AN:
Hello TMBC readers, I hope your all having a great day today and that you enjoy the read. Originally, I was going to make this a long chapter but I decided to make it into 2 separate chapters because of how insanely long it was getting.
BEFORE YOU READ!
Mild warning! This chapter contains a rape scene though because of the rating of the story I kept it only suggestive. So you will understand what's happening you just won't get all the gory details that go with it.
A giggle was heard as her body was shaken, "Hey mom, wake up time for breakfast!" her daughter tells her.
The older woman groans rolling over, "Ugh, five more minutes." She complains cuddling up under the warm covers her blonde messy locks scattered about her in a wavy mess. How were her daughter and father of her child managed to be such early birds she didn't know…
"Nah uh!" She heard her daughter say.
"Michelle," She started with a hint of warning. She knew this girl well and she was plotting something.
"Oh mom, the tickle bugs are coming!" Michelle chants her fingers sneaking under the blanket to graze over her stomach. Much like she… Huh, her mom wasn't laughing? Michelle pulls the blanket back to find her mother laying there wide-eyed muttering the words she'd just spoken.
W-Why? Why does that phrase sound so familiar? She wondered flinching at the pain that began to shoot through her head. W-Why-Why couldn't she remember? The woman touched her forehead only realizing tears were flowing down her face when she touched her forehead, 'Why am I crying?' she wondered.
"Ugh, five more minutes mommy." A smaller version of herself complained.
The older woman smiled slyly, "You better get up or the tickle bugs will get you." She warns. Her smile only getting bigger as the small girl stayed in bed, "Lucy," she sang as she climbed in beside her, her hands hovering above her stomach.
"Layla honey, you up?" a man enters the room with a breakfast tray full of food.
"the tickle bugs are coming!" she releases a chuckle as her daughter burst out into a fit of giggles as her gentle fingers danced over the small girl's stomach.
She felt intense pain, and as it dissipated everything felt so clear. Her heart hurt… How-How had she forgotten someone so important to her? "L-Lucy." She whispered only to jump when a heavy tray smashes into the floor.
Layla's head jerked up at the sound. She remembered-She remembered everything, "Y-You! Why did you do this?! I trusted you!" she shouted momentarily getting slapped afterward because of her outburst. Layla's hand came up to her cheek… "Jude," She remembered she could practically feel his hand resting beneath hers.
"Jude, are you sure?" Layla asked shyly the blush on her face still evident by Jude's confession. He would fight… He would fight his parents to keep their relationship.
He nodded with a lopsided grin, "Yeah," he tells her as he puts his hand to her cheek, "I don't care about what my parents or the elders say. It may not be today or tomorrow, but you will be my wife, or they can let the royal family go without an heir." He says using his other hand to brush her hair away from her face before leaning down to kiss her tears away.
Layla arms rounded him pressing her face close to his chest. She was so glad… so glad to know that she wasn't the only one fighting. "Your who I want Layla," he tells her his arms around her as well, his face nuzzled into her golden hair, "and I'll fight to keep you." He declares as they stood on the beach beneath a sea of stars. "I won't let them take you from me... not without a fight," he whispers softly as he held her protectively within his arms.
Layla flinched painfully as all the memories rushed back to her at once making her feel breathless and weighed down almost like she was under intense pressure of gravity. Beads of sweat mixed in with her cascading tears as she remembered all the times, she remembered him and then all the times she didn't. Her eyes widening in horror at the things she had done. How long had she been gone?! Her eyes widening another fraction as her eyes landed on her second daughter… her seventeen-year-old daughter. She felt like she was going to be sick… She'd betrayed Jude over and over and over again! And she'd forgotten about both of them for seventeen years!
"You-" she mutterers her rage steadily building.
"Get off of me!" Layla shouted struggling against the hold of the men. She could barely move… Barely hold herself up! They must have slipped her something! She struggled and fought even as they clumsily tied her down to a belted stretcher, managing to drop one of them by landing a blow to the balls.
Once she was tied down and secure, they relaxed, "When I gain back my ability to move all of you will pay!" she ensures them.
A smile came over the face of the man she'd come here with… The friend she'd trusted... He turned away from her briefly, turning around to reveal a strange device that she'd only seen on one of those cop series she'd watch after work sometimes. "Chris, don't you dare." She warns know exactly what the device is and what it could do. He stepped closer rubbing the metal ends together as they charged with electricity as he came to the head of her bed. "I'll kil…" she started only for one of them to shove a piece of leather into her mouth.
"Clear." Chris chants with a big grin on his face as he brought either stick to the sides of her face. It hadn't taken long for her to pass out from the pain.
Sometime later she wakes with a slow start, looking around the plain white room in confusion. A man sat beside her on a stool in a long white lab coat, he stared over her with a strange expression, "Layla?" he questions with a studying expression.
"Do I know you?" she askes confused as she tries to sit upright, but something stopped her from doing so. Looking down at her arms she found she was belted down to the bed. "W-What- What's going on here?!" she shouts angry and scared as she looked around the room. Where was she?! This didn't look like a hospital!
"Do you know me?" He questioned a strange sly grin crossing his lips, "You're my wife Layla."
Layla's face turned red with anger, "You-You son of a bitch!" she yelled Leo's symbol appears on her shoulder. Her arm glowing brightly as she began concentrating her energy while Chris stood there patiently and smugly. Electrical shocks snapped in the air around her wrist confusing her, "Wha…" she managed to get out before a large shock was released from the bracelet on her wrist that he'd given her last year.
Chris laughed at her, as she dropped to the floor completely numb and unable to move, she didn't miss her daughter's terrified scream of her name as she collapsed to the ground, "Michelle, you should leave, your mother and I need to have a long chat." He says.
Michelle looked on in horror at the events that'd just played out, her eyes wide with shock. What was going on? Why was her dad laughing? She didn't understand mom was hurt and he was laughing! "M-Momma," she mumbles as she rushes forward knelling down by her mother's fallen body.
Chris's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I thought I told you," he says in warning, his voice lowering dangerously as he stared at her disobedience with a piercing stare, "to fucking leave!" he growls catching her by her long dirty blonde wavy hair. Michelle released a loud shriek of pain as he hoisted her up by her hair.
"Stop it!" Layla screamed as she struggled to get her body to do what she wanted. She could sit herself up just a little bit before her body would go crashing back down to the floor, "If you hurt her, I'll,"
Chris stopped looking towards her amused before bursting out into fits of laughter after slamming his daughter face-first into a wall. Layla gasped watching as he released Michelle's hair, tears whelming up into her eyes as Michelle's body slumped down to the floor. A large sinister grin tugged at his lips, "You'll do what now?" he questioned watching as Layla struggled to pull herself towards Michelle's unconscious form. Chris rolled his eyes at the sight grabbing Layla by the ankle proceeding to drag her away.
~oooOOOooo~
"It's a long story bo," Jude started grabbing at his chest, pain coursing through every part of his body. His body wobbled before his knees buckled giving way under his weight.
Natsu rushed forward catching him, "Hey! Old man? Old man!" he shouts trying to get his attention. It took him a good moment before Natsu realized Jude was no longer conscious, "Shit! Don't you dare die on me old man!" he says struggling to prop the older man up onto his back, "You hear me! Don't you dare fuckin die dammit!" he yells rushing down the streets to get Jude to the only hospital he knew he could take him too.
~oooOOOooo~
"I'm home!" Lucy announces as her and the girls stepped into the house. Lucy startled them all with a loud eep as something bite down on her ankle.
Nina's eyes widened, "You got a cat?" she asked watching as the dark blob of the cat scurried away to hide. Kylie and Mary looked for the entrance light switch. Meanwhile, Nina knelt down assessing her ankle with a little help from her dimly lit phone. Lucy explained that the cat wasn't hers, but Natsu as Nina tilted and turned her ankle, "Doesn't look too bad but he did graze your skin enough to make you bleed. I'd suggest hydrogen peroxide but…" she tells her not sure what else to say about the matter.
Lucy nods as the lights turn on and Nina gently puts her foot down, "I'm surprised the guys didn't come out with all the commotion guess their sleeping?" Nina wonders out loud as she stands upright. Nina messily kicks off her boots at the door, before walking through the apartment as Lucy struggles to take off her shoes at the door. Walking towards Lucy's room eager to check and see how Natsu was feeling now after a decent day of rest, "Hope you're decent! Ready or not here I come." The oldest girl in the room warns before opening Lucy's bedroom door. Finding the room empty… Nina looked confused at the empty room after flicking on the lights and called out, "Hey Lucy,"
"Yeah," Nina hears Lucy answer from the kitchen, she could hear the girl drop her purse and keys down on the table.
"Natsu's suppose to be on bed rest still, right?" she questions stepping into the room turning on the light as her eyes scanned the place. It looked alright… like they had just gotten up and left.
"Uh, he is yeah… why?" Lucy said suspiciously, Nina could hear footsteps coming towards the room.
Lucy stepped in looking just as confused, "Natsu?" she called out looking in the bathroom when she didn't see him there, she began to panic a bit. 'W-Wait… dad was here too.' She remembered realizing her dad was also missing in action. Lucy spun on her heels walking towards her purse on the table as she mentally tried to calm herself. They're both not here which means there together… which means Natsu's not walking around alone in his condition. What was he thinking Porlyusica made herself very clear when she told him he wasn't supposed to perform any major movements for at least two days!
Lucy rushes out to the table, shuffling through the things in her purse before pulling out her cell phone. Tapping at the screen furiously, the words 'Calling Natsu' flicking over the screen. When the phone went to voicemail, she looked horrified as all the possible problems Porlyusica mentioned began running through her head. Lucy paced worriedly, "Lucy," Nina starts rushing towards the door to put on her discarded boots, "let's go, we'll check around the nearby stores! Maybe they got hungry and went out for some chow." she tells the young blonde knowing standing around waiting wouldn't help to calm her nerves.
When the other girls made a move to accompany them Nina help up a hand, "Kylie, Mary, you guys stay here in case they come back." She says while Lucy gracefully slips back on her sneakers beside her. Nina touches the doorknob, giving it a gentle twist before opening the door, holding it open for her.
Kylie nodded to what was said but frowned. Nina was getting unusually close to Lucy as of late… It wasn't as if she was mad or anything. 'Why-Why am I so jealous of her?' she wonders as she door behind them closes her hand gripping at the arm of her shirt. Nina and Lucy were friends… Nothing would happen between them other than friendship… she knew this and yet this feeling was still here looming over her like a demon in the night. Kylie shook her head from side to side, 'What am I freaking out over anyways Lucy's in love with Natsu! Besides… you don't get the right to be jealous… you're the one who let her go remember?' she mentally yelled at herself her eyes filling with sadness.
Meanwhile, Mary gaze shifted from the closed door to Kylie and her glossy eyes, "Kylie," she mumbled but the older woman couldn't hear her. Mary growled planning on yelling at her sister later for procrastinating about her own feelings yet again. How long can she keep hiding and pushing away her own feelings before she truly does hurt Kylie so bad that she loses her?
~oooOOOooo~
Layla laid face down on the bed crying, her arms stretched out and tired to either end of the bed, her wrists bruised from fighting to break free, bruises decorated her shoulders, hips, and arms in the form of finger impressions. Chris stood behind her with a satisfied smile as he pulled up his pants, zipping up his pants zipper. It hurt everything hurt… but nothing hurt more than the sting she felt as she was violated. She could feel every bit of pain he'd felt… 'Jude, I'm so sorry.' She thought screaming out into the blankets and mattress.
This pain she'd felt it more than once… she'd fought more than once and lost more than once. It wasn't just her that was hurt by this; Jude was too. Layla felt anger surge through her veins, "I'll kill you." She screams into the blanket only succeeding in making Chris laugh at her struggles.
"Really now?" he says taking an amused tone as he laid himself out across her back to whisper in her ear, "Want an encore?" he says seductively pressing his covered crotch against her ass so she could feel how horny she was making him with her threats.
Layla's eyes widened in fear, but the fear wasn't just meant for her safety… "N-No-No please don't…" she begged as her anger was tamed merely by the desire to protect her one true love from being attacked any more than he already had been. Even now with this simple contact, she could feel the waves of pain coursing through her because of how she felt she'd just betrayed him despite having no control over the situation.
"Aw, what no fight left?" he asked his fingers gently running down her stretched out arm. It created a natural reaction she hated. Her body shivered in delight at the soft touch, he leaned up by her ear again his hot breath tickling her ear, "Or maybe you're just trying your damnest to protect poor Jude," he tells her his suspicions before smiling a sinister smile, "aga-in?"
The moment he said that last thing a loud crash was heard along with the sound of shattering glass. Chris's full weight dropped on her and Layla struggled to look to see what had happened. Behind Chris an angry teary-eyed but determined Michelle stood, her body reflexing back into its natural stance position after looking like she'd just pitched to the batter at a baseball game. Blood ran from the back of Chris's head dripping along the side of his face, a few droplets dropping and running down Layla's face.
Michelle breathing was very uneven, and her face contorted in fury at her father's actions towards her mother. "Michelle-Michelle baby," Layla called out despite feeling like she was being crushed under Chris's dead weight, "Calm down honey. I need you to breathe your hyperventilating." She speaks softly not wanting to rouse Chris. She had to get Michelle in the frame of mind to untie her and she had to get them both out of here! If not… she feared Michelle would be next on Chris's torture list.
"Michelle honey, listen to me carefully I need you to blow out three candles for me." She says happily watching as her daughter did as she was told and blowing out three imaginary candles. After her third breath in and out Michelle was calmer. Still highly upset, but was calmer, nonetheless. "Good honey, now can you untie this hand for me?" she askes it seemed to take the young woman a minute to process but beyond her tears, she nodded and rushed forward to undo her mother's binds. When this was done, she watched as Layla shoved Chris off her and stood up trying to cover up as many of the purple bruises as she could from her daughter's eyes.
An apologetic look on her face, "I-I'm sorry you had to see that honey." She tells Michelle grabbing Chris's white lab coat to cover herself. Once she had it on, she pulled her daughter into a tearful hug, "Thank you, my brave little Michelle." She cried softly her body still shaking in fear from Chris's assault. Layla released her with a sniffle, "We-We've gotta go." She tells Michelle holding her arms with a sense of urgency hidden within her voice. It took another moment of process time before the younger woman nodded and they scurried out of the room. Layla struggling as she was hit with an intense surge of pain once again. It hurt so bad she had to lean against the wall for a good minute until it passed.
"But mommy I don't want you to go." Little Lucy whines as her father and her stood on the beach to see her mother and a strange man dressed in white off.
A nude Layla leaned down with a small smile, "I don't either honey," she tells the small blonde as she leans down to the girl's height. She couldn't help but smile a little more seeing the doll she'd given her daughter held close to her chest, "but I want you to be able to have a future... A future where you don't have to live in hiding." she says brushing a few strands of her daughter's hair back behind her ear.
Lucy's eyes whelmed up with tears, "I don't care about that! I just wanna be with you and daddy!" she cries hoping to get her mother to reconsider.
Layla flashed her an apologetic teary-eyed smile before pulling her into a tight hug, "I know baby. I know," she tells her gently petting at the child's blonde head of hair trying to sooth both of them. This was anything but easy for any of them. "but I have to you deserve so much more of a future then I can give you if I stay." she explains only a little of her motives knowing that going into full detail will only confuse her and make her even more upset. Layla kissed her forehead, "I'm going to fight for a better future. Until then keep your dad and little sister Michelle safe okay? Remember your a big sister now and you have to always protect her." she says releasing her and standing back up watching as Lucy nodded in response wiping at her eyes.
Before turning to Jude who she could tell still didn't like this idea of hers one bit, "I know you don't like this one bit Jude," she tells him she could feel his feelings about it without him even saying it. "but I want you to remember what I'm fighting for. Think about it a life where we could leave the ocean whenever we wanted without worrying about hiding ourselves and with our only worry is being ourselves. Lucy deserves better than to have to hide." she says reiterating her wishes. She didn't want to let her daughter live in the world like she'd had too. Living like that was boring and lonely. Her daughter deserved the best this world had to offer and she'd be dammed if she didn't fight for her daughter to get it. Lucy sobbed softly behind her forearm, her other arm still holding her little sister on her arm. Layla frowned knowing the longer this goodbye took the harder it would be to leave and the harder it would be on them to let her, "I love you Jude and my precious little Lucy,"
"A-And Michelle?" Lucy says with a sniffle.
Layla smiled and nodded, "And Michelle yes." she replies looking to Jude placing a hand gently on his cheek, "I'll be back soon, promise." she says giving him a peck on the lips before pulling away to walk towards the man in white. The man shrugged off his long white coat and handed it to her to cover up.
"Mom?" Michelle calls catching her attention.
Layla looked towards her second daughter with a wide-eyed stare for a moment before settling down, 'I guess despite him taking my memories from me there was one thing he failed to take.' she thought as her daughter told her they had to hurry because she heard movement in the hall. Michelle grabbed her mother's arm throwing it over her shoulder as they hid in one of the rooms in the white hallway. Michelle pressed her ear to the door, listening carefully for movements when she heard none she aided her mother again with moving and left the room, 'You forgot just a sliver of connection between us.' she thought as she smiled telling her daughter she was fine to walk now. Layla grabbed her youngest daughter's hand running down the halls hand in hand to find an exit. She couldn't wait to get out of here! She couldn't wait to see Lucy and Jude again, but most of all she couldn't wait for Lucy to meet her amazing little sister and for Jude to meet the daughter he'd never gotten the opportunity to meet.
AN:
So what'd you guys think about this direction? I know in Fairy Tail Lucy's mother is no longer alive; however, in this fiction I wanted her to live. Even though I kept it the same as Fairy Tail in the beginning and portrayed her as a character who'd died but at the same time kept it open so if and when I wanted to I could revive her from the ash. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter installment save for the story of what Layla had been going through all the years she wasn't home with her family. Note: Layla hasn't remembered everything I might end up bring it back to her in bits and pieces so expect her to get some flashbacks in the future if she hears something familiar. :)