Three years later, Lucy sighed as she wiped a glass clean behind the bar of the guild. With Mira's absence, Lucy had taken the job as barmaid. Her daughter was still too young to accompany her on jobs and she needed the extra money.

"I'm bored mama." Lily whined as she leaned half of her body on the bar.

Lucy smiled sadly at her and rested her head in her hand as she leaned over to smooth the girl's hair out of her face. "Why don't you go play with Romeo?"

Lily groaned. "He's been really mean lately."

Lucy frowned and looked over to where the little boy was sitting beside his dad. His arms were crossed and his glare might just pierce the floor. She felt for the boy, he always looked up to Natsu, and now that he was gone... She shook her head before tears could build. "I have an idea." Lily watched curiously as her mother began making something behind the bar. A few minutes later, she set two milkshakes in front of her. "Why don't you give him one. I think he needs some cheering up."

Lily smiled slightly and hopped off the stool before she grabbed both drinks. "Okay."

"Can you carry them?" Lucy asked when Lily wobbled a little.

"I got it!"

Lucy chuckled at her daughter. She was at the age where she wanted to do everything herself and was insulted by help, then she would get mad when she did need help.

Lily frowned as she approached Romeo. He had been pretty mean to her lately, but she didn't really have a lot of friends, so she hoped this would make him a little nicer at least. "Hey Romeo."

The boy looked at her. "What do you want?"

She puffed out her cheeks and shoved the milkshake in his hands, which he barely caught. "I got you something."

He looked at her in surprise, then took a small sip. He hummed before he mumbled, "thanks."

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. "Move over."

He didn't really have much choice since she shoved him, but he didn't argue about it. Macao chuckled quietly from behind his mug as he watched the two. They sat in silence for a few minutes, both sipping their milkshakes. Lucy smiled at them from behind the bar as she began cleaning. After a moment, Lily spoke up. "I miss 'em too, ya know."

"Yeah, I know." Romeo mumbled.

"So you don't have to be so mean." She continued.

"I'm not mean!" He puffed out his cheeks.

She huffed and stuck the straw back in her mouth. She looked around the guild, which was mostly empty like usual now. She noticed Reedus painting a particular picture, and she looked back at Romeo before she grinned.

"Hey I wasn't done with that!" He barked when she snatched his drink and put it on the table.

She just giggled and grabbed his hand, pulling him up. "Come on."

"What's wrong with you?" He grumbled as she pulled him along. They came to a stop in front of Reedus and his eyes widened at the picture he was painting.

"Wow, you remember him really well." Lily grinned as she looked at the picture of Natsu.

"Oui." Reedus smiled with a tear in his eye. "Thank you, Lily."

She smiled and looked at Romeo, her eyebrows creasing in concern at the look on his face. "Are you okay?"

Romeo shook his head with a smile, the grin on Natsu's face in the picture contagious. "Yeah. That's an awesome picture! We should put it on the wall!"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Max said as he came to stand next to them. "Hey, Macao!" Said man looked over with an eyebrow raised. "Permission to decorate the guild?"

Macao chuckled, with the master gone, he was the new master. "Knock yourselves out."

Max turned back to them with a grin. "You got any more, Reedus?"

"Oui!" He replied with a smile, sifting through his paintings and handing them to them.

"I hope my baby will turn out like yours."

Lucy looked at Bisca in shock as they both leaned against the bar to watch the spectacle. Bisca rubbed her bulging stomach with a wistful smile on her face. Lucy smiled, "she's gonna have you for a mom, so you know she's gonna be amazing."

Bisca smiled at her. "Thanks, Lucy."

Lucy returned her smile as she looked back at her daughter looking through the pictures with Romeo and Max. She was proud of her. This was the first time the guild had found something to smile about, besides Bisca and Alzack announcing their engagement, and their wedding, and the announcement of their baby. It was the fourth time the guild had found something to smile about.

Lily held a picture of Laxus in her hands. She traced the scar on his face as memories flooded through her. "That's what little shits do."

Romeo heard her whisper and looked over at the picture she was holding. "Your dad was really awesome, probably the strongest in the guild!"

"What?"

He froze, only then remembering that she didn't know he was her dad. He looked at her shocked face with wide, terrified eyes as he heard a few gasps around him. "I-I mean... I-I didn't..."

Lily slowly looked back at the picture. Her blood ran cold as she looked into his eyes. Her hands trembled. It couldn't be true... could it?

Lucy smiled as her daughter came up to her. "See, I told you it'd cheer him up." She didn't expect her daughter to hold up a picture of Laxus and she definitely wasn't prepared for the question that came next.

"W-Was he my dad?"

Lucy froze when the question registered in her mind. Looking into her daughter's eyes, she internally started freaking out. This was long overdue and her daughter deserved to know the truth, she just wasn't prepared for this... then again, her daughter wasn't either. With a sigh, Lucy stepped out from the bar and crouched down in front of her, rubbing her daughter's hand that had the picture gripped so tightly in it. "Yeah, sweetie. He wa-"

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

Lucy's mouth dropped open as her daughter yelled in her face, and she shook her head. "Laxus wanted to-"

"I don't care!" Lily shouted, face red and eyes welling with tears. "You should have told me! You're the reason he's gone! I hate you!"

Lucy's heart stopped as her daughter turned and ran. She would have gone after her, but her entire body was frozen.

"Lily, wait!" Romeo tried to stop her, but she shoved him away.

"You knew!" She ran out of the guild as fast as she could.

The guild was paralyzed at the sudden turn of events, their eyes saddening once again. Romeo slumped to the ground and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry! It just came out!"

Lucy fell back on the ground and raised a hand to her lips. That was what she had been afraid of. That was why she had put it off for so long. And by putting it off for so long was the reason why her daughter now hated her. A sob bubbled out of her throat as she sat there. She wished Laxus was here, then they could do this together. She wished she had told her when he was here. She clung on to Bisca as the woman came to her side. "I'm so stupid."

Bisca laid her head on Lucy's as she held her close. "So many unexpected things have happened. She doesn't hate you, she's just shocked and hurt. She just needs some time to process this."

Lucy nodded into her chest. "Thank you."

Bisca smiled as she helped her stand up. "We'll always be here for each other."

Lucy smiled at her with a sniffle, then went to the sobbing boy on the ground. Crouching down, she placed a hand on his arm.

Romeo flinched when he looked up and saw who it was. "I'm sorry."

Lucy shook her head. "Don't be sorry, Romeo. You did nothing wrong. It's my fault for not telling her sooner, and for making all of you keep it a secret from her. You did me a favor, so don't be sad, okay? It's not your fault."

Romeo's tears stopped and he hugged the woman. "She's gonna hate me."

She put a hand on the boy's head and smiled sadly. "She could never hate you, just give her some time." She looked up at Macao and nodded when he mouthed 'thank you'. She sighed internally. This was such a mess and she hated that she could have prevented this a long time ago.

Lily ran until her legs gave out, slumping to the ground with an 'oomph'. Breathing heavily, she wiped her tears as her anger just kept growing and growing inside her. There was a burning in her chest that hurt and she screamed, red lightning bursting from her body in all directions, exploding many of the trees surrounding her. Taking a few deep breaths, she looked at the singed picture still grasped in her hand and a sob spilled out of her. This wasn't fair! She never even got to call him her dad.

"My, my. Would you look at that."

Startled at the voice, her head jerked up to see two men approaching her. One of the men was holding a cage with some kind of small, yellow animal inside. Immediately, she stood up and got in a defensive stance, dropping the picture.

"Isn't this our lucky day." One man chuckled.

"Don't come any closer!" Lily shouted, sparks of red lightning dancing across her skin.

"But that magic you got is something special, little girl." The other man grinned as a chain extended from his hand and wrapped itself around her ankle.

"I'm warning you!" She yelled, which turned into a shriek when the man yanked the chain, flipping her onto the ground. She clenched her teeth when they started laughing and she braced her hand on the ground next her. Feeling paper under her palm, she looked at her father's picture. She remembered a time when her dad had saved her and her mom from the man of her nightmares. She growled as she glared over her shoulder at the men. Her dad was strong, but she was gonna be stronger. She refused to be a victim. Her own mother had victimized her enough. Grabbing the chain wrapped around her ankle, she sent electricity across it.

The man screamed when the sparks traveled from the chain to his awaiting hand and scorched him from the inside. Lily wasted no time as she unwrapped the chain from her ankle. Gathering the energy inside her, she screamed as she let loose angry tendrils of lightning that crackled as they overpowered the two men, who screamed in agony.

Lily panted as her magic faded, and she smirked when the smoke cleared, revealing the unconscious men on the ground, mouths still open in a silent scream. After she caught her breath, she walked towards them, but winced when pain shot up her leg. Looking down at it, she saw a bright red mark wrapping around her ankle from the chain.

A small whimper made her look at the small cage, and she gasped when she realized she hurt the thing inside it. Limping over to the creature, she plopped down in front of the cage and gingerly reached a hand out. "Hey," she spoke in a soft voice. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you, I really didn't mean to." Looking at it, she realized it was a little yellow cat, with white stripes running down its back and small wings, just like Happy.

The cat peeked up at her with large, watery eyes. "I-It's okay." It sniffled as it slowly stood up. "They were gonna take you too."

She smiled at it and grabbed the bars, pulling on them to try and break them, but she grunted when she realized they were too strong.

"I saw them put the key in one of their pockets."

"Oh." She crawled over to the unconscious men and rummaged through their pockets. She grinned when she finally found it, and held it up in triumph. Crawling back to the cage, she unlocked it and opened the door for the little cat.

"Thank you." It said once it slowly walked out of the cage.

"Of course, it's the least I could do." She held out her hand to the cat. "I'm Lily." The little cat put its paw in her hand, letting her shake it. "What's your name?"

The cat sat down with sad eyes. "I don't have one."

Lily frowned and tilted her head. "Well, are you a boy or a girl?"

The cat puffed out its cheeks and crossed its arms. "A boy of course!"

"Sorry." She giggled. "How about... Silus?"

The cat tilted it's head. "What's it mean?"

Lily shrugged. "I dunno, I remember it from a book my mom read to me once. I just like it."

The cat smiled. "Silus. I like it too."

Lily grinned. "Then, it's nice to meet you, Silus."

The cat grinned, but a noise made them whip their heads to the side, Lily grabbing Silus and shielding him in her arms. Lily relaxed when she saw her mom, Macao, and Romeo running into the clearing she'd made. She wasn't happy to see them though.

Lucy gasped when she saw the two men on the ground and her daughter next to them. She immediately ran to her daughter and crouched down, Macao right behind her. Romeo noticed the singed picture on the ground and he frowned as he picked it up. "Lily, are you okay?" Lucy fretted as she checked her daughter over for injuries.

"I'm fine." Lily gritted out.

Lucy's eyes honed in on her ankle, then she noticed what her daughter was holding. "Who's this?"

"It's a cat." Lily said coldly, it was obvious what it was anyways. Silus stayed silent as he looked between the two nervously.

Lucy sighed and looked at Macao, who frowned. "C'mon, kid. You both need some medical attention." Lily grumbled under her breath, but she didn't put up a fight as the man lifted her into his arms, it hurt to walk anyways.

Hey guys! Thanks so much for your support on this, and I'm sorry to those of you who don't like what I'm doing. But, I realized that I'm not gonna be able to please everyone, so I'm just doing what I want to do. This way Laxus and Lucy will be the same age, and I like that better for this story. I was ready for Lily to grow up a little too. Anyways, I hope y'all will still roll with it, cuz I love you guys! I'm having fun with this story and I hope yall can too! Muah!