No New News.
I Posted Up A Lot Of One-Shots So When I Went Back To Editing This I Was Like.
Lucy Is Such A Bad Ass.
I Was Shocked For A Second.
After I Read A Few Chapters I Got Her Character Again.
Anyways I Just Felt Like Updating.
So I Updated.
Thanks.
Issues.
Chapter 34.
"Hey" Natsu said kissing his girlfriend on the cheek.
"Hey" Lucy said back.
Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started walking with her.
"Natsu... what ever happened with your Father?" Lucy asked him.
She peeked out the corner of her eyes to see him, Natsu had a happy expression.
"Oh well, I've decided to visit him Wednesday. Tickets are half off that day" Natsu told her.
Lucy nodded.
"What about you? What's going to happen to your Father?" Natsu asked.
"I'm not sure, I plan to visit him tomorrow so I can talk to Dr. Miraku about it" Lucy said.
"Luce" Natsu frowned.
"I'm okay Natsu, by the way I kinda have some bad news" Lucy started.
Natsu stopped walking and looked at her.
"Juvia!" Wendy yelled waving her hand.
Juvia smiled and waved back at the little girl. She came walking up to the trio.
"Hey Lucy, you ready?" Juvia asked.
"Yup, I have plans already Natsu but I'm sure you can walk yourself home. Bye" Lucy said walking away with Juvia.
"Hold on, wait! Where you going?!" Natsu asked.
"We're going to audition for this new strip joint downtown, don't wait up" Lucy laughed.
Lisanna stared behind lockers at Natsu and Lucy's happy faces.
"Erza? Did Natsu look happy when we we're dating?" Lisanna asked.
"What do you mean, of course he did" Erza answered immediately.
Lisanna sighed.
"It's just that,... he looks so happy when he's with her" she said, her voice breaking.
Erza frowned and hugged the girl.
"He was happy with you Lisanna, he was" she said comforting the girl.
"But! Natsu was always Lucy's, always! Ever since we were kids I knew that!... Maybe that's where I turned wrong?" Lisanna said.
"What do you mean?" Erza asked.
"When Lucy left, I thought it was my chance to get Natsu so I tried to replace her. Maybe if I would have just stayed me instead of trying to be Lucy, maybe Natsu would have liked me" she said.
Lisanna recalled a conversation she had with Levy a while back. Somewhere in her life, Lisanna made the wrong turn. That must have been it, trying to be a person she could never be. It was obvious to begin with, Natsu and Lucy would be together. She could see it, their love was fated.
"In the end he still would have ended up with her, I see it now. Strange, I thought I'd cried all my tears already" Lisanna said through tear stained eyes.
Erza just frowned and hugged Lisanna tighter. She realized it now, Natsu and Lucy were perfect together. Lisanna accepted it, she was going to encourage and be happy for them. But right now though, these we're going to be the last tears she shed for her dream future with Natsu.
"I'm not so sure about this" Juvia told Lucy.
"What's their to be sure about? Just sit back and relax" Lucy said.
Juvia took a deep breath and leaned back against her seat.
"We want it short, not boy short but at least to here" Lucy said holding her hand against Juvia's neck.
The hairdresser, Raul, nodded and listened to her instructions.
"I got it" he said.
"Alright I really can't do this" Juvia said leaning up.
"Juvia! Listen to me, your getting your hair cut" Lucy said.
"What if Gray doesn't like it?" she asked her.
"Screw Gray, this is for yourself" Lucy said.
"But you said-"
"Shh! Listen Juvia that hair cut you have now makes you look sad and gloomy. Because of that, your personality is sad and gloomy. I'm not doubting you have fun once in a while but a woman's hair cut is their confidence. Trust me Juvia, once you get it you'll feel so much better about yourself. With all the confidence you'll get, no one won't turn there heads to get a second glance, not even Gray" Lucy said.
This was the motivation Juvia needed to hear.
"I'm ready"
"Tomorrow just wear it plain to show it off, then we'll add accessories to it another day" Lucy told her.
Juvia hugged Lucy. "Thank you so much. You were totally right I feel so much better, not to mention look better too" she said and giggled.
What was with people hugging Lucy now a days? Natsu was okay, there were dating, Wendy was acceptable since she was little. These grown people had no excuses.
"Really Lucy, thanks" Juvia said pulling away.
"Whatever, just make sure you come to the table late. Try and make a big entrance" Lucy mumbled.
Juvia smiled. "Got it, bye now, you too Wendy" she said as she started walking.
"Juvia looked pretty" Wendy said.
"She sure did" Lucy said.
She'd hate to admit it but once she saw Juvia's hair cut, Lucy felt the strange tingling feeling a third time.
"Lucy nee-san are we going to go home now?" Wendy asked.
Lucy sighed and patted her head.
"Yup, let's go home"
"Hey guys where's Juvia?" Gray asked searching around the lunch area.
"Yeah, I didn't see her this morning" Erza said.
Lucy smirked waiting for Juvia's grand entrance. This was going to be good.
"Maybe she ditched" Gajeel said.
"She would have text at least one of us though" Levy said.
"I'm going to go search for her" Gray said.
"Sit down lover boy number 2" Lucy said.
Gray stared at Lucy, she smirked back at him and lifted her finger. Her friends at the table followed Lucy's finger and boy were they in for a surprise. Juvia had just walked into the lunch area. She came late, just like Lucy told her, so she could make her grand entrance. Juvia was feeling really nervous though. Anyone could tell by the way she gripped her bag, it was crushed up against her chest.
Juvia had no reason to be nervous though, she looked pretty, happy even. Her hair wasn't covering up her face anymore, it wasn't boxing her in. She was free now, people had a perfect picture of her true beauty now. On her way to her first period, people had actually stopped and stared at her. A few boys cat whistled, even her teacher complimented her new look. Even now while Juvia was standing in the door way to the lunch area there was stares. A student had actually held the door open for her, and he still was.
Juvia's eyes wandered to her tables, everyone was staring especially Gray. Juvia saw Lucy motioning things to her. Lucy's hands were moving down so Juvia thought she wanted her to drop her bag. She stopped crushing it to her chest and held it down against her thighs. Lucy sat up straighter and started biting her lips then releasing it. Biting her lips was a horrible habit Juvia had. She only did it when she was nervous though, like right now. Juvia released her lip and stood up taller, her confidence boosting up.
Lastly Lucy smiled and told her to come here shaking her head. Juvia smirked, now that she could do. Juvia strutted to her table smiling, her bag moving to the beat. Half way there she shook her head, her hair bouncing everywhere before she reached the table. Lucy nodded in approval.
"Hey guys" Juvia smiled.
Oh how the guys were tongue tied. Lucy, seeing this, stomped on Natsu's foot waking him from his imagination.
"Wow Juvia, you got a hair cut... it's nice" Natsu said complimenting her.
"Yeah, shocking though" Erza said after.
"Yeah, Lucy took me yesterday. I felt like getting a new look" Juvia told them sitting down at her usual seat, between Gray and Levy.
Jellal coughed. "Very fitting, it reminds me when you were younger. You had short hair back then too" he told her.
"Thanks" Juvia said nodding.
Juvia was grateful to all these comments, but the one that truly mattered was Gray's. She turned to him and looked questionable.
"What do you think, Gray?" Juvia asked.
Gray shivered at the way Juvia rolled her tongue as she said his name. He cleared his throat before answering.
"It's very nice" he said.
Juvia frowned. Nice? Nice? She expecting him to say stunning, gorgeous, maybe even beautiful but no. He said nice... at least her said very nice though.
Lucy wasn't worried though. She say the way Gray looked at her, and the way her was looking away from her now. Gray was lying, he thought she looked... kissable.
"I need you to watch Wendy after school for a couple of hours" Lucy said.
"What's in it for me?" Natsu asked.
Lucy held up Wendy, "cute mode" she whispered to her.
"Now how could you say no to that face?" Lucy asked.
Natsu cracked. "Alright" he sighed.
"Like you weren't going to watch her" she mumbled.
"I can say no to your if I want to" Natsu told her.
Lucy walked up to him, "but why would you want to?" she asked pecking him on the lips.
She winked at Natsu and started walking away.
"I think I love playful Lucy the most" Natsu said following.
"I like angry Nee-san" Wendy said.
What these people saw in her Lucy would never know.
"Hurry up kid we're going to be late for 3rd" she called out.
Wendy quickened her pace, along with Natsu. In all honestly Lucy didn't care about being late, she just wanted to hurry to class so she could get it over with.
"Lucy wait" Levy said running after her.
Lucy stopped along with Wendy.
"What up?" she asked her.
"Oh, nothing wait it's just... oh" Levy babbled.
What was wrong with her? She missed her chance to give Lucy the gift yesterday because of her friend and now she had the perfect opportunity. Why was she so nervous? It not like she's confessing her love? Maybe it was because Levy thought Lucy would reject the gift. Tell her she hated it and throw it back at her face.
"Come on, I'm going to be late for fourth" she told her.
Lucy wouldn't do that to her. Levy grabbed the present from inside her bag and held it with out stretched arms. She didn't dare look up at Lucy so she thought the floor would suffice. Lucy looked at the thing in her hand.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Oh well you've been feeling down lately so I got this thinking it might cheer you up" Levy said.
"Look up Levy" Lucy told her.
Levy straightened her posture. Lucy grabbed the gift from her hand and unwrapped it. Inside was a picture frame.
"I thought maybe one day we could all take a picture together and you could put it in it so you'd always remember your not alone" Levy told her.
She regretted getting the gift now. Those words sounded so stupid her as she said them. Levy wouldn't mind if Lucy laughed in her face or threw the gift, she deserved it. Lucy on the other hand was surprised. The only gifts she's gotten was drugs, that and alcohol. Sure she loved those gifts but they were just whatever, didn't really have any feeling or reason behind it. Here Levy was giving her a gift, because she was sad, that was a picture frame, so Lucy could think about them. It was nice, she was nice, this gift was nice.
Lucy looked Levy straight in her eyes and smiled.
"Thanks Lev" she said cheerfully.
Levy couldn't help blushing, she felt so embarrassed at the moment.
"Y-your welcome" she stuttered scratching the back of her head.
"I got to go now, see yeah" Lucy said walking away.
Levy just watched her retreating figure.
"Told you she'd like it" Gajeel said walking up beside Levy.
Levy smiled. "Yeah, she did didn't she" she said.
Gajeel placed his hand on his girlfriends head and rubbed.
"Good job Lev"
"He said it was very nice" Juvia complained to Lucy.
"He was saying one thing and thinking another. Trust me Juvia, I know Gray, he loved it. He was speechless when he say you walk it. Nice hair toss by the way" Lucy said trying to boost her friends confidence again.
Juvia smiled. "Thanks Lucy... you really think he loves it?" she asked.
Lucy nodded. "Definitely, now today try and go out with him. Ask if he wants to see a movie or go on a study date with you" she said.
"Alright I'll try" Juvia said.
Things were going according to plan. Soon, very soon, Juvia would have herself a boyfriend.
'NO SMOKING'
Lucy looked at the cigarette in her hand then back at the sign.
'NO SMOKING'
Damn, no matter how many times she looked away it still said the same thing. Lucy stomped out her happy stick out and walked in. This was really happening, her Father was really in a hospital. Lucy waited for the elevator, when it finally arrived she rode it up 3 floors. When to exited she turned right and walked to the end of the hallway.
"Ms. Heartfilia" Dr. Miraku called out.
Lucy turned her head back.
"I'm glad to see you, have you decided yet?" Dr. Miraku asked her.
"I'm going to visit him now, I'll answer it when I'm done" Lucy said walking into a room.
She closed the door and locked it. Taking a deep breath she walked further in the room, her Father's bed was right they hidden behind a white sheet. Lucy pulled it away and stared at her Father's sleeping figure. He looked peaceful, Lucy thought there would be wires and tubes sticking out like in the movies but no. He was laying peacefully with a tube sticking his wrist and the clip on his finger. The sound of his heartbeat echoed in the background. Lucy was tempted to clip the machine on her finger to check her heart rate but decided against it. Instead she pulled up a chair and sat down.
"I don't really believe in talking to dead people but hey your almost there" she said.
There was no response.
"Didn't expect to see little old me huh? Yeah I was pretty fucked up that week but I'm better now. Back to my old bad ass self, minus the nose piercing. So I got some bad news, the doctor in the other room over there is saying your never going to wake up. Sorry for not sugar coating it for you but you know what you really fucked me over. How could you leave your life to me?! Why not Supetto or some of your work colleagues?! Why me? Did you know I was going to kill you?! Is that it?! You just want to die and join fucking Mother up in heaven but what about me?! Where do I stand in this plan of yours?" Lucy asked.
She stood up and kicked the chair she was sitting in.
"You really fucked me over big time. You wanted to die and that's why you left it up to me. You couldn't live with the guilt anymore, you couldn't handle me anymore. I bet you planned that fucking heart attack didn't you? Your just going to give up? So in the end your leaving all your problems to me. Your life, your guilt, your estate, your businesses, your companies, your houses, all of your money, your leaving it all to me. I don't like you, I really don't. You were a bad Father, you were never there more me, your were never there for Mother. I should crash your company, sent it straight to hell like where your going but I'm not" Lucy said.
She stared at her Father's expression, it never wavered. Lucy walked over to the window and stared outside.
"If you think I'm going to end your suffering then you can forget that. I begged you, literally begged you to save Mother... but you didn't. Tell me why should I end your suffering when you didn't end mind? Just say one word and I will" she said.
Jude didn't respond.
"I thought so. 5 years. You made me suffer for 5 years, I should double it but no I'll cut you a break. You better get comfortable in that little dream world of yours, because your going to be in there for a long time" Lucy said.
Lucy finally got her answer.
"I did love you, you know. I'm not that heartless to not love my own Father. I don't forgive you though, you never apologized for the crime you've committed. Until then, I'll just be waiting for it, waiting for your apology" she said before leaving the room.
If Jude Heartfilia could have heard her daughter, he would have cried.
"Excuse me?" Dr. Miraku asked.
"You heard me. 5 years starting from the first day he was admitted here. Take care of him, keep him alive I don't care about the medical bills. I want him to stay there for 5 years, then pull the plug" Lucy said.
"That's absurd" Dr. Miraku said.
"It's what I want" she said.
"He's your Father, your going to let him suffer like that?" Dr. Miraku asked.
Lucy smiled. "Yes, because I'm a cruel sadistic person. 5 years doctor, no more no less" Lucy said.
She walked out the room leaving Dr. Miraku to think about what had just happened.
"So she pretty much partied herself out, she's sleeping at the moment" Natsu said.
Lucy walked up to the couch and stared down at Wendy's sleeping figure.
"How'd it go?" Natsu asked.
Lucy sighed leaning her head on the couch.
"Alright, I finally made my peace and found my resolution" she answered.
Natsu walked up to her and placed a hand on her back.
"And it was?" he asked.
Lucy leaned up, "I'm going to keep him alive for 5 years. If he doesn't wake up by then I'm going to let him die" Lucy told him.
"5 years... well that's better than none. He's going to wake up Lucy, I have a feeling about this. Why would he want to leave you?" Natsu asked wrapping his arms around his girlfriends waist.
"Because I'm a bad ass" Lucy answered.
"A sweet, nice, kind, pretty, bad ass who happens to be his daughter" Natsu corrected.
Lucy wiggled her way out of Natsu's hold and bent down to pick up Wendy.
"Thanks, for watching her" she said.
"Anything for you Luce" Natsu told her.
"So um... about tomorrow with your Father... If you want me to be there, I'll go" Lucy told him.
It's been bothering her. Natsu was there for her in her darkest hour, now she wanted to be there for Natsu's. He only smiled at her.
"Thanks but... this is something I have to do on my own, sorry" Natsu said.
Lucy shook her head. She understood completely. Lucy wouldn't have been able to get everything off her chest if Natsu had come with her.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked.
Natsu grinned.
"Of course, who else will walk you to school?" he asked.
Lucy walked up and pecked Natsu on his lips before heading to the door.
"Bye" she told him.
"Bye Luce" he said watching her leave.
Once she was gone Natsu closed his door and sighed. Happy was walking down the stairs but he paused at the middle step and meowed. Natsu looked up and started walking towards him. He petted his head before continuing up the stairs towards his room. Natsu opened his closet door and started searching through it. Boxes were opened and dumped, clothes were tossed, pretty much everything had to go for him to find it. At the end, it was on the top shelf in a small cardboard box.
Natsu opened it and held up the scarf. The last gift his Dad had gotten him before he left. The gift Natsu held precious to him and couldn't even wear because he was afraid of damaging it. It's been in his closet for 12 years? 13? Natsu wrapped it around his neck and looked in the mirror. Might as well wear it now that he was going to visit his Father. This might even help him remember him.
That was Natsu's worst fear about visiting his Father. What if Igneel wouldn't remember him? The son he raised for 7 years then abandoned? Natsu was sad about Lucy forgetting him but for his Father? He was sure that would damage him for good if Igneel wouldn't remember. Natsu had Lucy though, he had Happy and Wendy and all his friends. Those were Natsu's confidence. He had nothing to worry about. He was going to be just fine.