Hello all! Thank you so much for your patience I'm still reeling from the events of last year and they got much worse after the last chapter. Motivation has been at a stand still but thankfully, it cleared enough for me to finish the epilogue for this story.
Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story. Thank you to all those who encouraged me during this difficult time. I had so much fun writing this story and am a little sad to see it end. Hopefully, I will be able to start on MRNL again.
Thanks again and enjoy!
Ringing phones, clicking keys on a keyboard and monotone voices flooded the open room. The noise only slightly dimmed by the small wall built between him and the room. Feet shuffled past his open door, some on their way to another part of the office and others trying to steal a peek of their anxious boss.
His leg bounced wildly underneath his desk, and his pen tapped the desk to the same rhythm. His other hand held a fistful of his own hair as he stared intently down at the document in front of him. With wide eyes, he read over each and every word carefully typed on the paper. Occasionally his eyes would steal a glance at the clock to the right of him; grunting in annoyance when he noticed it had only been a minute since the last time he looked at the digits. Faster… come on!
His green eyes peered over at the clock again. 2:53, Dammit! He furrowed his brows as he let out a growl. Why did they have to send the contract over this late?! He read over two more lines before getting bored again. He skipped forward to see how many more pages he had left to read; just two, he noted. He glanced over at the clock once more, 2:55. Screw it! He sloppily scribbled his signature on the line on the last page before flipping the document closed.
He gathered what he thought he needed into a pile on his desk before swiping it all into his briefcase. With the same hand holding his briefcase, he grabbed his jacket and the document and raced out the door. "Laki." The purple haired girl turned in her chair to see her boss standing beside her desk. "What is it, Mr. Dragneel?"
The pinkette sighed, "I told you to call me Natsu."
"As this is a professional business, Mr. Dragneel, I am obligated to address you in such a manner." Natsu rolled his eyes and audibly sighed as she rambled an explanation to her. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, I read over the contract…"
"The entire contract?" Laki emphasized as she sent a glare to Natsu from behind he glasses.
He gulped before responding, "Y-yes. Anyway, I've noted some particular lines I think Yuri should review. If he has any questions just tell him to email me and I will try to get back to him when I can." Natsu spoke as he tried to put his jacket on.
"Sir, you'll see Mr. Dreyar at your wedding tomorrow."
"Yes, but I prefer not to mix business with pleasure." Natsu smirked.
"Then last week, why did you and Ms. Heartfilia-" Natsu slammed his hand over Laki's mouth before she could continue. He frantically looked around at the other employees and noticed some giggled while others were clearly listening but pretending not to.
Natsu cleared his throat before he removed his hand from Laki's mouth. "I will be taking my leave, Laki. Will I be seeing you tomorrow?"
Laki paused and a soft smile grew on her face, "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Natsu." Natsu responded by smiling back at her.
Natsu practically ran out to his car, threw his items into the back seat and left towards the airport. He made it just in time to check in, get through security and make it to his gate as they were boarding. Luckily, he found a window seat near the front of the plane.
As soon as he sat down, he pulled out his cellphone to send a few quick messages. 'Just got on the plane, be there soon!' A reply came immediately from the first person, who responded with a simple heart. He couldn't help but grin as he stared at it.
His fingers moved to respond to them message when he received a reply from the other person. He tapped his screen to open the message 'Hurry the hell up. I can't wait all night.' His smile faded and was replaced with a frown. 'Keep your panties on, Ice Face… oh wait! They're probably already off.'
Natsu gave a smug grin so proud of his reply when he noticed a reply. He chuckled at the vulgar words his best friend sent him as he turned his phone to airplane mode. Natsu placed his headphones into his ears and stared out the window, watching the world get left behind as he flew into the clouds.
He let his mind wander over the memories the last year held… moving to Crocus, finding a house for him and Lucy, getting a job with Yuri and being promoted to Division Supervisor (the youngest in company history). He had never been so happy in his entire life than he had in this last year. Just one more day, he told himself, before the rest of my life begins. With a smile and a sigh, Natsu closed his eyes and dreamt of his fiancée.
…
Once the plane landed, Natsu was quick to get out of his chair and retrieve his items from the overhead bin. Everyone around him wished him their best as he left the plane. As he maneuvered his way to baggage claim, he turned his phone back on and texted Lucy he had landed.
As Natsu came down the escalator, he caught sight of Gray (surprisingly with his shirt on) standing beside Juvia and Gajeel. "Hey guys!"
"Long time no see, Salamander." Gajeel grunted as he gave the pinkette a fist bump.
"Good to see you two together," Natsu nodded towards Gray and Juvia, who were standing arm in arm. The blunette grinned wildly as the black-haired man glared back at him. "Get your stuff and let's go," Gray stated angrily as he walked away. Natsu and Gajeel shared a smirk before they followed behind the couple.
"What took you so long to get here, Flame Breath?" Gray asked over his shoulder.
"Some of us have a real job, Stripper."
"Sorry, Mr. Corporation. Guess that means you can afford to hire a real photographer for your wedding then?"
"Gray is just joking. He is still going to be the photographer." Juvia responded with a smile. Natsu tuned out of the conversation when his phoned dinged. He swiped open the message sent from his fiancée. 'Please hurry. Your mother is driving me crazy with these stupid plans!'
Natsu chuckled, 'She'll be your mother soon too, weirdo. On my way now.'
"Natsu! Let's go!" Gray called from across the carousel. Natsu grabbed his suitcase and jogged over to his friends.
…
Lucy sighed as she read Natsu's message; good, he's on his way, she thought. Lucy had flown out a week before the nuptials in order to prepare everything (at Grandine's request). A whole week stuck with her future mother-in-law was more aggravating than fun; don't get it wrong, she loved Grandine, but she could be very 'passionate' when it came to planning events (Natsu's words).
She always wanted a wedding but since she has grown up, she has shied away from wanting the grand spectacle. Going through the loss of her mother, her father's health problems and experiencing life with the Dragneels had made her appreciate the simplicity of family.
"Lucy dear!" She was amazed she was able to stop herself from audibly groaning but she couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes. With a deep exhale, she was able to plaster a smile on her face and turn towards Grandine. "Where have you been? There is still so much to do!" Lucy chuckled nervously as she let Grandine walk her back into the room with the others.
…
Lucy couldn't help but stare off as Grandine gave her schpeel to everyone on how people would walk and at what their cues would be. She paired up each of the bridesmaids with a groomsmen and lined them all up, with Lucy and Jude standing in the back. She sighed as she waited in the back and watched Grandine clap to a beat and marching beside the bridal party.
She turned her head to the side when she felt a pat on her arm. Lucy looked down to see Jude giving her a warm smile, "She means well, Lucy."
She let her shoulders relax, "I know she does but the more we go over everything, the more I just want to…"
"I get it. Just breathe, he will be here soon." Lucy nodded just she rounded the corner to begin walking down the aisle. As she lifted her eyes towards the end of the aisle, her gaze fell upon a familiar head of pink hair. Her eyes lit up and she couldn't hide the smile growing on her face, which he reciprocated with one of his own.
Lucy took her place in front of Natsu and allowed him to take her hands in his own. "I missed you," Lucy whispered, as she leaned in slightly towards him.
He leaned in, "I missed you too." The two closed their eyes and began to close the distance, their lips millimeters apart. "Eh hem." Their eyes widened at the sound of the pastor clearing his throat. He leaned in towards the two of them and whispered, "We aren't at that point yet." Lucy straightened up, trying to hide her blush from the others in the room. Natsu just gave a small glare to the pastor before taking a deep breath in and out.
Fortunately, Natsu was able to get through the rehearsal with his sanity still intact (mostly). Unfortunately, Natsu and Lucy weren't able to get the proper reunion they desired since Grandine whisked them all away to dinner. Igneel and Grandine shoved Natsu into the car before he was even able to protest. Lucy, begrudgingly, got into the car with her father and Mrs. Spetzo.
…
As soon as the car was in park, Lucy was undoing her seatbelt and exiting the vehicle. She paused, waiting for the others to get out of the car and make it to her before walking towards Mira's. As Natsu and Lucy's favorite place to eat, it was a no-brainer the rehearsal dinner would be held at the diner. Knowing the owner also didn't hurt as they were able to rent out the entire place for the whole night.
Lucy rounded the corner from the parking lot towards the street entrance but squealed when something grabbed her arm and pulled her back around the side of the building. She clenched her fist, ready to strike at the unknown threat before hearing a whispered plea, "Luce! It's me; don't hit me."
She whipped her head around and was shocked to see a smiling Natsu standing in front of her. Her shock was replaced with a look of pure joy as she jumped into Natsu's arms and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Natsu!" He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her back to pick her up and spin her around. Just before her feet touched the ground, Lucy leaned into Natsu to connect her lips with his. Lucy smiled even more when she felt his lips responding to her own.
"I missed you." Lucy stated between kisses.
"You told me," Natsu chuckled before kissing her back. Things between the two began to get heated until they were interrupted (yet again). "Hey you two!" Natsu and Lucy broke apart to look at their friends who were walking towards the entrance of the diner. "Save some for tomorrow!" Gray called out to them.
Natsu took Lucy's hand in his own before walking towards the door as well. "You're just jealous, Ice Queen." Gray opened his mouth to respond but was quickly silenced by a glare from Erza.
The group walked into the diner with Natsu and Lucy following behind them. Natsu was in the middle of telling Lucy about his day when someone punched his right shoulder. The pinkette turned to see Sting standing on his right with a large grin on his face. "Took you long enough, Pinkie. It's very rude to keep my sister waiting."
Instead of getting angry, like Sting thought he would, Natsu began to smile maniacally. Natsu let go of Lucy's hand to put Sting in a head lock and give him a noogie with the other. "Is that anyway to speak to your big brother?!" Lucy and Yukino both giggled at the boys. Sting struggled a bit before Natsu broke his hold on the blonde. "You're not my brother until tomorrow!" Sting huffed.
Natsu and Lucy chuckled as they walked away from the couple and took their seat at the front of the room. Dinner was served shortly after and the room was a buzz with conversation, mostly pertaining to the 'about to be wed' couple. Just before dinner was served, Igneel stood and got everyone's attention by clinking his silverware on his glass.
The room grew quiet as Igneel began, "Thank you all for coming to celebrate the marriage of my son, Natsu Dragneel, and his beautiful fiancée, Lucy Heartfilia." Igneel motioned to each one upon speaking their name. "At least, I hope it's real this time." Everyone in the room chuckled, except for Natsu who simply glared at his father. "All joking aside, we are ecstatic… beyond words." Natsu calmed just a bit, with the help of Lucy who rubbed his arm.
"Natsu, one of the greatest honors of my life is being able to call you my son. I have watched you grow into a fine, young man; I have watched you fall and make mistakes but, like a true man, you didn't let that stop you. You picked yourself up and strived to grow from it, to be a better man.
I would like to say I had a part in that growth, but I know the person who has inspired you to grow is the woman sitting beside you." Igneel turned his attention to Lucy, who smiled back. "Lucy, you have kept my son in line better than my wife or I ever could. You have not been such an integral part of Natsu's life, but you have been an integral part of our family. I know we always told you that you were part of our family, but I'm so happy to officially welcome you to the Dragneel family!" Igneel raised his glass and others responded. "To Natsu and Lucy!" Igneel stated and the whole room copied his response before taking a sip from their cups.
As Igneel sat, Jude began to rise from his wheelchair. Mrs. Spetzo had to stand beside Jude to help him balance. "As many of you know, our family has experienced some rough times as of late… however, despite these tragedies, we have been able to experience joy. My son, Sting, married his high school sweetheart Yukino and the two of them have started a beautiful family." Yukino leaned over and placed a soft kiss on the side of her husband's face. "Tomorrow, I have the joy of watching my daughter Lucy marry the man of her dreams."
"I wouldn't go that far," Lucy joked, earning a laugh from the room and a yell from Natsu. Lucy was able to silence Natsu with a peck on the cheek.
"Last year was a bit… difficult," Jude continued, "but our family was able to come out of it with some laughs and a new member. Natsu, you have been there for my daughter when I was not."
"Daddy…" Lucy pleaded.
"It's true, Lucy. I wasn't always the best at caring for you, but I'm grateful you were able to find strength, encouragement and love from a man like Natsu. I've always known the two of you were meant for one another and I'm grateful I have lived long enough to see it… and I pray I will not stop seeing it as long as I live." Jude looked down at his daughter, "I love you, Lucy."
Lucy reached out and took her father's hand, "I love you too, Daddy."
With his other hand, Jude raised his glass and toasted for the couple. As Jude settled into his chair, Lucy nudged Natsu. "What?"
"Your turn."
Natsu's eyes widened, "Me? Why?!"
"You are the groom; it's customary for the groom to give a speech." Lucy whispered to her fiancée. Natsu placed his drink down and leaned over to Lucy to continue their conversation. "You know I'm not one for monologues."
Lucy raised her eyebrows, "Wow, big word."
"Thanks," Natsu bragged.
"But you still have to make a speech." Natsu frowned, dropping his pride. "Just make it short."
Natsu sighed before standing, catching the attention of the entire room. His eyes glanced over everyone before landing on Lucy for encouragement. With a simple head nod, he knew Lucy was waiting for him to continue.
"T-thank you everyone for being here. Lucy and I appreciate every single one of you, mostly for putting up with our shenanigans and suffering through our pining after one another. Who would have guessed it took us pretending to be together to actually get us together?" The crowd chuckled again.
"Last year, I came to this town feeling like a failure. I was barely getting by in life from working temp job after temp job and I couldn't seem to find a stable relationship. A friend," Natsu flicked his eyes over to Lucy, "approached me with a proposition and I accepted. That was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life. Well, after asking you to marry me for real of course, which in hindsight might have been an iffy choice to being with." Lucy chuckled at her absurd fiancée.
Natsu turned to focus solely on Lucy. "Luce, the moment I saw you again, all those memories and feelings from our past came flooding over me. No matter how far away from you I was or how long it had been since we last spoke… my feelings for you never faded. You have always held a special place in my heart and I'm happy to say, now, you have my whole heart. And tomorrow, I can't wait to give you the rest of my life." The crowd awed collectively. Sting stood with his glass raised, "To Natsu and Lucy!" As the crowd copied his response, Sting tipped his glass towards Natsu before taking a drink. Natsu gave his future brother in law a nod before giving his wife a chaste peck.
After the toasts, the waiters started to serve dessert. Natsu looked at all the plates being set in front of their guests before his mind pulled his gaze towards the woman beside him. She seemed cheerful but Natsu could feel something else behind her smile. Without a second thought, he took her hand in his own and gave it a slight tug. She looked down at their hands and then back up at him with furrowed brows. "Let's sneak out," he offered.
"Natsu, this is our rehearsal dinner; how are we supposed to do that?"
"Just be quick and stay quiet." Luckily, their table was positioned near the side kitchen entryway. From there, the two were able to quickly slide into the kitchen unnoticed and out the back door. Erza saw the couple stand and sneak around the corner. For a moment, she stopped eating her strawberry cake and stood to chase after the two but was stopped by Levy, who sat beside her.
"Let them be," the little blunette simply stated.
"But the bride and groom can't see each other the night before their wedding." Erza stated nervously; Lucy found out in planning her wedding that Erza was very traditional and superstitious when it came to weddings. Levy's eyes glanced from the back door to the window where she could see the couple running across the street and off into the night. "They haven't seen one another in over a week; just let them have their moment." Levy continued to eat her dessert and converse with her friends. Erza, either giving up or agreeing, returned to her cake as well.
…
Natsu and Lucy chuckled as they walked arm in arm down the dimly lit streets of Magnolia. Lucy explained in detail just what this last week without him was like; the dress fittings, the cake selections (Natsu was sad to miss out on that), the seating charts… "I didn't realize there was so much work into planning a wedding; I figured I could just slip on the dress, say my 'I dos' then dance the rest of the night."
Natsu giggled, "I guess essentially you could. My mom seems to have filled in the blanks around that."
"She has and I'm super grateful for her doing that. With all the people around me I didn't really have to do much planning, just sign off on everything."
"Are you okay with that?" Natsu asked as he raised an eyebrow in her direction.
Lucy clung tighter to Natsu's arm, "As long as I'm with you I'm content." The two smiled at one another before changing the subject. "So how was work this week?"
Natsu groaned, causing Lucy to laugh. "I tried to get all my work done at the beginning of the week so I could just get out early today, but Yuri sent me a contract that had to be reviewed asap. He said I was the only one he trusted looking at the fine details."
"Well that's what you get for being so good at your job." She stated as she nudged him softly.
"I guess. I did find a few typos in their which inadvertently would have cost us negatively in the long run."
"See? And that's why you are the boss."
"Well, my awesome boss wanted to give us something special, so he is allowing us to use the company plane to fly wherever we want."
Lucy stopped in her tracks and her eyes went wide. "Seriously?!"
Natsu just nodded and smiled wildly, "Anywhere you want."
"I'm going to have to give him a big kiss when I see him tomorrow." Lucy joked as she began walking again.
"You and me both." The two walked in silence some more before Natsu spoke up again, "Did you ever think we would be here? Like you and I?"
"Honestly?" Lucy asked as her eyes flicked over to Natsu's face.
"Well, yeah, honestly." Natsu said as a matter of fact.
"Yeah," Lucy smiled.
Natsu looked over at Lucy and raised a brow, "Really?"
"What, you didn't?" Lucy responded.
Natsu shrugged, "Well, I always played around with the idea of us being together. I never really got as far as marriage, but I did imagine what it would be like to be with you."
"Me too." Lucy smiled.
"Me too what?" Natsu raised a brow in curiosity.
"I considered a relationship with you. There was a point in high school where I had a bit of a crush on you too."
Natsu's eyes went wide and his feet stopped dead in their tracks. "WHAT?!" Lucy turned to face Natsu. "You had a crush on me?!" Lucy simply blushed and nodded, unable to find the words. "Why did you never tell me?"
Lucy shrugged, "I wasn't sure about it at first. I mean, I had a horrible break up and watched rom coms all day to drown my sorrows. That night, you came over and comforted me, and I guess the whole thing just played on my mind because I had a dream of us being married." Lucy paused to look at Natsu's face, which held a look of shock and pleasure. "I tried to convince myself it was just my mind processing everything that happened the day before, but… when I saw you the next day, my heart was pounding, I was nervous around you and I couldn't look you in the eyes."
"I remember that…" Natsu remarked, "You were being such a weirdo." Lucy chuckled as she squirmed nervously. "I was with Lisanna then." Natsu stated with some pain in his voice.
"Yeah… that's a big reason why I never told you; I didn't want to make things weird. Plus, over time the feelings faded…" Lucy shrugged.
"Faded?" With a lifted eyebrow, Natsu took a step closer to Lucy. Lucy's eyes switched focus from one of Natsu's eyes to the other as he stepped closer to her. "Well… maybe not faded; more like stifled."
"Stifled…" Natsu repeated in a soft tone while his eyes focus between Lucy's two.
Lucy looked down at her hands as she played with her ring, "What would you have done…" Lucy looked back up at Natsu, "If I had told you in high school that I had feelings for you?"
"I don't know… we aren't in high school anymore so I can't say."
"So, we missed our moment?" Lucy asked.
"No, we missed a moment maybe," Natsu shrugged and took another step towards Lucy so they were inches apart. He reached out and took her hands in his own. "But our moment is here and now, and we have a lifetime of moments left." Lucy chuckled as she tried to hold her tears back.
"I love you, Natsu," Lucy managed to speak.
"I love you too, Luce."
…
Erza only gave the couple to be an hour before she stomped off, found them and returned them to the diner. She kept a stern eye on them and kept them separate until the dinner was over. The girls packed up Lucy and left for the night to prepare for the nuptial tomorrow morning. Natsu stayed to help Mira clean up before going to his lodging for the night.
The keys jingled in the empty room as Natsu unlocked the door and stepped into the familiar space. He put his bags down on the ground, shut the door and took a minute to look around.
As he took a few steps into the apartment, his eyes roamed over the card table where they ate breakfast, the futon where they sat and talked… he even chuckled at the thought of Lucy's ploy at wearing her lingerie which led to a heavy make out session. He walked around the box wall to stare at the freshly made bed, where their session ended. A whole relationship started and flourished there.
Natsu scoffed, why does she get to stay in my room, and I get to stay here? His mother explained it all to him already; since the wedding ceremony and reception will be held at the Dragneel estate, the bride needed a place on site to get ready. So, Natsu's room was commandeered to be the bridal suite just for the night, so he had to stay and get ready in the loft.
He sat down on the bed with a huff and stared down at his watch. His father and his friends would be there in the morning at 10:00 sharp (by Grandine's schedule). The suits would be pressed and prepped in the morning, delivered as soon as they were done, Gray would photograph the girls getting ready then he would come over and get the guys.
He fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. I'm getting married tomorrow… I'm getting married to Lucy. A huge grin grew on his face… he was marrying his best friend. He wished his body to go to sleep faster so the day would come sooner, but his heart was beating way too fast at the thought of it all. He closed his eyes and prayed sleep would take him.
…
The day was finally here… the moment she had always dreamed of. Girls growing up around her had always fantasized about their future weddings; the dress they would wear, the color scheme, the fantasy location, etc. Lucy wasn't one for fantasizing about the wedding itself, but rather the relationship.
Lucy saw the love between her parents and still saw the love between Igneel and Grandine. She didn't care about the showy event, she just wanted someone to love and love her. With every failed relationship that possibility seemed to fade and be impossible. Yet, here she was, about to be married to her best friend. The thought of it alone made her smile. She had been pinching herself all morning just to make sure it was all real.
It was hard for her to sit still while she had her hair and make up done; Cancer, her hairdresser, kept yelling at her to stop squirming constantly. She was eager to get the day done and look forward to the rest of her life.
Lucy was never more excited than when she was given the cue to get into place. The anticipation building with every step as she walked through the halls of the church. She had just enough strength to hold in her tears, that was until she saw her father standing there waiting for her with tears in his own eyes.
Jude had been receiving treatment for the last year, but he was slowly losing his strength every day. Despite that, he insisted he walk her down the aisle on her big day. As soon as her eyes met his, he stood up from his wheelchair and met her; she could not hold back the tears.
With a soft smile, Jude wiped the tears from her face. "You'll ruin your makeup. Aquarius spent a lot of time on that and she doesn't seem like the type of lady you make upset." Lucy chuckled at her father before staring lovingly at him. "What's wrong dear?" he asked as she took his hand.
"Nothing, I just want to savor this moment." Jude smiled and squeezed her hand. He wrapped her arm around his and held onto her tightly, partially for walking support but mostly to savor the moment himself.
The two waddled forwards in line as each of the bridesmaids took their turn walking down the aisle. Just before it was their turn, Jude looked down at his daughter. "You ready?"
"Never been more ready." She smiled and he smiled back. "How about you, Dad?"
"I've always dreamed of this moment, but now that I'm here… I've never been prouder. Not because you are getting married, but because of the life you have created for yourself. You worked hard for what you have and I can envision the life you will have in the future. I know it will be one full of love and happiness."
A final tear slid down her face, "Thanks, Dad." They faced forward just as the doors opened, displaying her path through the crowd of friends and family toward the man of her dreams. With a deep breath in and the squeeze of her father's hand, Lucy and Jude walked down the aisle and into their future.
…
The breeze was gentle with a slight cool tinge; it shook the fabric of her dress around her and tickled the hair which hung down her chest. Her eyes stung from the tears pouring down her face and her cheeks were cold from their remnants. Nothing could tear her eyes from the sight before her, a simple stone which bore her father's name.
Jude had seen his children graduate high school, Lucy graduate from college, both kids get married… and even have children. After hours of labor and Natsu passing out twice, Lucy gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Lucy and Natsu were able to sneak into Jude's hospital room shortly after she was born (it helps to be related to the head of the hospital).
A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered the sight of Jude holding her daughter that night. She remembered the way he cried as he held her, the joy his eyes held as he looked down at her, the chuckle he made when she reached out her hand to hold onto his finger…
He was gone later that night. No regrets but wearing the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. The whole town came for Jude's funeral and pay their respects. Natsu held her hand the entire ceremony. He was buried right beside Layla in a quaint lot the two of them picked when they first moved to Magnolia. She had stood there the first time when her mother had passed… and here she was again after losing her father.
Lucy quickly wiped here face as she heard the crunch of gravel from footsteps approaching her. The noise stopped and silence filled the space. After a few moments, a voice spoke up, "How you feeling, Luce?"
Lucy breathed in and sighed, "I will be fine." She turned to look at her husband; he wore a look of concern and warmth. "Where is Nashi?"
"She's with Igneel and Grandine right now." Lucy simply nodded before dropping her head to stare at the headstone before her. "I miss him so much, Natsu."
Natsu placed his arm around his wife's shoulders, "I miss him too, Luce."
Lucy allowed herself to sink comfortably into Natsu's chest. "He had a good life though… right? I mean he had a beautiful wife and children, raised us in a beautiful home in a great town, he had great friends…"
"And adorable grandchildren."
Lucy chuckled, "Yes, and adorable grandchildren."
"Don't forget his amazing son-in-law," Natsu quipped.
"Don't push it," Lucy lightly chuckled.
Natsu responded by wrapping his arms around her, "If I live to have half the life he had, I'd be a lucky man."
Lucy turned to face Natsu and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm lucky to have both of you in my life."
"I'm happy to be here."
"At least he isn't struggling anymore… and he can be with mom again."
"But they will always be with you, remember that."
"How can I forget?" Lucy stated as she reached up to touch the star earrings Natsu got her. The memory of what her mother told her flooded her mind.
She glanced up at the sky, by this time full of stars. Her eyes danced over each and every one before landing on one so familiar to her; the one she always looked at when she remembered her mother. She smiled staring at it; the happiness starting to overwhelm her.
Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw another star appear beside the first. She never remembered seeing one there before, but she knew exactly why it was there now.
"Yeah…" Lucy trailed off as she leaned her head into her husband's chest, never losing sight of the pair of stars above. "They will always be with me."
Natsu responded by wrapping his arms around her waist. "Don't forget you've got me here too."
Lucy chuckled and grabbed ahold of Natsu's arms, "I won't ever forget that."
The couple was silent for a few moments until they heard the laughter of their daughter in the distance. They turned their heads to see Igneel hoisting their daughter in the air and spinning her around. A smile grew on both their faces watching Nashi and her grandfather.
"We should get home." Lucy suggested as she unwound Natsu's arms from around her. She held fast to his hand as they walked back to their family. Natsu squeezed her hand, "I love you, Luce."
"I love you too, Natsu."
