Chapter Twenty-Nine:

It was early morning by the time they arrived back home. Despite her insistance upon calling a spirit to help her on her injured legs, she still ended up riding piggy back on Natsu. Granted, it was a little awkward with her belly sticking out. She had to lean back a little bit to accomdate for the bump. Nashi was always quick to give her mother a swift kick when she started falling forward and squishing her stomach against Natsu's back .

"Yikes! Even I felt that one," he said once they'd entered Magnolia's boundary.

"Ugh," Lucy moaned. "How much further?"

"Not much," Jura promised as they turned onto the street their apartment was located on. Both Natsu and Lucy let out a sigh of relief when they saw their building appear ahead of them. Natsu picked up the pace, ready to get himself and his wife home.

"We'll stay out here while you two get some much needed rest," Makarov said as they reached the front door of the apartment complex. "Though I know you two don't even want to think about attacking Phantom Tail, but we have to start making plans as soon as possible. Try and come by the guild hall when you've rested up."

"Will do, thanks again Gramps," Natsu said as he pushed the door open and started up the stairs, Lucy still on his back. Both let out a sigh of relief as they reached their floor, until they reached their door. The light was on inside, and pooling underneath the door and into the hall. Natsu set Lucy down and motioned for her to stand aside. She shuffled to one side, clutching her keys in her hands. Natsu ignited his fist and then kicked the door down.

"Who's in here?"

"GAH!" A very startled Jude stumbled off the couch and into the floor.

"You?" Natsu asked as he diminished his flames. Lucy shuffled into the apartment, a worried look on her face that disappeared into a look of surprise when she saw Jude.

"Dad?"

"Lucy!" Jude jumped to his feet, raced to her, and snatched her into a hug.

"Oof!" Lucy gasped as her father clutched her to his chest.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" Jude sighed in relief.

Lucy blinked, stiff as a board from shock as she tried to process what just happened. Nashi began squirming inside of her again as Jude let her go and looked down at her stomach.

"Look at you!" he gasped as he stared down at her stomach. "You're blossoming."

"Um...Dad, what are you doing here?" Lucy asked.

"Your iron mage friend told me what happened. I came here as soon as I could to check on you, but you weren't here. I wasn't sure what else to do, I wanted to make sure you were okay so I decided to just stay and see if you'd come back."

A silence fell over the three adults as Lucy and Jude just stared at each other.

"Erm…" Natsu awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Imma...I'm gonna go draw you a bath, Luce while you two catch up." He moved around Lucy and Jude, giving Jude a warning look as he disappeared into the bathroom. The minute he left another silence overfell the two.

"So...um…" Lucy rang her hands together. "...Dad. What's...What's up?"

"Lucy, I-" Jude began, then stopped. He hung his head and took a step back. "Lucy I'm...I'm sorry."

Lucy looked up at her father, a slightly surprised look on her face.

"It would seem that I have taken a wrong turn every step of the way when it comes to being your father. First I practically abandoned you. Then I tried to capture you and use you. I thought the best way to make it up to you would be in finding way to help or save the world, like you were doing in Fairy Tail. That's why I went after the Infinity Clock, why I went after the prophecy. I wanted to prove to you that I was no longer the selfish, money-hungry scoundrel you knew when you were a child. I wanted to do something good for the world rather than take from it. But..."

He turned away and leaned against his hands against the back of a chair. "...I never asked you. I just assumed you'd want to help me with the Infinity Clock because you always wanted to be like the heroes in the books. I took a leap for both of us without asking your permission and hurt you further. Same with the prophecy. I got so caught up in the discovery and implications of it all that I forgot to take a step back and just look at what was happening."

"What was happening?"

"What you'd become," Jude explained, turning back to her. "A strong, intelligent, accomplish young woman. One who has managed to do the one thing I never could."

"And what's that?"

Jude smiled softly at her. "Keep your priorities straight. Your friend, Ms. McGarden told me a lot about what you've been up to these past seven years. How you're an amazing friend, loving wife, and, though she's not born yet, a caring mother. I always let business, discovery, money, success, get in the way of all that. Even when I was trying to prove myself to you, I got too focused on looking for ancient mysteries that I missed the greatest adventure I could imagine, and I nearly pushed you away again.

Lucy hung her head. "If you wanted to prove that you were better you could have just visited or talked to me."

"I know. I just...I was afraid."

"Afraid?"

"I thought you'd reject me."

Lucy sighed. "I guess I gave you good reason to think that."

"This isn't your fault Lucy. I'm the one who rode this off into the ditch. Multiple times," he stepped up to her and took her hand in his. "I know I don't deserve it, but...can we start over?"

Lucy stared at the floor.

"Dad...I...I can't answer that right now," she looked down at the floor. "I want to. I do. But I…"

Nashi stirred inside her, and she placed a hand over her belly. Jude sighed and nodded.

"I understand. You have to ensure her safety first."

"It's more than that," Lucy whispered. "Like you said, you've made a wrong turn every step we've taken together. How do I know you won't do it again?"

Jude flinched slightly. "I'm not saying it won't be difficult. I'm an old man. Changing your ways at this age is difficult. But I'm willing to try and work at it, regardless of your answer."

"I want to believe that," Lucy said. "I wish I could believe that, and maybe some day I will. But right now I can't. I know that may not be fair, but...I…" she squeezed her eyes closed to keep her tears from falling. "Darn it, Dad, I'm still mad at you! For everything! I don't want to be. I don't like feeling like this, but I just...just…"

"Sh," Jude timidly reached out and hugged her. "You don't have to explain, sweetheart. I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm so, so, sorry. You have every right to be angry with me."

"I don't want to be, though," Lucy insisted. "I want us to start over but I don't think I can trust you. Not yet anyway."

"That's alright," Jude released her, a sad smile on his face. "You need time to heal, I understand. Take all the time you need. I'll wait. I owe you that much."

"What if I never heal, though?" Lucy asked. "What if I never get to where I can trust you ever again?"

"You're too good of a person for that, Lucy," Jude smiled. "You've proven that much. Like I said, you take all the time you need. I'll wait. Besides," he gestured to her belly. "You've got more pressing matters to deal with now."

He began walking towards the door. Lucy just stood in place, tears threatening to fall as she stared straight ahead.

"Oh," Jude called, causing her to turn. He was standing right at the door, pulling a brown package out of his coat.

"I got her a gift," he said, placing the package on the doorside table before walking into the hallway and closing the door behind him. Lucy stared at the door for a moment, her mind still trying to process their conversation as she willed her feet to work and carry her to the package on the table. She tore it open. Inside was a red baby blanket. As Lucy unrolled it she saw something attached to one of the corners. She took it in her hands and found that it was a small, stuffed dragon toy. She gasped.

He'd really done his homework, hadn't he? She knew he'd found out that Natsu was E.N.D. but she didn't think he'd dug any deeper than that. Apparently he had, though, at least deep enough to know who Igneel was. This was more than just a gift. It was a peace offering. A sign that he accepted her husband and their child.

The tears that had been threatening to fall since she'd spoken to her father spilled over. She collapsed to her knees holding the blanket to her chest as she sobbed.

"Lucy?" Natsu asked, worried as he raced to her side from the bathroom. "What did he say? And where did he go? I'll disentegrate him!"

Lucy shook her head and placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, unable to speak through the tears. Natsu looked down at her and then realized she was holding something.

"What's this?" he asked as he took it from her, gasping at the sight. "Did he get this?"

Lucy nodded.

"For Nashi?"

She nodded again, still sniffling. Natsu passed the blanket back to her, slowly starting to understand why she was crying. He slipped his arms around her and drew her to his chest.

"Sh, it's okay Love."

"I…" she hiccuped. "I can't...I don't know what to do!"

"You don't have to do anything," Natsu assured her.

"I want to believe him! I want to trust him! I want to start over! I want to! I really do want to, but I can't! I just can't!"

"That's okay," Natsu assured her. "You don't owe him another chance."

"Then why do I feel guilty?" she asked.

"Because you're a good person," Natsu replied. "And even though you don't owe him another chance you'll still give him one. Not today. Maybe not anytime soon. But you will."

"I don't know if I can," Lucy cried.

"That's okay, becaue I do, now come on," Natsu scooped her into his arms. "Let's get you cleaned up."

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