"It's this girl I've hung out with a couple times and now she won't go away!" he complained but he put his arm across and whispered into her ear "I'll be back in ten minutes, I promise" as she slowly released his arm to where she felt his fingertips as she let go and he snuck back through the crowd quickly. "Na..oh,oh. Your Lucy!" Lisanna exclaimed excited. "Yyes that's me. Nice to meet you. What's your name?" "It's Lisanna. I loved your songs. I came here with my boyfriend but he ran off somewhere" she said to Lucy turning her head back and fourth looking for Natsu. "Oh I'm sure he's around here somewhere" she said cleverly laughing inside her head. "Boyfriend huh?..riiight" she thought amused as her bandmates and the girls waited for him to come back. A few minutes later, Natsu came back. "Natsu!" both went Lucy and Lisanna. "Wait, how do you know him?" snapped Lisanna. Natsu smirked as he casually walked over and put his arms around Lucy. "Lucy is my fiancée" "WHAT!, NO WAYYY" she screamed angrily. "Yep" he said as he got down on one knee holding open a box with a pink onyx ring making Lucy gasp. "Natsu, what are you doing?" "Have to make it official, so what do you say baby?" "YES!" she screamed with joy as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "No way" hissed Lisanna. "Get away from him you tramp" she had a scowl on her face glaring at the couple. "Lisanna, look we only hung out twice, I wasn't interested. I never was. I'm hers, always was. Go find someone else sweetheart. My heart is taken" Lisanna turned and stomped away as Natsu turned his back to a crying for joy Lucy.
"How did you have a ring already? "Why do you think I was gone for ten minutes. I had to go back to my car to get it..and getting through those people takes a while" "Go back..you mean you already ha" She couldn't finish her thought as Natsu looked at her warmly and said "I was going to ask you the night you left..just never got the chance...I love you Lucy" "I love you too!" She felt like her heart would burst with how much joy and happiness she felt. "There's one more thing Natsu" she said quietly dropping her voice. "Hmm, what is it?" She pulled out her phone nervously and began scrolling through pictures in her gallery until she found a picture of a little girl with pink hair. "Aww, who is that?" asked Natsu sweetly. "Mmmy daughter" she stuttered scared.
His eyes widened looking at her petrified face. "Ddd..daughter.?..Hhhooow?" He knew how babies happened, he was just baffled she had a kid. "Whose is it?" he asked eager. "Take a closer look at the picture Natsu" she said bluntly. He took a look as reality came to him then went quiet for a minute. "Is she mine? " he asked quietly as she profusely nodded her head. "Hey, hey Luce, why are you shaking?" she looked at him in amazement. "You aren't mad or anything?" "Lucy,baby no" he answered with light amusement. "I wish I could have been there for the first five years to see her and help you but no, I'm not mad. I'm the exact opposite" "You mean it?" she asked hopeful as he squeezed his arms around her. "Nothing will make me happier then being a family with you." "Oh Natsu!" she hugged him tight while he chuckled and rubbed her head in response. "What's her name Luce?" "Layla...Dragneel" "Dragneel huh?..hah..well that..nahh. thanks Lucy" "I wouldn't name her anything else" "YO, Lucy we gotta go back on" Jellal called out. "Okay!" she replied kissing Natsu. "Break a leg baby" She turned and smiled then went running up to the stage. Natsu made his way back through and stood in the crowd happy and proud as could be. "Hey everyone!" Lucy yelled happily.
She was so giddy that she couldn't contain it any longer. She took the microphone and started walking around. "I just had the best thing happen to me back stage. Sorry to all the hearts I'm about to break but I just got engaged!" she yelled out holding out her hand for a close up shot so everyone could see the ring. Everyone cheered and congratulated her. "Come on my baby, NATSU DRAGNEEL!" a light flashed over him as he turned red embarrassed. A gasp could be heard through the crowd as Lucy giggled. "Now who wants to hear me sing because my heart is ready to burst with happiness." Everyone cheered as she sang and felt that she was different from when she first got on the stage just from the smile on her face.
Finally after the show was done, she ran smack into Natsu's arms. "I'm ready whenever you are" he told her. "You don't have anything you want to grab?" "I've been away from you for five years Luce, I don't want to be away from you a second longer." "Well alright, to the hotel, wait I wonder, Natsu, is my car still at home?" "Yep, hasn't moved" "Can we go home?" she asked longing. "Let's go" he said taking her hand. "I'll catch you guys later" she told her bandmates as they waved and got on the bus. "It's almost as if nothing happened" said Lucy while they were riding. "You're a singer now Luce, don't count that out" "Your also a father" "Yeah" he said happily. "Forget all the other shit Lucy, we're together now. That's all that matters to me." She blushed and nodded in agreement. "We're home" announced Natsu as they got out and Lucy saw her car. "Well since I'm here. I might as well pack" said Natsu unlocking the door. "Really?" Lucy said surprised. "Luce , I already told you, I've been away from you long enough. I'm not staying away a second later" he said walking into their room. She looked around while he started packing up stuff. "You kept it clean, I'm surprised" said Lucy teasingly. "Jeeze Luce, I'm not a slob" He heard her hold back a laugh. "Okay..most of the time I'm not but honestly..." he surprised her stepping into the door way fast. "I didn't know when you were coming back so I wanted to keep it clean as I could for when you did" she smiled at him as he went to grab his suitcase.
"How much you got?" she asked eyeing how bulky the bag was. "Whatever I need" he answered simply. "You know I was going to wait and surprised you with this but I think this is the perfect spot" "What is it Luce?" Her face lit up as she in a very ecstatic voice said "I'm coming home Natsu" "Huh?. your already home" "No dummy" she rolled her eyes playfully as she said "Natsu, I'm staying home. I'm not going back to Europe" "Baby...are you serious?" she nodded her head as Natsu let out a yell of excitement. "Oh Lucy, this is fantastic!, but hold up, what about your band and your career?" "They already know. They are from here too so we can find a label here I'm sure..and as for Europe. It was thrilling and something I'll never forget but it isn't home..and I've spent long enough away from you too" "I love you Lucy." "I love you too" he pulled her into a loving hug. "I guess I can unpack my stuff then" "Yep but first let's go get our daughter" "Where is she?" "At the hotel" "What are we waiting for?" "They ran to his car and jumped in as she told him the directions to the hotel. Once they got there, he was anxious as hell inside but excited. He walked with her to the room as they went it. "Hey Lucy, she was great, well behaved" a woman said. "Thanks Erza, oh and this is my fiancée Natsu"
"Nice to meet you, my name is Erza. I'm Jellal's wife" "Likewise and that's cool. Seems like a nice guy" he said with a smile and a nod. "I take it you told him already" "Yup, I'm officially home to stay!. where is she?" she asked hyped up as Erza chuckled and yelled out in a kind voice "Layla, your mom is here!" A door flew open as little girl came running. "Mommy" she squeaked. "Hey baby" she said happily as Layla wrapped her arms around Lucy's neck then noticed Natsu standing behind her silent. "Mommy, who is that?" Unhooking Layla's arms from her neck, she turned so they were both facing Natsu.
In a small voice , she said "Layla..this is your daddy sweetheart. You remember those pictures I showed you?" Full of curiosity, she took a step forward as Natsu got down to the floor for her. Lucy got up to move as Natsu put a hand to stop her and let Layla do what she needed. He felt he would burst out of pure happiness but he kept a straight face. Layla was very wary but she was not afraid as she reached her hand out to touch his face. He closed his eyes feeling her fingers. "They are so soft and warm" he thought. He loved her so much already as she examined him. "Layla" Natsu opened his eyes to Lucy's voice then as if a lightbulb went off in her head, Layla screamed "DADDY!" then threw her arms around him as he melted into her and picked her up ( FairyTail main theme song, slow version) "Hi baby girl" he said so soft that it was almost a whisper. "I remember you now, mommy missed you so much. We can be a family now!" he looked into her eyes that were filled with happiness, joy and every other positive emotion he could think of. "I love you daddy" she cried. Everything went silent for a moment.
"Daddy, are you okay?" she asked concerned. "Your shaking" Lucy's eyes widened. "Natsu, honey?" "I'm fine Luce" he said quietly as he lifted his head up making Lucy gasp. "Oh Natsu.." he stood up with Layla in his arms as he used his sleeve to wipe the tears coming down. "I'm just really happy baby" (end song) "I've never seen you cry" "I have..you just weren't there to see it." Lucy thought hard back through all their years as Natsu saw the girls turning in her head. "Lucy, stop before you hurt yourself baby. I can see you trying to wrack your brain. You haven't seen me cry because the last time I did...was the day you left." She felt her heart break. "I'm so sorry" Waving his hand, he said "it's not your fault Luce. It's not anyone's fault , well except one but anyway, I didn't tell you this to make you sad. It was just to let you know." He walked up to Lucy with Layla and put his arm around pulling her in with him and Layla. "It's all in the past now" "I love you Natsu" she said with compassion. "I love you too Lucy Dragneel" "Not yet" she teased. "Soon enough, come on, let's go home" he said still holding Layla as they walked to the car with his arm around her shoulder and her around his waist as they waved goodbye to Erza. "I'm glad your home Lucy" she told her as they walked out. "Me too" "Natsu, I just thought of something" she said suddenly. "What?" he asked getting his and Layla's attention.
"Our apartment!. We can't raise her in that. We don't have a room for her. Shit!" she freaked out as Natsu chuckled. "What's so funny?" she squeaked nervously. "Baby, relax, I have money put away in my savings that we can use to get whatever house you want. I planned for this" "Just when I thought i couldn't love you anymore than I already do, you are absolutely amazing Natsu. First you keep the apartment ready for me and my car, then the ring and no..now I find out you've been planning a house for us together as a family. I..." she couldn't finish her words as tears streamed down her face. He put a hand to her cheek as Layla did the same with a warm smile. "Are you happy mommy?" "Yes baby, very" "You don't have to cry Luce" he said as he wiped away her tears with his thumb and kissed her forehead. "Let's go home ladies" They both nodded as they piled into his car.