Chapter 11

"Lily, are you sure about this? You know you don't have to go" said Lucy. "Yes. I really do want to go" she insisted. Walking up, Lucy put her hands around Lily's head hugging her. (Fairytail soundtrack Vol 1 Shukumei) "Listen, I know your in pain and I understand you want to get your own justice against him but if you get scared at all, don't feel ashamed.

Despite everything, this man was your father and you shouldn't feel bad about not wanting to see him hurt." Understanding, Lily wrapped her arms around Lucy's waist. "I wish you were my mom Lucy…then none of this stuff would have happened!" Lucy's eyes grew big as she heard Lily's voice crack and saw the tears come down.

Rubbing Lily's head, with a loving expression she said "you have me now. You aren't alone anymore Lilyanna nor will you ever be again. Natsu, me and Layla. We are your family now" Letting out a cry of joy, Lily squeezed Lucy harder as Layla and Natsu came over and hugged from behind. ' I wish more then anything this was my family' (end song) Releasing her after a minute, Natsu asked "we have to go Lily..do you still want to go?"

Wiping her tears , she said "yes..please take me" "Alright," and looking at Lucy and Layla said "Jellal, Lily..let's go" Turning serious, they both nodded and walked out with Natsu. "You sure they are going to be okay Lucy?" asked Tristan who had stayed quiet but had been watching everything.

"I cant say anything…I want to ring that bastard's neck" "Mom" Layla said with caution as she watched Lucy's hands shake and her face twist in anger. " Lucy" Gray cautioned. "What Gray? Am I not allowed to be angry?!. You didn't see what I did, you didn't have to watch your child in agonizing pain and not be able to do a fucking thing. I'm more than a damn mafia wife, I'M A MOTHER !" she snapped at him.

"That's not what I meant Lucy; you know that" he said maintaining his calmness hoping he would help calm her down. Huffing, she looked at Layla's and Tristan's faces and saw the nervousness they were trying to cover up. 'Stupid me' she cursed herself mentally. Relaxing her face, she blinked her eyes a couple times then opened then with a guilty expression. "I'm sorry you two"

Waving his hands, Tristan said "no worries Lucy. Least not from me, Layla?, what about you?" he looked in her direction as her expression made it hard for him to tell what she was feeling. "Mom" she said quietly. "You had to watch me suffer as my body was falling apart right in front of you and you couldn't do anything."

Neither Lucy , Gray nor Tristan made a move toward her. "How could I ever be mad at you for wanting to make the man that made both of us suffer pay. No mom, you have nothing to apologize for." Walking over to Lucy, in a light hug she said "I love you mom"

" I love you too Layla..my treasure" she answered rubbing Layla's cheek with her thumb. ' Well that ended quickly so that's a relief, but I can't blame Lucy for being angry..just hope this doesn't change Layla too much' Gray hoped thinking about the words she had just said.

"Gray" hearing his name, he popped out of his thoughts. "Yeah Lucy. What's up?" "Sorry, for well .." she muttered. "Don't worry Lucy. We've known each other too long to let stuff like this get in the way" he said with a laid-back smile. "Okay guys, what do you say to getting something to eat?" Lucy asked trying to move on from the subject.

"Sounds good" answered Layla and Tristan with bright smiles on their faces. ' Don't take too long guys and please don't let your anger overtake your senses in front of Lily' Gray thought worried as he smiled and went to help Lucy in the kitchen.

Natsu pulled up to the house. Getting out with Lily, she took a step back nervously remembering the first time she had been brought there. Being right behind her, Jellal put a hand on her shoulder spooking her as she turned around.

"It's okay Lily" she gazed at him as everything in his expression calmed her and told her she was safe and protected. "Come on you two" said Natsu impatient as he tapped his foot. "We're coming Natsu. Don't be so harsh" said Jellal. Keeping a hand on Lily's shoulder , they walked in behind Natsu while he put the code in on the door to open the basement.

"Lily…before we go down there. Are you sure want to do this?" Natsu asked while he wrapped his hand around the doorknob. "Yes, I'm alright" she answered shoving the nervousness she felt down as she subtly gulped. 'She's not fooling anyone, but I get why she's doing this. The man who was supposed to comfort and raise her hurt people she cares about. You have courage Lily..even if you don't see it' Jellal thought admirably.

With a twist, the door opened as Natsu went down the stairs followed by the other two. Since she had been a little girl, her father had been a strong, powerful man even scary to her, the sight of him curled up holding his broken hand just made her think one thing. 'Pitiful..just pitful'

"Hey Lily, you alright, hey, hello?" said Jellal waving a hand in front of her causing her to blink a couple times before she said "sorry, got lost in my thoughts" "It's okay" he said with a soft smile. "Hmph, come to break something else?, you've already shattered the bones in my left hand" James scoffed at Natsu.

His clothes were filthy and looked ragged , his face pale as Natsu walked and stood in front of him. "Natsuu…" Jellal cautioned but Natsu made no indication he heard him. " Did you have a funeral for your brat yet?" he boasted. Lily and Jellal watched Natsu's hands shake as he balled them into fists. "She isn't dead" he answered cold.

"What?, that's not possible" Growling, Natsu slammed James to the floor using one hand and with the other, he furiously punched his fist into James's face. "YOU TORTURED MY FAMILY! YOU BASTARD!" he shouted continuing to punch him. "NATSU, STOP!" Natsu turned his head to see Jellal shake his head at him and look down at Lily who whose mouth was covered by her hand in shock.

Gaining his senses, he raised his bloody fist and looked down at James's smashed in face. (Ashes by Celine Dion) Feeling bad, he walked over to Lily and hugged her to him.

"I'm sorry Lily. This is why I didn't want you to come here" he said caringly. "I know" she said squeezing his jacket. "I was just in shock,. That's all." She muttered getting emotional. Slipping his finger under her chin, he had her look up at him.

With a soft, fatherly expression, he said " you don't have to cry Lily. I'm not upset. I let my emotions take over. Would it be alright if I asked you to wait upstairs?" Nodding her head, she wiped her tears as Natsu released her chin.

Taking a deep breath, she released it as she started to walk for the stairs when James bitterly said " you aren't going to help me!. I'm your father!" Before Natsu and Jellal could do anything to defend her, she slowly turned her head to him "No, your not"

With an empty expression, she turned and started walking up when James angrily said "you brat! I am your father! I command you to help me" He couldn't get out another word before Jellal punched him. "Shut your damn mouth" Jellal ordered with a dark glare.

They heard the door upstairs shut as Jellal backed off letting Natsu come back. Cracking his knuckles, he said " you are no father to her. A father is supposed to nurture their child, encourage their growth, love them. Comfort them when they cry, when they are hurt. Be a forever support for them. Not order or command them like soldiers in a army you fucking scum bag. I should have killed you that night I met you..unfortunately you weren't my target but if I had known who you really were, I would have snapped your neck and saved everyone…including my wife and daughter from ever having to deal with you"

James looked at him with a tight lipped expression. "Jellal" "Sir" "Get the pack..now" Moving quickly, Jellal went up the stairs then was back down with the pack in his arms. "What is that?. Your bag of torture devices?" he said amused but Natsu's face showed no sign of laughter for he unrolled the pack on a table revealing knives of different shapes and sizes, pliers, brass knuckles, and other torture devices.

"So, you're going to torture me before you kill me, is that right?. Hmph, wonder what Lily would think of you then. I see the way she looks at you. You kidnapped and tortured her but to her now ,you're the "hero. What would she think if you killed her old man. You aren't her father." Natsu swung at his cheek causing James to scream in agonizing pain as he heard the crack of his jaw breaking.

Taking off the bloody brass knuckle, Natsu placed it on the table then turned back towards James and in a low , macabre voice said "I'm not going to kill you. That would be too easy for you. No, I'm going to make you live out the rest of your days in a cell living with food and if you try to even think about letting yourself die, I'll shove that food down your throat. And whatever Lily thinks is her right. She is her own person and I'm not going to think any less of her if she hates me, but I will continue to protect her. If you were a real parent, you would know to take a firm stand and squash any doubts they have for that's what it means to be a parent." (took some inspiration from Master Makarov for this part right here)

' Natsu,.' Jellal thought proudly at him who was unaware and didn't see the radiant smile on his face. Grabbing a jagged knife, Natsu ran his finger along it and smiled a malicious smile at James.

"You!, who are you? Just his lackey!" he snapped at Jellal who looked at him with a stone-cold look. " I am the one whose wife you assaulted and left in a coma and will make sure you live out the rest of your days paying for what you did to my family" With a quick turn, Natsu ran the knife down James's leg causing blood to spurt out. With a yelp of pain, he grabbed at his leg trying to stop the blood, but it continued to pour over his hands.

"If I could make you feel as much pain as inflicted onto my family, I would but that would make me no better then you" Cleaning the blood off the blade with a cloth , he wrapped the knife back into the pack.

"You aren't even worth it. Your jaw is broken, your left hand is shattered, and you've got a massive cut on your leg." Motioning Jellal, they started walking to the stairs when James yelled "you're a coward!, can't even finish me off! And you will never raise Lily like I did!" Jellal didn't have the time to say anything before Natsu with a wild look in his eyes had his hand wrapped around James's throat and held him above the floor.

Squeezing it, James began to choke as Natsu brought him right to his face. "Ill be a better father to her then you ever were" he said quietly. Dropping him, James clutched his throat gasping for air. Giving him a snide look, Natsu turned and walked back up the stairs while Jellal stayed for a moment. Walking over to James, he smirked and shook his head. "You call Natsu a coward, but he could have squeezed until you popped." His voice got James' attention making him look up. " He will make you almost nonexistent to Lily."

Satisfied, he walked to the stairs as he slight turned his head and said "you will be no more then a bad memory to her" 'I only wish it was the same for Layla. She's forced to live with scars from that son of a bitch for the rest of her life.' He thought walking up the stairs. 'She will have all of us to help her , and after all…she is a Dragneel' The thought made him smile as he walked through the door to see Natsu standing there.

"What do you want to do with him?" he asked. "In a day or so, you and Gray come back here and take him to the base, then throw him in one of the cells." "Yes sir" Jellal replied and nodded. "Come on, let's go make sure Lily is alright" he said locking the door then walked out the door to see Lily sitting there crying.

Seeing them, she got to her feet. With a warm smile, Natsu patted her on the head. " He's alive. Don't worry. Everything will be alright now" Giving her another pat, he began to walk towards to the car when he surprised by Lily hugging him from behind. "Lily, what's wrong?" Squeezing him tight,, her cries broke his heart, she said "It wasn't - hhhimm i..i was worriedd..bbout loosing.." making his heart skip a beat.

Turning around in her arms, Natsu lifted her into a hug as she sobbed into his jacket shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere Lily. I promise" "I love yo-youuuu " Putting her gently back on the ground, he smiled a loving smile and said "love you too" "Come on you two, I'm sure the girls and Tristan are waiting on us" said Jellal , a smile filled with compassion on his face.

this chapter was a bit emotional for me as i was writing it. Did you feel the same way reading it?