Authors note :

Okay, i'm back. Sorry for the wait, but I really wanted to get the next few chapters right (I had multiple ideas and it was really difficult to decide). Now to continue this story. (and hopefully finish it before i'm caught in exams again *sweatdrop*)


3. July X798, Lucy's Apartment, Crocus

It was way past midnight. Lucy had ushered Nashi into bed and was now sitting in the living room with master Makarov, their heads lowered and their eyes looking at the floor. Lucy spoke up, careful not to wake her daughter.

"Will he be okay?", Lucy asked. Makarov thought about his answer for a moment. "I can't say. Porlyusica is keeping the doctors in the hospital busy, that is for sure. She went there even though she hates the company of humans – that should say something about the severity...", he finally answered.

"I still can't believe it... She inherited his magic and almost set fire to the entire arena...", Lucy sighed. "But how did this happen to Natsu? Why couldn't you wake him up?"

"Magic Power Exhaustion", Makarov answered. "He drained every last ounce of his magic power in order to activate the Dragon Force and withstand Nashi's flames."


Lucy was shocked when she heard of the incident at the arena and Natsu falling victim to Magic Power Exhaustion.

Porlyusica had Natsu removed from the infirmary and had him admitted to Crocus Hospital for permanent monitoring. Makarov had told the rest of the guild to follow her to the hospital and then brought Nashi home, where he told Lucy and Wendy what happened. Wendy subsequently left to tend to Natsu's condition.


"So you're saying he might not wake up at all?", Lucy exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry my child.", Makarov answered. His face lowered.

Lucy clenched her fists. All she felt in this moment was helplessness. Makarov tried to comfort her, but to no avail.

"I'll visit him tomorrow...", Lucy started. "I just have to find someone to look over Nashi. I don't want her to see him like this."

Makarov nodded and then bid his farewell. Lucy went to see him out and then just sat in the living room alone for what seemed like hours. She finally decided to check on Nashi and go to bed. Though all she found as she entered her daughter's room was an open window and a rope made out of bed sheets.


2 hours earlier, in the streets of Crocus.

Nashi was in inner turmoil. She frantically ran through the streets of Crocus in search of the hospital, but since she only moved to Crocus 3 months ago she didn't really know where to look. All she could think of right now was her father, how her mother said that he might never wake up again and that she didn't want her to see him in his current condition.

"I have to see him...", Nashi though. "This all just happened because he saved me. I just have to be by his side."

Nashi ran and ran, but she just couldn't find it. Just as she was about to give up she was suddenly thrown to the ground. As she looked up she nearly had a heart attack. Before her stood what she perceived as a giant. He had long, spiky black hair, red eyes and his face was full of piercings.

"Whoa! Watch where you're running kiddo!", Gajeel scoffed at her, but hastily extended his hand to help the little girl up.

Nashi started to shift backwards. The man before her was kind of intimidating and she was all alone.

"Gajeel! Wait up!", a female voice suddenly called. A petite woman with blue hair sporting an orange dress came into Nashi's field of view. "Huh? What happened here? Who are you little girl?"

Nashi stared at her for a little bit, then stuttered an answer. "I-i accidentally ran into him. I'm s-sorry..."

"Don't worry about Gajeel here!", the woman said with a smile. "He is nicer than he looks!"

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean, Shrimp?", Gajeel exclaimed.

"It means that your appearance scared her, you idiot..", she argued and then turned to Nashi once again. "I'm Levy McGarden! And this brute behind me is Gajeel Redfox! Would you like to tell me your name?"

Nashi now recognized them from her mother's photo album. "I'm Nashi...", she said.

"Nice to meet you Nashi.", Levy said. "Although it may be a little bit late for you to be up. What are you even doing out on the streets this late? Your parents must be worried beyond belief."

Nashi winced at the question. "I was looking for the hospital to visit my dad...", she brought out, tears forming in her eyes.

"What about your mother?", Levy asked. "I'm sure she is worried about you."

Nashi was quick to answer. "She doesn't know i'm out..."

"What should we do, Gajeel?", Levy asked her aquaintance. "We can't just leave her here.."

"Right.", Gajeel answered. "Listen Nashi. We just came from the hospital. We'll show you the way."

Nashi looked at Gajeel with a surprised look on her face. "Really?", Levy and Nashi asked in unison. "What about her mother?", Levy added.

Gajeel forced a smile "Sure. Can you walk on your own?"

Nashi nodded. Levy frowned. "Gajeel we can't just take her to the hospital. Her mother is going to look everywhere for her!"

"Her mind seems set on going.", Gajeel said. "I won't stop her and i'm sure that the hospital is a relatively safe place for her to be until her mother picks her up."


2 hours later. Lucy's Apartment

Lucy burst out the front door. Nashi must've heard every word and now she was out late at night to visit her father – alone.

"I can't just wait at the hospital", Lucy thought. "Even if she knew the way, what if something happened on the way? What should I do?"

Lucy began to panic. She imagined Nashi boxed up in some sort of cage, ready to be shipped to Bosco as slave – just like it almost happened to her on that day – the day she met Natsu. Lucy began to tear up as she ran through the city.

"Nashi where are you?!", she screamed her lungs out, waking some angry citizens who wanted to sleep in the process. Finally she fell to her knees, emotionally wrecked and freezing. She was about to lose it, when she suddenly received a slap to the face that knocked her out of it. When she looked up she saw two very familiar faces.

"I'm deeply sorry, Princess!", Virgo apologized, Loke standing right behind her. "But you need to calm down. For Nashi's sake."

Loke spoke up. "Please don't blame her. We didn't know what else to do!"

"Thank you!", Lucy answered. "I just don't know what to do! Nashi could be anywhere right now. I don't even know when she snuck out!"

"Relax, we're here to help you!", Loke said. "Do you know why she snuck out?"

"She must've overheard a conversation between me and master Makarov... Natsu is in the hospital... he won't wake up. I think she wants to see him."

"She knows?", Loke raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"

"Yesterday.", Lucy answered shortly. "I spoke with Natsu the day before."

"So he knows too.", Loke summarized. "Virgo and I will look around the city. You just go to the hospital in case she shows up!"

"Thank you Loke, but I won't be able to sit still until she is found.", Lucy said. "I will search the city with Virgo. Could you please go to the hospital and wait there for Nashi?"

"Are you sure this isn't about facing your old teammates?", Loke asked sceptically.

"No!", Lucy said firmly. "This isn't about that. I will face them! The reason I'm searching is because she is my daughter."

Loke nodded in approval. Then he rushed off to the hospital. Lucy and Virgo dispersed into the streets of the capital.


1,5 hours earlier. The streets of crocus.

Nashi slept on Levy's shoulders. She was too tired to walk any more. Gajeel followed a couple of steps behind, lost in thought.

"What's the matter Gajeel?", Levy asked. Gajeel promptly answered. "Nothing really. I just thought that I have seen that girl somewhere."

Levy thought about it for a little while and then answered him. "You know? I think you're right... She was in the Fairy Tail box when Natsu misfired his special technique. Her mother was hit by the blast!"

"And still she got out of the arena in a wheelchair after regaining consciousness!", Gajeel said. "Salamander got hospitalized a day later and he might not wake up from this!"

"Are you saying she means trouble?", Levy asked while worriedly looking at the small girl sitting on her shoulders.

"I'm just saying we should keep an eye out is all!", Gajeel answered her. Levy nodded. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

By the time they reached the hospital, Nashi had woken up again and was blissfully unaware of Levy and Gajeel's exchange of words.

As they entered the entrance hall Levy sat Nashi down and she went to the reception desk. Levy and Gajeel bid their farewell until Gajeel suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"I'm staying around", he whispered to Levy. "That girl just asked the receptionist about Salamander's room!"

"What?", Levy gasped. "I'm staying here with you!"


Meanwhile in Natsu's room.

"Still nothing, Wendy?", Gray asked. He was visibly shaken by what had happened to his best friend.

Natsu was laying on a hospital bed in the middle of the room. On his face he wore a mask supplying him with air that was enriched with ethernano. Gray and Erza were both sitting by his bed.

"We're trying something at the moment, Gray.", Wendy said. "Basically we will be trying to give him an infusion of magical energy, but we don't wether it'll work or not. I will go get Porlyusica so we can get started. If something happens be sure to ring the bell!"

With that Wendy left the room to get Porlyusica from the doctor's office. When the door opened again everyone was staring at the little girl in the doorway.

"Hmm? Who might you be?", Erza asked curiously. "Are you looking for someone?"

Nashi slowly entered the room, her face was red from embarrasment. She didn't expect Natus's guildmates to be by his side.

"H-hello, my n-name is Nashi... I was l-looking for my father...", she managed to get out.

Erza and Gray gave each other confused looks.

"Your father?", Erza asked. "Maybe I can help you find his room. Do you know the number?"

Nashi blushed madly. "The receptionist said it was number 109!"

"Huh?", Gray stood up to take a look at the sign at the door. "But that is this room! What is the meaning of this?"

Nashi looked down, tears accumulating in her eyes. Erza knelt down in front of her.

"What is the matter, Nashi? You don't mind me addressing you by your first name, do you?", she asked. Nashi shook her head. "No, I don't..."

"Okay.", Erza said. "Do you mind telling me what is on your mind?"

Nashi teared up again as she recalled what happened the day before. "Will he ever wake up again?" was all she managed to get out in between all the tears that ran over her cheeks.

Erza's and Gray's eyes shot open as they realized what was going on, but they weren't able to say a single thing. Nashi slowly walked over to her fathers bed, sat on his bedside.

"This is all my fault...", she cried into his bed sheets. "Daddy please wake up!"

Erza and Gray finally regained their composure.

"Natsu...", Erza started. "Is your father?", Gray finished, his face spelling utter disbelief. Nashi nodded at his question. Gray didn't know what to say.

"He would've told us!", Erza exclaimed. Nashi was quick to answer. "He didn't know until yesterday..."

"That guy seriously had a child and didn't know anything about it?", Gray asked.

Nashi nodded again. "Yesterday... he rescued me from that fire..."

Erza's and Gray's mouth dropped open. "So that's why he ran into there...", Gray realized.

Erza went to comfort her. "He has been through worse.", she said. "He will wake up and if I have to punch him awake."

"What is this ruckus in here?", said a voice from the doorway. Standing there were Porlyusica and Wendy.

"Nashi!", Wendy screamed while she ran to the little girl.

"You know her?", Gray asked.

"She came in here claiming to be Natsu's daughter...", Erza added. "Do you know anything about that?"

Wendy nodded. "She is. Nashi what are you doing here? Does your mother know about this?"

Nashi just shook her head. "I overheard her talking to gramps... they said that daddy would maybe never wake up again and that she wouldn't let me see him like this..."

Wendy gave her a big hug. "Don't worry, Nashi! Porlyusica and I have a plan. We can't guarantee anything, but we'll give our best to wake him up. Do you want to wait outside with Erza and Gray while we try it?"

Nashi didn't know what to say, but finally agreed to wait outside, while Wendy and Porlyusica got to work channeling raw magic power drawn from a lacrima directly into Natsu's body.


"I'm getting myself something to drink", Gray said. "You want something too kiddo?"

"No, thanks.", Nashi said while looking to the ground.

"Okay.", Gray said. "Erza? Any for you?"

"No, but thanks for the offer.", Erza declined. "Nashi, may I ask you a question?"

Nashi gave her a surprised look. "Sure, what do you want to know?"

Erza scratched her head. "Would you mind telling me your full name? Something has been bugging me."

Nashi gaver her a small nod and answered. "Heartfilia... Nashi Heartfilia."

Erza felt her heart stop for a moment, then she pulled Nashi into a hug. "You're Lucy's... How is she?"

"What did you just say?"

Their attention turned to a visibly shaken Levy and dumbfounded Gajeel.

"No way!", Gajeel exclaimed. "Bunny girl had a child? Oh if he doesn't wake up on his own I will wake him up for sure."

"Lu is here in Crocus?", Levy asked. Nashi gave her a small nod. "I can't believe it!"

"You better do!", a voice came from down the hallway. Everyone directed their eyes to the source to find the figure of Loke leaning against a wall.

"Loke!", everyone called in unison. "What are you doing here?"

"I was supposed to be waiting here in case Nashi showed up.", the lion spirit answered. "But it seems she got here before me. Your mother is worried beyond belief Nashi..."

"Sorry Loke...", Nashi said.

"You don't have to apologize to me, but to your mother...", Loke sighed. "That is once I tell her that you're here."

"You're not taking me with you?", Nashi asked.

"Why would I?", Loke answered. "You're in the best of hands here. But please do not run off again while I go get her."

"I won't", Nashi said. "I doubt they'd let me leave."

"She's right.", Erza added. "I'm not gonna let you leave until I know everything!"

Loke nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.


"So you are really Lu's daughter... and your father is...", Levy started.

"Seems so.", Erza said, knowing exactly what Levy wanted to say. "She certainly got the hair color from him." She chuckled.

Nashi blushed. Everyone here was so friendly to her, even though they never really met her before. That was when her mother stormed around the corner.


Aaaand cut. I hate cliffhangers but I wanted to get this out to you before having to go to work ^^

As always I hope you liked it! Don't forget to tell me what you think! I'll do my best to push out the next chapter soon. (Sorry again for the long wait at this point ^^")