Hey guys... super long time to update, but so much has happened... With everything going on, I honestly couldn't bring myself to write or focus on my story, I couldn't do much anyway.
I gotten some moments of calm and I remembered I haven't finished the story nor updated in a while. I had to break down the final chapter because it was close to 7,000 words, but that only makes the story a bit longer!
Please enjoy. Stay safe. Remember to tell the people around you that you love them...
"I called Lucy," Wendy stated as she walked back into the waiting room towards the rest of her family.
"Yeah, and I called Sting," Igneel added.
"What did you tell them?" Mrs. Spetzo asked.
Wendy shrugged and looked at Igneel who answered, "I said something happened, and we had to rush Jude to the hospital."
Grandine placed her head in her hand, "That girl doesn't need any more stress. I mean her mother passes, then Jude gets diagnosed, then this thing with Lisanna…" Igneel rubbed his wife's back reassuringly.
"This whole week has been a mess," Igneel stated.
"I'm just worried about the two of them. I was so excited to see Natsu and Lucy finally get together." Grandine added, to which the others nodded in agreement.
"Do you think there is still hope?" Wendy asked her mother.
"We'll see," Grandine responded.
A few moments later, Lucy and Levy came running into the waiting room. Lucy locked eyes with Mrs. Spetzo and ran to her. "Is he okay? What's going on?!"
Mrs. Spetzo grabbed onto the sides of Lucy's arms to calm her, "They took him back and are doing tests now."
"I can't lose him now." She cried. Mrs. Spetzo grabbed Lucy's head and brought it to her chest to soothe her. "This is all my fault." Lucy muttered.
"It's not your fault," Grandine added.
"If I didn't lie to him, to you all, and if I didn't cause such a scene…"
"Lucy, that's not your fault. We all played a part in that, so don't beat yourself up about it." Igneel encouraged.
"I'm so sorry for the mess we've made. We shouldn't have lied to any of you."
Before anyone could respond, a voice spoke up. "Heartfilia family?" A doctor spoke as he held a clipboard in his hand. Lucy raised her hand and took a step towards the doctor. "I'm his daughter, is my father okay?"
The doctor smiled and chuckled a bit, "He's fine; he is just suffering from Reflux Esophagitis." The group wore blank faces. "Heart burn. We had him take some antacids and drink some water. He should be out shortly." The group sighed in relief before Lucy gave a quiet 'thank you' to the doctor.
"It must have been the food he ate earlier," Igneel surmised.
"He knows he isn't supposed to be eating that. I tried to warn him," Mrs. Spetzo argued.
"I'm just glad that's all it was," Lucy muttered before rubbing her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry everyone for putting you through all this."
Igneel placed his hand on Lucy's shoulder, "Lucy, what you did is commendable, although unorthodox."
"I agree," Mrs. Spetzo began, "It was very sweet."
"I just wish you would have told us." Grandine added, "I feel so bad for making such a big deal over it."
"As much as it was stressful, it wouldn't have seemed real otherwise." Lucy reasoned.
"So, what's gonna happen to you and Natsu?" Wendy asked; the others silent because they wanted to ask the same thing, but no one had the guts to bring it up.
Lucy sighed in aggravation; she loved this girl like her own sister, but she couldn't bear to break her heart. She looked towards Levy for help, but all she received was an optimistic shrug. Lucy looked back at the small girl, "I don't know, Wendy."
"Do you love him?" Wendy asked eagerly.
Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but close it to give her a moment to contemplate her response. That's a good question, she thought. She mulled it over in her mind before answering painfully, "I think so… but after today..."
"Ms. Heartfilia?" Lucy looked over her shoulder to see the doctor standing in the waiting room once more.
"Yes?" Lucy asked as she stood.
"Your father is requesting to see you." Lucy swallowed nervously as she nodded and followed the doctor back to the medical rooms.
…
The doctor motioned towards the room where her father was getting treated before walking away to see another patient. Lucy stared at her father's name listed under the room number placard. Nerves grew within her and she could barely keep it together. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and out before opening her eyes with fake confidence.
Lucy knocked lightly as she peeked her head into the room. Jude peeked up from the magazine he was viewing, "Come in, Lucy." The girl awkwardly walked into the room to stand at the foot of his bed. "Where is Sting?"
"He is on the way; Igneel called him." Jude nodded in approval. The two remained silent; only the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the urgent care could be heard around them.
"Listen, Lucy…" Jude began but Lucy was quick to stop him.
"Dad, I'm so sorry," she cried as she swiftly sat on the stool beside his bed and took his hand within her own. "I shouldn't have lied to you; I shouldn't have pretended to be engaged to Natsu just to make you happy."
Jude stopped her by placing his other hand on top of her own. "Lucy… I've had some time to think about everything that happened this week. Seeing you with Natsu made me happy, but only because you were happy." Lucy's shoulders relaxed. "I've always put so much pressure on you and your brother, and I'm sorry I'm just now realizing it. I've put so much on you to have a stable and structured life that I forgot to cherish the essence of life… all the ups and downs, especially figuring things out.
All I want for you is to be happy. I've missed the smile that lights up the room and the laugh that aches your soul. I haven't seen you as happy as you were this week in a long time; that's what made me happy." Lucy slumped her shoulders, to which Jude furrows his brow. "You were happy, weren't you?"
"I thought I was…" She looked at her father, who only stared at her with an expression of 'keep going.' "I was so nervous to come out here but having Natsu around made me feel more at ease; he made Grandine's antics almost bearable." Jude chuckled causing Lucy to smile.
"She can go overboard sometimes," Jude reasoned.
"She's not the only one," Lucy muttered. "I think Natsu and I went a little too far with the charade."
"Because you fell for one another?" Jude answered simply.
Lucy looked worried, "Is that bad?"
"My dear, that's wonderful." Jude answered as he placed his hand on her cheek and wiped the tears from her eye.
"It doesn't feel wonderful."
"Love doesn't always; sometimes it's a fight to feel anything. But love is about fighting… fighting to survive, fighting to stay together. If you aren't fighting in your relationship, there is no passion there.
You and Natsu have plenty of passion, believe me. He is a hothead and extremely competitive, and you're driven, just like your mother. Life isn't easy, it's absurd… love is absurd. Love is about choosing to be with the person who fights with you when it's difficult and laughs at the absurdity of it all."
"This week has been pretty absurd," she giggled.
Jude nodded, "So what are you going to do?" Lucy looked down to ponder… another good question.
