Author's Note: To answer a guest's review question: The main reason I ship Ariella with Freed is because it is my preferred headcanon ship and I'm a Freed fangirl! Thanks to her for asking politely! I just don't ship Freed and Laxus (I see them more as friends imo), so please be respectful of that. Everyone can ship whoever they want and there is no need for people to say cruel remarks of others' pairings. After all, shipping wars are absolutely unnecessary and people are supposed to ship pairings for fun!

Anyway, without any further ado, enjoy the story, folks!


Ariella had done her best adjusting to life without her husband Freed. He was out on a mission with his comrades Bickslow and Evergreen, albeit they had to leave behind their most trusted leader Laxus. It was because the Lightning Dragon Slayer had to take some time off to be with his wife (and Ari's older sister) Sloane and their four young children: eight-year-old son Lux; five-year-old daughter Rosalia, who Sloane named in honor of the Maxwell sisters' deceased aunt Rosalie; and twins Adonis and Ariel, who were almost two. Laxus and Sloane were originally going to have one more child after welcoming Lux and Rosie into the world, but they were astonished to discover that it wasn't only Adonis Sloane had delivered. Ariel was their surprise child, as they didn't know that she was conceived alongside her twin brother. Nonetheless, they accepted her as their special gift from the heavens above and now their family was complete. And soon, Ariella and Freed's family would also be completed when their third child would be born. Her very close friend, Lucy Dragneel, was also expecting with her husband Natsu and they were raising their two daughters Nashi and Celestia. They were hoping for a son, and Natsu would plan to name him after his father, Igneel the fire dragon.

Ariella opened the door to the bedroom from across her and Freed's room and shut it quietly. She had just put her two-year-old twin sons, Darius and Lucian, down for their naps after seeing them full of energy throughout the day. And as if her younger sister Juno or Bickslow were great babysitters, they would also be helping hands whenever she or Freed couldn't keep a close watch on the twins themselves. However, Juno had to work at Ari's flower shop, Floral Haven, after returning from a mission with Lisanna and Bickslow was away with Freed and Evergreen. With them gone, it was all up to her to take care of the little ones on her own. Thankfully, the twins slept throughout each night and it was much less of a hassle for her than when they were first born.

In spite of his quiet personality, Lucian was speaking normally just like his twin brother and they both started walking at the age of one. Although they would sometimes play a little too rough with each other and they were still learning how to share their possessions, the boys were well-behaved most of the time. They were loved by not only their families, but also by some of the Fairy Tail members—including Bickslow. Ariella and Freed would continue to love their twins even after they would welcome their third child together, as because the boys were excited to become big brothers. They never showed a sign of envy towards their sibling, and they were also eager to find out if they were to have a brother or sister. For Ariella, she always wanted a little girl after having two sons instead of one son and one daughter in their set of twins. She was initially disappointed by the outcome, but when she got to see Lucian for the first time, she started to love him due to him inheriting her facial structure, hair color and eye color. She and Freed were blessed to have the twins nevertheless, and they provided the love and affection they needed to thrive in their lives. They would plan to train the twins to become Fairy Tail wizards when they would become a little older, along with their third child. She was still hopeful that she and Freed will finally have a daughter.

Once she entered the master bedroom and closed the door, Ariella proceeded to the window and paused at a white wooden crib, which would soon be occupied by the new baby. The Nature Mage and mother-to-be was wearing a seafoam green dress that had short puffy sleeves and a flowing skirt that lengthened to her ankles. Her platinum blonde locks were worn in a low braid that was resting on her right shoulder and it was secured by a white hair ribbon. The skirt of her dress was gliding nicely over her swollen belly; it was flattering for her because she was eight months pregnant and with a large bump that made her the size of a beached whale, she wouldn't look good in any of her garments that didn't fit her properly. She would prefer to wear them again once she would have the baby and lose the weight she gained during her pregnancy.

Ariella placed her right hand onto the railing and gazed out the window to see a view of Magnolia with the afternoon sunlight shining through it. Deep within her mind, she was worried about Freed and her biggest concern is that he may not come back by the time she would deliver the baby.

Please come home soon, Freed…, she thought of her husband. You promised me that you will return in time for the baby's birth.

As she firmly grasped the railing, her pale blue eyes were still staring directly out the window and the scene flashed back to the previous week. It was the day that Freed had to go on his mission with his comrades and he had to leave her and their twins behind…


With his belongings packed, Freed was standing at the front door when Ariella approached him with a wistful expression. She did not want to see her husband leave without bidding farewell to her or their two children, including the little one growing inside of her. However, he had to embark on it in order to earn more money for the family; they needed it to survive in Magnolia and they had not run into any financial problems so far. It was because they paid their bills on time and Ariella had to run her flower shop before she would start her two months of maternity leave. Her last day of work would be the next day and her general manager would cover for her during her absence. She was thankful for Bickslow and Evergreen to keep an eye on the twins, but the fairy-loving mage with the stone eyes couldn't stand the sound of screaming kids and Bickslow clowning around with them. It was how he would keep them entertained while Ariella and Freed were away, though she assumed that it would enable them to misbehave. Now Ever wouldn't have to worry about them as she and Bickslow were already prepared for their mission and they were expecting to meet up with Freed at the city's train station.

"Will you be back in time for the birth?" she asked him.

"I'll try…," Freed answered her. "It depends on which day you are to go into labor. Either you or one of your sisters would have to give me a call through the communications lacrima and I'll get to Magnolia Hospital if I can make it in time."

Ariella smiled the moment she felt Freed's hand on her swollen bump and she grasped it with her own dainty ones. The baby started to kick against them, as if it were connecting with the parents-to-be. It was such a tender moment for them to experience, but it would be even more blissful when they would get to hold the little one for the first time.

As the child continued to move around inside of her, Ariella kept her hands on top of Freed's larger one and said to him:

"I'm due in about a month now. And Lucy is expected to welcome her third child with Natsu on the same week as I am. I'll be hoping to see what they'll be having once I have mine. They told us that they're trying for a boy, after having two girls."

"Yes, I know. Everyone's been buzzing with excitement already," Freed replied, nodding to her. "I, too, will be looking forward to meet Natsu and Lucy's child."

"Fairy Tail will be thrilled to welcome two future members with two celebrations. Mira has planned a double baby shower for me and Lucy this upcoming weekend and she reminded us that it is a girls-only party. She also scheduled a sip-and-see for the week after the new ones would arrive, but she hasn't selected a day for it yet. She would be planning to host both of these events either way."

"Indeed Mirajane will. She makes a wonderful hostess due to her chipper personality."

"I hope Juno and Lisanna will attend the event. They are also willing to see the little ones soon."

Just then, the couple heard the dual pitter-patter of footsteps and looked down to see the twins trotting over to them as they called out to their father. They wanted to say goodbye to him before he would leave for the mission.

"Darius… Lucian," she said of them.

Darius, the firstborn of the twins, lifted his arms upward, signaling Freed that he wanted to be held. Freed picked the green-haired lad and held him in his right arm, just as Lucian's arms were also upward. Ariella wasn't able to bend over and pick him up due to her rounding belly, so Freed had to scoop him up in his left arm and handed him to her.

"Will you boys behave for your mother?" he asked them.

The twins nodded in unison as they replied altogether: "Yes."

"They are a handful when they're playing, but it would've been easier with Bickslow or Juno around. It's a shame they have to go on their own missions," Ariella said, as she was holding Lucian in her arms.

"What mission is Juno embarking on?" Freed questioned her.

"She's going with Lisanna to stop a ring of thieves in Shirotsume. They learned that an antique shop had been robbed there and they are willing to bring them to justice."

"Ahh, I haven't seen her working with Lisanna before. She usually goes on missions with you."

"Yes, but now that I'm pregnant and raising the twins with you, Juno would have to take on jobs with Lisanna for the time being. She doesn't mind that since she does tolerate her, and Lisanna told me that she's doing great with her as a partner."

"Speaking of them, Elfman notified me this morning that they will return from their mission later on today," Freed said. "He said that it wasn't difficult for them to capture the thieves and return the stolen goods to the antique shop."

It was a relief for Ari to hear; she did not want to see her little sister nor Lisanna miss out on the blissful occasion and she needed Juno's help with the twins. However, she would still be missing her husband dearly when he would leave on their mission and Evergreen would also miss the opportunity. He meant so much to her, just as her own family did.

"That's wonderful to hear of Juno," she replied to him. She would be thrilled to see her sister again when she would return home safely.

"I have to get going now. I have to meet Evergreen and Bickslow at Magnolia Station and I cannot be tardy," Freed said, as he reached for the doorknob. However, he suddenly paused when he heard her voice telling him to wait and turned to his wife. "Don't you want to say goodbye to the boys first?"

"Of course. I would also like to do the same for the baby."

With a contented smile, Ariella handed Lucian over to Freed and he gladly took their son from her. His ocean blue eyes were gazing at them, and a doting smile formed on the Dark Ecriture mage's face to show that he cared about them as much as his expectant wife.

"Say bye-bye to your father, boys," she ordered them. "He's going away now."

"Bye-bye, Daddy," the twins said in unison.

"Farewell for now, Darius and Lucian," Freed replied, giving each child a kiss on the forehead. Once he set them down, it was the baby's turn to be given a proper goodbye next. Ariella observed him kneeling down to her bump's level and felt Freed's hands being tenderly placed on both sides of it. She grasped each of them loosely and gazed down at him with loving eyes.

"I shall see you and your mother when I return, little one," he said, just before planting a kiss on her clothed bump. It was concealed by an empire-waist dress in the shade of ivory, with a lavender ribbon tied right above it.

'Thank you, Freed…,' Ariella mused mentally.

After standing back up and giving his wife a farewell kiss, Freed placed his hand onto the doorknob and opened the front door, and all Ariella could see for now was his back. She watched him depart her and the twins with reflective eyes and it was saddening for her to see him leave them behind. However, she knew that he would be back in time to see her and hopefully the baby when he would be able to return in time for the birth.


The scene had returned to reality, with the Nature Mage still standing by the crib. Her pale blue eyes gazed down at it and it was filled with a small stuffed lamb and large teddy bear as its decorations. She was sure that the baby would love them once she would place him or her inside of it for sleeping. They were congratulatory gifts for her from Juno, Sloane and Laxus. The crib was also a special gift to her, and it was from her parents Russell and Cecilia.

The moment Ariella placed her left hand on the top of her bump, the baby started to kick again in response to its mother's touch. They were a little quicker than last time; however, a strong one to the ribs made her wince. It was a tad uncomfortable, but she was getting used to feeling the baby's movements each time they would occur. That said, she assumed that the child was getting rather impatient.

"You really want to come out, don't you?" she said, stroking it gently. "Well, you'll have to wait. You'll be entering the world in three weeks."

Throughout the eight months of her pregnancy, Ariella had to go through with the nausea and morning sickness, along with the gruesome mood swings. They were a triple combo that would force her to step down on attending missions with her friends or Juno each time she wanted to go with them. But that wasn't all; she also had to deal with the weight gain that left her with minor stretch marks on her bump. She didn't want anyone to see them, so she would rather cover it up with tops that flowed down to her hips or loose dresses that lengthened to her knees. Every time the Nature Mage was at the guild hall, either Natsu or Bickslow would embarrass her by teasing her about her pregnant appearance and Sloane would usually smack them on the head to defend her. Ari would shake her head in silence and listen to Sloane chastising either male crossly for picking on her sister. Juno would deal with Bickslow at certain times, as she detested his mischievous side and being called a "monkey" by him back when she first joined Fairy Tail.

In spite of the obstacles she had to overcome—including agonizing back pain that she recently experienced, Ariella was looking forward to meet her baby as long as Freed and the twins would be by her side. She also wanted to see Juno, Sloane, Laxus and her four nieces and nephews with them, as well as their parents. Visits from any of their additional relatives would also make it special for her, albeit their grandparents Esther and Roman would not be there physically. They had passed away a year apart from one another in their early nineties and they would watch over the family in spirit.

As she kept stroking her bump in the midst of feeling more movements, she continued to say to her growing child:

"Soon, you will see not only me and your father, but also your older brothers. We'll provide you the same love as we did to them. You will also be loved by the members of Fairy Tail, and we will gratefully welcome you into the guild. Someday, I'll teach you my magic so you can become a Nature Mage yourself. This is my promise to you… Athena."

It was what Ariella planned to name her child if it really was the girl she wanted to have. She wanted her to be wise in not only botany and crafting herbal medicines, but also in the usage of Nature Magic that she and Juno were taught by her own mother. The first name was easy for her to select; however, she had a little difficulty finding the perfect middle name. Her two options were Rose, which was her own middle name and a homage to Aunt Rosalie; and Sloane, after her older sister. She would have to make that decision when she would welcome the child into the world and Fairy Tail. Right now, she had to wait for the right time to deliver and hopefully see Freed again. She had to have faith in him, even when he would arrive later than they wanted to. If he did, she would try to understand why and exonerate him for his tardiness.

Ariella started to notice her feet becoming sore, as she had been standing and walking around throughout the day and she had to sit down right away to rest. Luckily, there was a rocking chair that was also sent to her from her parents and it was just what she needed. It was placed next to the crib last month with help from Natsu and Laxus, who had more physical strength than she and Freed did. The two Dragon Slayers worked well together to assemble it whilst following the instructions that came with it. The only downside, though, was Natsu's confusion through the building process; he had trouble figuring out which parts would go together and it irked Laxus. They got into a brief heated squabble before Freed had to step in and mediate them. Ariella had to watch them from the sidelines and shake her head silently. When will Natsu learn not to start silly fights with anyone in the Fairy Tail guild? With his hotheaded temper, he just couldn't help it.

The mother-to-be settled herself in the chair's ivory cushions and she was becoming comfortable in it. She laid her hands on the top of her bump and moved them downward before she started massaging it in a gentle manner. The baby was starting to settle down a little bit, even though it gave her some additional kicks against her hands.

"We cannot wait to meet you," she said to her baby, "and we hope that you will turn out to be the daughter I've always been yearning to bear."

It was a tender bliss for Ariella to bond with her baby this way; however, it would become even more blissful when she would get to hold him or her in her arms. In the midst of her anticipation of the baby's arrival, she still had her absent husband on her mind and gazed out the window again from the chair's distance.

Freed…, she thought of him. When you do make it in time, we will get to meet the baby together. I have strong faith in you and I will never give it up. I pray to you night and day that you will come home safely before the baby comes. We all will hope that it will turn out to be the girl we've been trying to conceive since the twins were born. She will be a miracle to us.

Ariella was highly optimistic of her guess regarding the baby's gender, and she would keep her promise to pass on the art of Nature Magic to her miracle daughter in the near future.

The End


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