and the other two are Wendy and Carla," Gajeel said flatly as he indicated the two blue haired girls that sat beside him and the white cat.
"Gajeel? Wendy? I didn't know you would be here," Natsu said as he stepped in beside Lucy. Wendy was the first to answer the pink haired Prince.
"We were actually already on our way here. I missed the guild and wanted to see everyone, and so my mom sent us with a letter to give to your parents Natsu and one to give to Makarov. Then Makarov told us to stay so we could meet a long time member of Fairy Tail," Wendy said as she smiled at Lucy and stretched out her hand.
"My name is Wendy Marvel and it's a pleasure to meet such a good friend of Makarov's and Natsu's," Wendy said and Lucy warmly returned the handshake. "The pleasure is all mine Wendy," Lucy said as she smiled at the young girl. Gajeel was the next to chime in.
"I'm here because shrimp asked me to go on a mission with her," Gajeel said as he eyed Lucy cautiously before nudging the girl beside him who was still immersed in her reading. Levy jumped at the sudden contact, as she was startled out of her world of knowledge and books. She blinked several times as she took in the reality around her for the first time. Her eyes took in the chaos of the guild, which received a soft smile before she focused on the pink and blonde figures that stood in front of her. Lucy almost laughed at the multiple expressions that crossed Levy's face as her eyes jumped between Natsu, Gajeel and herself. Confusion, shock, realization, happiness, concern than shock again registered in a sequence across Levy's face. She stood up suddenly and closed the distance between herself and Lucy in an instant.
"You are Lucy right? Of course you are I would recognize you anywhere; you look exactly like your mother's portrait. My name is Levy I am the one who went to the forbidden library to do some research. I brought Gajeel on my mission just in case we ran into anybody, which we didn't thankfully. But I am so happy that I finally get to meet you, even if the circumstances are a little grim. We have so much to discuss. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I have uncovered some things~" Levy continued, her voice tripping over itself as she tried to gather all of her thoughts into one sentence. Gajeel's hand came down on her shoulder cutting her rambling off before she got carried away.
"Hey shrimp maybe save that conversation for later," Gajeel said his voice low and authoritative. Lucy's face had dropped into a serious scowl as she took in Levy's rushed words and Gajeel's knowing look. There were no outright words that had been spoken but Lucy knew that Gajeel had some inkling about her situation.
"Oh of course, sorry. You should probably talk to Makarov first anyways," Levy said as she took a step away from Lucy, giving her space. An embarrassed blush rose onto her checks but her eyes held a determination that Lucy knew was driven towards finding every scrap of knowledge she could. Lucy nodded and gave a halfhearted smile in an attempt to convey the gratitude she felt towards Levy's dedication. However she couldn't help the drop of fear that twisted her gut at the fact that Natsu had been right in his statements. The members of Fairy Tail were willing to join and aid her cause, but that also meant that their lives would fall onto Lucy's conscious and that made her fear return like a tidal wave.
"I was just on my way over to him anyways. It was nice to meet you Levy and I'll find you later so we can finish this conversation," Lucy said with a little difficulty as her mind began to spiral once again. She smiled at the blue haired girl and turned away from them as she made her way towards Makarov once again. Her mind slowly descended into the same fears that accompanied her like a constant companion. Fear for the lives that she was bringing into this mess.
"That really killed the mood eh?" Natsu said as he stepped in beside Lucy and put an arm around her shoulders, a habit that he was slowly falling into. They ducked in unison as they avoided a human who was flying towards them. As they straightened up Lucy looked up at him briefly, a scowl marring her face as she took in his concerned features. Her brow scowled even further as she answered his lingering question.
"It's the truth Natsu. The reason I'm here may be nice on some aspects since I'm finally meeting the guild, but don't forget that the real reason is to figure out what to do next. No matter how sugar coated this gathering is we can't escape the truth of how serious this situation is," Lucy said as she moved quickly around a group of bickering males. The group took no notice of the two figures that moved around them, they only continued to bicker about what the new girl would look like and if she would be hot. Natsu may or may not have punched one of the guys on his way by before catching up with Lucy, a small smile playing at his lips as he tried to lighten the mood.
"Not even for one evening?" he said as he stepped around Lucy and guided her around a broken table. Lucy smirked at his question as she jumped over a broken chair.
"I can't make any promises," Lucy said as she paused briefly to wait for Natsu to catch up. He easily jumped over the same pile before offering her a brilliant smile.
"That's good enough for me," Natsu said as they came around the last bend and stood slightly behind Makarov. Lucy stopped in her tracks. The guild was still in utter chaos and she could feel Levy and Gajeel's eyes following her from where they sat. Fear bubbled up in her stomach as doubt rang in her head once more. Levy's conversation tugged at her thoughts as she faced a still grinning Natsu.
"Natsu I'm afraid that you were right," Lucy said and Natsu's face reflected confusion as he stood in front of her.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Lucy's eyes drifted over to where Levy and Gajeel were sitting and chatting with Wendy and Carla. It was only a brief moment but her and Levy's eyes met and the blue haired mage gave Lucy a warm smile.
"Levy was willing to risk a run-in with the organization just to gather information on a situation she had just found out about. That kind of dedication frightens me. I've always found trust to be a hard thing to come by and I'm afraid that I'm putting all these good people at risk," Lucy said as her eyes traced the happy and laughing guild in front of her. Lucy knew that each one of them had a story to tell, a story about how they had come to find this guild and this sense of familiarity and family. She didn't want to spoil their happy memories and bring them into her dark world of betrayal and death.
Natsu watched as a crease of worry furrowed Lucy's brow as she descended into her thoughts once again. It was something that he had seen Lucy do multiple times and he was getting better at deciphering the cause. He could tell that her fear was centered on how her involvement with the guild could put everyone in danger. She had brought it up multiple times and he could see how it was affecting her. He knew that Lucy had spent most of her life constantly making sure that she never put someone in danger, which is why she had been working alone for so long. It was that exact fear that she was facing now. Being here at the guild put people at risk and it was eating away at her. Natsu knew that he could never shield her from this fear but he would do everything in his power to help her overcome it.
"You've got to stop putting it all on yourself Lucy," Natsu said as he put a hand on her shoulder and gazed into her fearful eyes.
"Yes the organization is looking for you and your presence here may alert them of Fairy Tail's involvement, but remember what they plan on doing will affect everyone within the country. If you hadn't come here today the members of Fairy Tail would have eventually been pulled into the fight anyways. You being here gives them a chance to fight back and to be prepared for what will happen in the future. I know your frightened but trust me okay. It will work out," Natsu said with full confidence. He watched as confliction and fear sparked across her eyes. Her gaze swept across the guild once more, her eyes softening with each person she saw. Pride filled his chest at her devotion to the people she had never truly met before. She cared deeply for their safety, just like she cared about everyone whom she came into contact with. Lucy brought her hand up and laid it over Natsu's own. Her eyes held the beautiful gleam of determination and trust that he loved to see in her deep brown eyes.
"Okay Natsu. I trust you," Lucy said as she searched Natsu's obsidian eyes. Natsu was right once again. She needed to push past her fear. Her being here gave everyone within these walls a fighting chance. If she left and stayed within the shadows like she so desperately wanted to do, Fairy Tail would be blindsided by the looming attack. She needed to trust once again, she needed to trust in the people around her. Lucy took a deep breath and squeezed Natsu's hand, using his courage and determination to strengthen her own resolve.
"Ready?" Natsu asked after a minute. Lucy looked up into the face of the one man whom she trusted the most and replied with a nod, "Ready."
"Hey gramps!" Natsu yelled as he took Lucy's hand and moved towards the raging master.
"What do you want brat? Can't you see I'm busy keeping these fools in line," Makarov yelled over his shoulder as he took a swig from his large glass of beer. Foam coated his mustache and his fancy hat still sat crooked on the top of his head. His hand extended above him and grew to the size of a giant's as he caught a chair that was sailing through the air at an alarming speed.
"Lucy wants to talk to you," Natsu said as he pulled Lucy up beside him. Makarov stopped mid drink and turned slowly to look at Natsu for the first time.
"Lucy?" he questioned as he gazed at the Prince, recognition and realization finally crawling across his face. His eyes moved painfully slow to the side and finally landed on Lucy.
"Lucy!" he yelled at the top of his lungs as he slammed his drink onto the table and leapt to his feet.
"You're here. Did you run into any trouble on your way home?" Makarov asked as he waved Lucy to come closer. Lucy stepped forward and fixed Makarov's hat with a laugh.
"Just a train sick Natsu," Lucy said hoping to keep the mood light while she still had the chance. She stole a glance at the Prince and continued to laugh at the pout that had formed on his face, almost like she had just revealed his deepest secret to the world. Makarov joined in her laughter before placing a tender hand on her shoulder.
"I want you to tell me everything later okay, but first let's introduce you to the guild," Makarov said with a knowing look before turning back towards the chaotic guild. Lucy jumped slightly as Makarov's hand grew once more and he slammed it against the table creating a large smacking sound.
"Listen up brats," Makarov yelled above the sound of the guild. His voice booming out across the laughing voices and making the rafters shake. The guild instantly quieted as they looked up towards their master for one brief moment. They knew that tone and it usually meant they were all in deep trouble.
"While you all were making a ruckus our guest arrived. This is Lucy," Makarov said to the now attentive crowd of guild members. He moved to the side and motioned Lucy to step forward. Lucy's nerves hit a new level as every single set of eyes landed on her with an intensity she hadn't experienced since before the incident. With shaky hands she slipped her hood off of her blonde hair and faced the guild nervously. Her nerves were not catered towards her fear, but were now focused entirely on the fact that she was in the spotlight. It had been years since she had stood in front of this large of a group and she was realizing that she might have developed a slight fear of public speaking.
"Uh hi," Lucy managed to say as she raised her hand in an awkward greeting. Her nerves twisted her stomach as silence filled the still air. People were disentangling themselves from fights, some just looked up at her with wide eyes, some had smiles, but some had expressions that were unreadable. Strangers stood in front of her and she felt vulnerable under their gazes. Panic erupted in her chest like a desperate animal as her eyes scanned the faces before her. Lucy's eyes focused on the two faces she did know from the crowd. Gray and Erza had moved to the front of the crowd and were smiling encouragingly up at her and it helped to slowly calm her growing nerves.
"Now I know everyone has questions but first let's give her a proper welcome to the guild," Makarov said beside her and Lucy watched in astonishment as smiles erupted like wildfire across the faces of the guild.
"WELCOME TO FAIRY TAIL LUCY! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!" Everyone shouted in unison. Lucy's ears rang with the volume that the guild had produced in two sentences, but she hardly cared. A large smile had burst across her face and she felt true happiness as she stood in front of the guild.
"Thank you everyone!" Lucy said as she looked at the happy faces that gazed back at her. She felt the familiar warmth of a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to find Natsu smiling down at her. She would never admit it to anyone but she could feel the prick of tears touch her eyes at the warmth that she had received from the guild, she would never admit that in that moment she truly felt like she could have a family once again.
"Let's party!" the woman who was hugging the barrel yelled and many people responded with a loud aye. Drinks were immediately being dished out and people surged forwards so they could meet the new girl. Mirajane was the first to reach Lucy with a very ecstatic Erza right on her tail.
"Lucy it is a pleasure to finally meet you properly. I made this cake for you and I was hoping you would have the first slice," Mirajane said as she offered Lucy a charming smile and held the cake out for her. Lucy looked down at the beautiful pastry and understood why Erza would have wanted to eat it. The icing was a beautiful white and there were strawberries decorating the edges. However Lucy felt the familiar tinge of tears as she read the writing that was sprawled elegantly across the top of the cake. Welcome Home Lucy.
"Thank you Mira," Lucy said as she accepted the cake with open arms and watched as Erza practically drooled on Mirajane's shoulder.
Lucy placed the cake off to the side and cut the first slice of her welcoming cake. People cheered, clinked their drinks together, and began introducing themselves in a flurry of words. Lucy took it all in as she ate the delicious cake that Mirajane had provided. She laughed along with everyone else as Mirajane, and Makarov had to restrain Erza from eating more than six pieces of cake. The rest of Lucy's night went by in a buzz of laughter, warmth, and happiness. Lucy's fears of the future slowly ebbed away as she took a break from her reality and just enjoyed herself.
She learnt the names of every single person within the guild and learnt about their magic and their backstories. Everyone was willing to share their stories but none of them pressured her into speaking about her own. The guild had erupted into a large party and Lucy was slowly making her way through each member of the guild. It was a wonderful atmosphere as she talked to each new person, and with each conversation she felt more accepted and comfortable within the guild walls. It was a beautiful change and she loved every moment.
She learnt that Mirajane had two younger siblings, Elfman, and Lisanna who all practiced the same magic of Take-Over. She learnt that the young women who was always in the company of a keg was named Cana and had only ever been outdrank by one other person in her life. She learnt very quickly that Happy had a large crush on Carla and continued to offer her fish no matter how many times she turned him down with a blush. She met another exceed by the name of Lily whose stoic attitude didn't match his cute name. She witnessed the blushing relationship of the adorable couple that was Wendy and a young boy named Romeo. She met a wonderful family of gunslingers named Bisca and Alzack who had the most adorable little daughter named Asuka. The little girl tried to get Lucy and Natsu to kiss but it only ended in blushing and stuttering comments. She met a couple of older men named Macao, Gildarts, and Wakaba who leered and teased Lucy while they told her random stories of their adventures within Fiore. Unfortunately they all ended up with matching black eyes, courtesy of Natsu. She officially met whom she assumed to be Gray's "almost" girl friend. Juvia seemed like a nice women when she wasn't ranting about how Lucy had stolen her beloved Gray, which Lucy continuously said that she had not done in hopes of consoling the crying woman. She had met a powerful group who worshiped their team leader Laxus and Lucy had listened to their praises of his strength and combat ability. The conversation soon turned to Natsu challenging the Lightening Dragon Slayer but Natsu had been quickly silenced by a single punch.
Lucy had met young members who asked her cute questions about her favourite colour, and older members who told her stories about the many missions they had done. She heard back-stories, funny stories, weird stories that sounded exaggerated, and just casual conversations. She learnt the names of the guild and slowly started to build a relationship with its members.
One constant presence throughout her night was Natsu. He stayed by her side the entire time, laughing and joking with everyone she talked too. He may have punched a few people as well, but he had done it in good faith. He was always close by either sitting beside her or standing by her side with an arm casually resting across her shoulders. If things got awkward he would lighten the mood. He kept the conversation rolling and made sure that Lucy knew the face of every single person within the guild.
As the night continued Lucy made her way back to Makarov with a smile on her face and a lightness in her step. Natsu was grinning from ear to ear. His mission for the night was to let Lucy have a night to herself. A night where there was no responsibility weighing on her shoulders, and no daunting future to worry over. He wanted her to relax and have fun before they all got serious again. As he followed behind her he couldn't help but think that he had accomplished that mission. She turned ever so slightly as she weaved around a group and their eyes met briefly. Lucy's smile grew in size as she gave Natsu a stunning smile. Natsu's breath caught ever so slightly and his stomach fluttered as his own smile brightened in return. As Lucy moved forward once again Natsu swore to himself that he would do everything in his power to make her smile like that again.
"Lucy, Natsu there you are," Makarov said as he spotted the couple coming towards him. He smiled inwardly at his cunning self. Between drinking with some of the guild members and breaking up a few fights he had been watching Natsu and Lucy make their way around the guild. He didn't miss the contact, the blushing moments, and the familiarity they shared. Makarov had watched as the cloud that often hovered over Lucy floated away with each person she talked to and Makarov knew that Natsu had a large part in making her relax. He would also admit to anyone who asked that he shipped the two of them together; Makarov couldn't deny that they made the most adorable couple.
"Hi Makarov," Lucy said as she sat down beside the guild master with a smile still making her face glow.
"Are you having a good time getting to know the guild members," Makarov asked as he took a nice long drink from his fourth beer.
"It's been wonderful. Everyone is really sweet and welcoming. I haven't been this happy in a really long time," Lucy said as she scooted over so Natsu could sit down beside her. Makarov didn't miss that Natsu's arm almost immediately settled around Lucy's shoulders.
"Everyone is very happy that you are here Lucy and it has been a day filled with good spirits and laughter…" Makarov trailed off knowing that they could not avoid the conversation forever. He was glad Lucy was having a good time but too much time had passed already.
"But I need to talk to them and tell them about why I am here," Lucy filled in his unfinished sentence her smile slowly disappearing from sight.
"Yes…" Makarov said with a heavy heart. "We need to discuss some things in private but I think you should answer some of their questions before the day get's out of hand," Makarov said as he waved a hand towards the rowdy guild. Lucy's eyes followed his and they softened as she took in the crazy guild members.
"Way to kill the moods Gramps," Natsu said as he leaned around Lucy with a scowl. He had just dubbed his mission complete and Makarov had to take it all away from him.
"No it's fine Natsu I have a better attitude towards that part of the day then I did earlier," Lucy said in an attempt to keep her mood light and to not let it swirl downwards like it usually did. Natsu gave her a lopsided smile before she continued.
"The guild has been very respectful about why I am truly here. Nobody asked me anything too personal or anything about my past. I think they understand that I will share what I need to eventually and they didn't want t push me. I respect that but I also owe them the same honesty that they have shared with me today," Lucy said, her courage strengthening her words. She looked out towards the guild and her eyes sparked with determination as she gazed at the many faces before her.
"Their good brats when they want to be. They may not know a lot about you Lucy but they are worried for your well-being and many of them see you as part of their family already. They want to help in anyway they can," Makarov said with pride as he waved at Mirajane for his fifth beer.
"I did get that impression," Lucy said with a heartfelt laugh as she let her courage grow. Makarov's belief in her and the kindness she had received today strengthened her resolve to address the guild properly and hear what they had to say.
Natsu shifted beside her making her lean ever so slightly into him. Lucy surprised herself that she was relying on his strength more often as the day had progressed. His warmth, his familiarity was something she relied on as she gathered strength for what she needed to do. After her mom passed she had given up on relying on other people, thinking her own strength was the only thing that could get her by. But then she had met Natsu and he had wedged himself into her life, holding on so tight that she couldn't shake him. She had attempted distance, she had attempted to protect him like she had done with so many others, but he held on with a protectiveness she had not experienced in so long. He was relentless and as time went by she was slowly becoming accustomed to Natsu's continuous presence and his decision to be her protector. Lucy truly believed that she didn't need to be protected but it was nice to have someone to fall back on. Someone who understood her situation, someone who would stand beside her, and someone she could trust.
Taking a deep breath Lucy turned to Makarov. "I'm ready," she said as she drew her courage around her like a blanket. Makarov looked at her with wide cautious eyes as he took in her words. He only paused momentarily to make sure she was serious before he nodded. He quickly downed his fifth beer before standing up on the table. Lucy took this small moment to offer Natsu an encouraging smile. His hand tightened around her shoulder in a small hug as he offered her his best smile. Makarov's voice boomed beside them and Lucy reached a hand up to place it on Natsu's.
"Quite down Brats, Lucy wants to talk to the lot of you," Makarov yelled. Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand taking this last bit of courage that Natsu could offer her before she turned away from him and moved to stand beside Makarov. Silence is what greeted her when she turned and faced the guild once again. Her nerves returned but were not as overwhelming as before. There were no strangers looking up at her now, she now saw her guild; A potential family that she could see herself joining. Hope sparked in her chest as she let a smile grace her lips.
"It's time I shared my story with all of you."
