Mavis

Summary: Acnologia attacks before Cana has a chance to say anything, and while everyone's trying to figure out what happens next, Mavis pops up in front of her and makes her reveal the truth to her father.

Disclaimer: I don't own

AN: I became very attached to the concept of the ghost ratting her out.

Seven years.

They had been asleep for seven years.

Cana was still reeling- one moment she's holding hands with everyone, and preparing herself to die, and the next she's being shaken awake by Max who was so different from the Max she knew and they were told that they've been presumed dead for seven years.

What happens now? Where do they all go from here? The world had moved on without them, how would they move on? How would their lives change?

The brunette surreptitiously eyed her father who was chatting with Natsu.

What was she supposed to do about that?

She had been about to tell him the truth and then a dragon shows up out of nowhere and almost kills them all, and then they got stuck in time for almost a decade- if that wasn't a sign she didn't know what was.

Cana was not particularly religious, but she had a little code that worked for her: when the universe speaks, she listens.

The universe had spoken and it said, 'keep your fucking mouth shut'. So, you know what she was gonna do?

She was going to keep her fucking mouth shut.

No point in arguing with higher powers- that's just bad for your health.

Besides, it had been twenty years now- it was probably best to just let sleeping dogs lie. She had learned her lesson; she would never take her Fairy Tail family for granted ever again.

She was just about to retreat to the edges of this little reunion when a head of blonde hair appeared right under her nose.

Cana yelped in surprise and reeled back from the apparent ghost of Fairy Tail's First Master.

Ghosts.

This was her life now.

"Where do you think you're going silly?" Mavis asked brightly, her wing-like ears wiggling happily," Don't you have something to do?"

The brunette blinked down at the shorter girl in confusion," Huh?"

The blonde laughed and grinned up at her," Isn't there something you need to confess to a certain someone?" She said suggestively, her grin decided impish," Perhaps something having to do with a relationship between the two of you that you neglected to mention?"

The card mage caught on quickly, freezing in place for a second before she sputtered," How- how do you- "

"Did you already forget silly? When I gave you Fairy Glitter, I got a look at your memories. This included a certain secret of yours."

Cana stared down at Mavis, a feeling of dread overcoming her system as she stared at a grin that barely veiled evil intentions. "Well, aren't you going to go ahead and tell him? Twenty years is a very long time to wait for this sort of thing after all- might as well do it now!"

The brunette scrambled as her brain tried to come up with some sort of excuse," Um- actually its not really that big a deal- "

"Not a big deal?" Mavis asked in a feigned surprise, raising her voice much louder than strictly necessary," Why Cana- you've kept quiet for years, isn't it high time you reveal your secret?"

As soon as the word 'secret' escaped the ghost's mouth, the two of them suddenly had everyone's undivided attention.

Shit.

Cana let out a squeak like a dying mouse as she frantically tried to figure a way out of this situation, her usual tactical skills failing her as all the eyes locked on her.

"What secret?" Natsu asked curiously, cocking his head like a puppy," What kind of secret do you have Cana?"

"Um- uh, i-it's nothing- "The brunette tried to say, avoiding looking at her father and tried to bluff her way out," Its none of your business."

The ghost let out a light laugh," That's not true!" She pointed out," Its Gildarts' business just as much as it is yours!" She said sweetly, well aware of the taller girl plotting to kill her for a second time.

The Ace raised an eyebrow as he looked at the uncomfortable girl," May I ask how I'm involved in all of this?"

The card mage stared at him like a deer caught in headlights as she failed to come up with anything to say, and inwardly swore when the First Master once again spoke up.

"Well, since you need a little push, how about this: as Fairy Tail's First Master, I order you to tell Gildarts the truth about the connection between you."

While the rest of the peanut gallery visibly had question marks floating above their heads, Lucy let out a loud laugh," Go Master Mavis!" She cheered before grinning at her best friend," Come on Cana- can't disobey the Master's order!"

The brunette mechanically walked forward, grabbed her father's hand, and dragged him away from the spectators. This was not a conversation she wanted to have in front of an audience.

oOOOOo

The brunette finally stopped once she was sure the two of them were far enough away from the others.

She turned to face her old man and faltered, the words drying up in her throat, as she helplessly looked at him.

Gildarts raised an eyebrow at the girl he'd known since her childhood and decided to help her out," So, what's up?" He asked curiously," The First Master said something about a connection between us?"

What could possibly be so important that a ghost would pester her about it? And for that matter- he'd known Cana since the girl came up to his knee, but they'd only spoken two or three times- how could there possibly be a connection between the two of them?

Cana swallowed nervously," Did- did you know that the reason I joined the guild was so that I could find my father?" She asked hesitantly, which got a slow blink from the red head.

"Actually, that's the first I've heard of it." He said honestly, before realizing something," Wait- you joined to find him- you saying your old man was a member of Fairy Tail too?"

"Y-yes." This was it, no going back now. "It's you Gildarts."

It took a second to sink in.

The Ace once again gave a slow blink as he tried to process the strange riddle that had just come out of her mouth… then he realized exactly what she'd said.

"WHAAAAAAT?!" He screamed," YOU-YOU'RE MY- "

"Yeah." Cana said softly," I guess it's hard to believe."

"WHICH ONE'S YOUR MOTHER! Sarah, Naomi, Clara, Fina, Mary, Liza-? Wait the hair colors all wrong!" He flopped over as he frantically tried to make sense of this situation (he had a daughter. He had a freaking daughter who was right in front of him)," Emma, Lila, Jenny, Sydney, Kate, the Yuugo sisters-"

"SISTERS?!" Cana shrieked furiously," JUST HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU BEEN WITH?!"

"No wait- Slyvia! That's gotta be it! It's that face, she made it a lot!"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS- I FINALLY TELL THE TRUTH ONLY TO FIND OUT MY OLD MAN IS A DEADBEAT WHO CAN'T KEEP IT IN HIS PANTS!" she shrieked in outrage, before angrily shoving it off," You know what- forget it. I was just letting you know- see ya!"

"Wait-!" He blurted out in panic (she couldn't go!). "Hold on!"

She spun on her heel and angrily faced him," I don't have anything else to say to you. Don't worry, I won't be moving in- I would hate to ruin your game." She spat," Just carry on like I'm not around-"

He gently wrapped the girl (his girl) in his arms for the first time in her life. "You're Cornelia's daughter, no doubt about it."

"Please let go." She said half-heartedly.

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?" He could have been there for everything… so much time… so many memories that he never got to make.

"It wasn't for lack of trying." The brunette admitted softly," Every time I tried to tell you something would happen- either someone would call you over and you'd leave on a job, or something else would happen. Eventually… I guess I was just too scared to tell you."

"Your mother was the only woman I ever truly loved; marrying her was the happiest day of my life. She left me eighteen years ago because all I did was work, it killed me. I've been trying to bury the pain ever since. When I found out she was gone it was like a shot to the heart." He said quietly, holding her close to his heart. "I'm so sorry. I should have realized who you really were."

Cana gently pushed herself out of his hold," Don't worry about it- I'm the one who kept it hidden all this time. It's just nice to finally have this weight lifted off of my chest." It was like she could breathe for the first time in her life.

"I've had a daughter all this time." Gildarts said softly," And she was right in front of me…" How could he be so blind? How could he make up for all the missed time?

"Hey now, there's no need for water works Gildarts." She said gently as she tried to reassure him," Don't worry- I don't expect anything from you! Nothing has to change. But… if you don't mind, I'll say it just this once: I'm glad I met you Dad. I really am."

And suddenly all he could see was that beautiful smile on her face, remembering the times when she gave him that smile. How adorable she'd been, how beautiful a woman she'd grown up to be.

"Cana!" He yelled, tears streaming down his face as he once again wrapped his arms around his little girl," I promise to never make you sad again." He swore, kissing the top of her head." From now on, we'll always be together- I don't care if it's on a job or hitting up a bar."

The brunette let out a watery laugh," I'm not so sure you can keep up with me."

He tightened his hold, maneuvering her head to rest over his heart," Maybe so, but Cana- please give me the chance to be a loving father."

"I don't have to give you a right you already have." She said as she finally let the tears fall down her face, feeling her dry lips crack from the force of her smile," Do you like pancakes?"

Gildarts blinked in surprise at the question," Doesn't everybody?"

The brunette laughed at his answer," There's a great pancake place near my ballet school… maybe, if its still open, we could get some together…?" She offered hopefully.

He grinned widely," Sounds like a plan." And without warning he scooped her up into his arms making her let out a yelp.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I gotta show off my amazing little girl, don't I?" He said in mock seriousness," And there's debris everywhere- it's so much safer if you let me carry you Princess!"

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" She snapped, struggling against his hold," Put me down-"

"No can do Princess! He cooed happily, rubbing his cheek against hers like some kind of cat as they made their way back to the base camp.

"GUESS WHAT LUCKY GUY JUST FOUND OUT HE'S A DADDY!"

AN: Was going to add more, but honestly, I think it turned out perfect just the way it is. Initially I was going to add a sort of 'this is what everybody hears from where they're eavesdropping' but I couldn't find a way to make it not sound tedious. Also, thanks to recent prompts this is the first of several Mavis-related fics!