Crashing Down:
"Alright, alright," Jude scratched the back of his head as he looked over his list. How was he going to do all this?
There had been an accident at the Lamia Scale Guild Hall. The second floor had collapsed. So far there had been no deaths, but several injuries. Therefore nearly half of the guild would be coming the the Heartfelia recovery center, and he had to get ready for the influx of guests.
"So...I need to get this room prepped, and this one, and...oh dear…"
"Need some help?" a cheery voice called from behind him. Jude whirled around, finding Lucy standing in the door of his office.
"Oh, thank heavens!" he sighed in relief as he walked towards his and hugged her. "Your timing could not be more perfect! There's been a-"
"We know," Lucy said as she hugged her father back. "We got a letter this morning and figured you'd need help getting ready for them."
"I most certainly do," Jude nodded as he looked behind Lucy to see Natsu, Nashi sitting on his hip.
"Ah, and how's my favorite granddaughter!" he called as he walked forward and took Nashi into his arms.
"Pops!" Nashi cheered as she hugged him. Jude smiled and held her tight.
"You've gotten so big!" he said before turning to Natsu. "How are you son?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Natsu answered. "You?"
"Stressed," Jude answered honestly.
Natsu chuckled. "Well, don't you worry, because we brought the calvary!"
He gestured into the hall where Gray, Juvia, Mirajane, Laxus, Erza, Jellal, Gajeel, and Levy where waiting, all of their children were in tow, as always. Freed, Bickslow, Lisanna, Wendy, and Romeo had also come along.
"My, my, my, you brought everyone didn't you?" Jude said as he let Lucy go and walked forward.
"Aye, sir!" came a cheery voice as the three exceeds landed in front of him.
"We're here to offer our assistance in anyway possible," Pantherlily nodded.
"Thank you," Jude sighed in relief. "Thank all of you, I was beginning to think I'd never get everything ready."
"Our pleasure," Jellal said as he walked forward and set a hand on Jude's shoulder. He leaned down and whispered to the older man. "You haven't by any chance heard of any possible foul play in this 'accident,' have you?"
"Ah, so you've gotten a scent of something rotten as well, have you?" Jude said, giving Jellal a knowing glance. "No, I have not. But 'accident' seem to be a bit to simple of an explanation, wouldn't you agree?"
"Quite," Jellal nodded.
"Would you rather be investigating the scene than staying here?" Jude asked.
Jellal shook his head. "The rest of Crime Sorciere is already there. I trust them. Besides, if it's alright with you, I'd like to interview some of the victims to see if they spotted anything, if that's alright with you."
"Hm," Jude rubbed his chin. "Let me examine them first. If they've been too mentally or emotionally traumatized I would not want to do or allow anything to aggravate it."
"Of course," Jellal nodded.
"Daddy?" Roman asked as he toddled on to Jellal, tugging on his pants leg.
"Yes, my boy?" Jellal asked, looking down at the child.
"Can we mek-a card now?" Roman asked, standing on his toes and still tugging at the pants, trying to stand as his tall as his father.
"In a minute," Jellal answered. "First we've got to ask Pops."
"Ask me what?" Jude asked.
"Mirajane brought some colored paper and pencils so the children could make get-well cards for the wounded when they get here," Jellal explained, giving the older man a wink.
"Ah," Jude nodded, taking the wink to mean 'and to keep them out of the way.' "Well, it's a beautiful day today, why not set them out in the gardens?"
"Very well," Jellal nodded picking Roman up and setting him on his hip and returning to the group. "Alright anyone who is under the age of six follow me."
"But I wanted to help Mama and Papa," Farrah argued.
Jellal turned to Mirajane and Laxus, arching an eyebrow in question.
"She can stay with us," Mirajane answered, running a hand over Farrah's hair.
"Me too!" Cato called.
"No," Laxus shook his head. "You go and make cards with the others."
"But I wanna help too!"
"You're too little, sweetie," Mirajane explained.
"Aw," Cato hung his head in disappointment as Jellal took his hand.
"Alright," Jellal said as he held an arm out to Juvia, who passed Bianca to him. "Anyone under the age of three follow me."
"Will you need help?" Erza asked.
"I think I can handle them on my own for a few hours," Jellal answered as he lead the train of toddlers outside.
The rest of the adults and Farrah then got right to it, cleaning up and preparing rooms, making beds, washing windows, and other such things. Mirajane, Lisanna, Lucy, and Levy slipped off to the kitchen to go ahead and start making dinner so it would be ready when Lamia Scale got there. Farrah went with her mother, helping by stirring up the ingridients and licking the spoons when done.
Lisanna watched her niece with a worried smile, waiting until Farrah was out of earshot before whispering to Mirajane.
"How is she?"
Mirajane sighed. "Alright. I think staying busy has helped."
"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked.
"This is the day Farrah's birth parents died," Mirajane explained.
"Oh," Levy gasped as she looked sadly at the little girl, face now covered in brownie batter as she smacked her lips. "Well, she doesn't look upset, so that's good, right?"
"I don't think she's realized what day it is," Mirajane said in a sad voice as she sprinkled cheese on top of a caserole before putting it in the oven. "Just as well I suppose."
A series of whispers came from the staircase leading to and from the kitchen.
"I guess Erza and Jellal got the tots down for their nap," Levy said before biting back and laugh.
Erza came in first, leading a downcast Jellal by the hand. His hair was littered in flowers and braids and ribbons, and his face was almost as red as his wife's hair.
"What happened?" Levy giggled.
"Your daughters," Jellal answered in a frustrated voice, before turning to Lucy. "And your's. That's what happened."
"Just sit here and let me fix it," Erza grinned as she began picking flowers out of her husband's hair. "My goodness, Jellal, could you not feel them doing this?"
"Of course I felt them playing around with it, but I thought they were just messing with it, not braiding and tying it up and...oh…" Jellal covered his face in a hand. "I am never voluntering to babysit again."
"It's not that bad," Erza chortled as she untied a white ribbon. "I actually think it's kind of cute."
"Please don't go getting any ideas," he muttered as he rubbed his hand over his face. "At least they finally went to sleep, I didn't think they ever would."
"Hear that, Farrah?" Mirajane called. "Naptime!"
"But I don't wanna take a nap!" Farrah whined as she yawned.
"But you need one," Mirajane took Farrah's hand in hers and lead her upstairs.
"Ouch!" Jellal winced as Erza began unweaving one of the braids.
"Quiet, I wasn't even pulling that hard," Erza sighed.
Jellal let out another groan. "I'll never live this down, will I?"
"Oh, stop whining," Erza rolled her eyes with a smile as she patted her belly. "Just consider the practice in case this one's a girl."
"Wait!" Lisanna shouted as everyone in the kitchen turned to Erza. "Are you pregnant?"
Erza and Jellal both went wide-eyed, then glanced at eachother. They stared at one another for a little while before Jellal shrugged.
"Well, I guess that's one way to tell," he said.
Lisanna, Levy, and Lucy all squealed with excitement as they tackled the couple with hugs.
"So, wait, you're really pregnant?" Lucy asked.
Erza nodded. "Yes."
"Me too!"
"What!?"
Now everyone squealed and hugged Lucy.
"How far along are you?" Erza asked.
"Seven weeks," Lucy answered. "You?"
"Ten."
"Oh wow! We're really close."
"Indeed, our children will be almost exactly the same age."
"Oh, I bet they'll be the best of friends!"
The to expectant mothers chatted back and forth until a loud bell rang out, signalling that the wounded from Lamia Scale had arrived. The women then quickly scampered upstairs, ready to help in anyway possible.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Fire and smoke.
The smell and spatter of blood.
Screams as people tripped over eachother, trying to run from the monsters in the black cloaks.
Farrah just clung to her mother, crying as they ran. Her mother suddenly let out a shout. She fell, dropping Farrah onto the ground. Farrah tumbled back.
"Mommy!" she cried as she turned to her mother. An arrow had shot through her ankle, pinning her to the ground. Farrah's mother turned to her, tears rolling down her face.
"Baby, climb under the bush and hide there," she said as she pointed to the shrub behind her.
"But-"
"Get under the bush, we'll find you when everything's over."
Farrah nodded and climbed under the bush. She could still hear people screaming. She could still smell smoke. She covered her ears, tears rolling down her face.
"Please don't kill us! Please don't kill us!" she cried as she sat there, shuddering and sobbing, waiting for her parents to come back.
But they never did...
"No!" Farrah jolted straight up, out of the bed. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she drew her knees to her chest and laid her face against them, crying. One tiny hand grazed her Fairy Tail mark on her thing. She loved her guild. She loved her Mama, and Papa, and brother. But she still missed her Mommy and Daddy. She still missed her tribe. Their loss still hurt her, more than she coul ever say. She still dreamed about it.
And she still worried that one day one of those men would come back and finish the job, killing the sole survivor.
She sniffled as she rubbed her eyes on her knees.
"Please don't kill us," she whispered, remembering the prayer she'd pleaded in vain that day. "Please don't kill us."
"Rhea," a small voice came from her side.
Farrah turned and looked to her left. Nashi had her eyes poked over the side of the bed, holding her hand out towards her. A soft, pink flame covered her. Farrah looked down at herself, gasping at the sight.
"D'ere," Nashi said. "Now no one can hurt you."
Farrah blinked and smiled at Nashi. She slipped off the bed and hugged the pink-headed girl. "Thank you."
She looked about the room. All the other children were still napping. Nashi had been the only one to wake up. It wasn't surprising though, Farrah thought. After all, Nashi's cot had been placed right next to hers. Farrah held Nashi tighter, tears still slipping down her cheeks.
"Sh, you okay, Fawwah," Nashi whispered, patting her back.
Farrah nodded her head and began wiping her tears away with her hand. As they sat there, both little girls heard sniffling coming from down the hall. They tip-toed to the door and peaked outside. A young woman sat on a bench near a window, covered in bandages and crying softly.
"What'sa matta with her?" Nashi asked.
"She must be from Lamia Scale," Farrah said.
"Huh?"
"Another guild."
"Like Faiwy Taiw?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. But Mama said their Guild Hall broke. I think some bad people did it to hurt them."
Nashi's brow furrowed. She slipped out the door and scampered towards the young woman.
"Nashi, get back, we're supposed to be napping!" Farrah hissed.
Nashi stood on her toes, and held a hand out to the woman.
"Rhea," she said. The same pink flames covering Farrah covered the young woman. She gasped and looked down at herself, turning to Nashi.
"Now no one can hurt you," Nashi said brightly.
The young woman tearfully smiled as she reached down and hugged her. Nashi returned it, and then scampered further down the hall. Farrah followed after her. Nashi ducked into a room. When Farrah entered after her, she found a woman laying in a bed. Nashi held up her hands and cast the spell again, before running off and into another room. Farrah smiled as she watched the toddler scamper off, and followed after her.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Here you go," Lucy said as handed Natsu a dirty plate.
"Thanks," he said, dunking under the water of the sink so he could wash it. Lucy began drying the one's he'd already washed as she thought to herself.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"About their Guild Hall collapsing?" Natsu frowned slightly. "Definately wasn't an accident. Building's don't just collapse like that unless someone does something to them."
"My thoughts, exactly," Lucy nodded. "Kinda makes me nervous about going to our Guild Hall."
"You and Nashi probably shouldn't," Natsu said. "Not until we find out who's behind this."
"What about you?"
"Eh, I can handle a collapsed building. I've knocked enough of them on myself to know how to deal."
"And I've usually been right next to you," Lucy pointed out.
"I know," Natsu said, wiping his hand on his pants before placing it against her belly. "But it's not you I'm worried about."
Lucy smiled softly, placing her hand ontop of his.
"How you think Nashi's going to handle it?"
"Being a big sister?" Natsu asked turning back to the dishes.
"Yeah."
"Eh, she'll be fine."
"You don't think she'll get jealous?"
Natsu shrugged. "Maybe at the beginning, but she'll get over it."
"Will she?" Lucy wondered. "Or will they both be at each other's throats their whole lives."
Natsu shrugged again. "Maybe. Guess we'll have to wait and see."
"Natsu? Lucy?" a voice called from the top of the kitchen stairs.
"Yes?" Lucy called.
Lyon came down the steps, carrying a sleeping Nashi in his arms.
"Nashi?" Lucy wondered as she walked forward, holding her arms out for her daughter.
"I'm afraid she's worn herself out," Lyon said as he passed the little girl to her mother. He was one of the least injured members of the guild, having only suffered a mild concussion, but he still came to supposrt his guild mates. "Quite a remarkable child you have."
"I thought she was napping," Natsu said as he wiped his hands off again.
"She was. Something must have woken her," Lyon explained. "Probably one of my guild mates crying, because when I stumbled upon her she was busy casting that protective spell of hers over every Lamia Scale member she could find."
"What?" both Natsu and Lucy wondered out loud.
"From what I gathered someone told her that there was a person or group of people out there trying to hurt us, so she was trying to keep us safe," Lyon continued.
"Really?" Natsu wondered out loud.
"Said she wanted us to feel better so we could stop crying," Lyon nodded. "She used up all her magic energy doing so. I'm surprised she had enough to cast that spell as many times as she did."
He turned and began walking back up the stairs. "I look forward to watching her grow. She's going to be quite the wizard when she's older."
Natsu and Lucy stared at their daughter, sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms. They could both sense that her magic energy was incredibly low. She really had used it all up.
Natsu smiled softly as he ran a hand over her hair. "Y'know what? I think she's gonna make a great big sister."
"Hm," Lucy smiled as she sat down in a chair at the kitchen table, letting Nashi lie down in her lap. "She's definately got the compassionate part down."
"Yup," Natsu squatted down next to his family, pushing Nashi's hair out of her face, kissing her forehead. "You're an awesome kid, Nashi. Never change."
Lucy smiled, rocking her daughter back and forth like she was baby. She may have been three-years-old, and maybe a bit to big to sleep in her mother's lap as she was rocked back and forth until she woke. But after what she'd done, Lucy figured she deserved to be spoiled a bit.