Spread Your Wings:
"Natsu?" Lucy asked as she stared at her husband, who was busily heating up buckets of water. So many people had tried to take baths at the recovery center that they'd run out of hot water. Enter Natsu and his fire magic to fix the problem. His fire magic had come quite in handy with this Lamia Scale crisis: Lighting candles, heating and sterilizing surgical tools, fixing ovens, heating blankets. Lucy could tell, however that it was taking it's toll on him.
"Natsu?" she asked again.
"Hm?" he turned to her, droopy-faced, dark circles framing his onyx eyes.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked.
"Uh-uh," he shook his head.
Lucy sighed, putting the laundry she was folding aside and held out her arm. "C'mere, you crazy dragon."
He trudged over to her, lying down on the old, fraying couch that had been placed in the basement wash room. He pillowed his head in her lap, closing his eyes as she began playing with his hair. As he began to relax and his breathing slowed and steadied, Lucy reached over to grab the laundry of basket of socks. She began searching through them for matches, keeping one hand in Natsu's hair, only taking it away to fold up a match when she found it.
After several minutes of silence she felt him scooting closer towards her abdomen, slipping his arms around her waist as he pressed her ear against her stomach. Lucy stopped matching socks and looked down at him, smiling softly, stroking he face.
"Can you hear her heartbeat too?"
"Yeah…" his voice had a hint of a question in it.
"Yeah, but…?" Lucy questioned.
"It's quieter than Nashi's was," he said, snuggling closer to her belly. "It's still there, don't get me wrong. It's just a smaller sound."
"Maybe she's going to be smaller than Nashi was."
Natsu's eyes widened slightly. "Nashi was already so tiny, though!"
"Out of her, Cato, and Strom she was the biggest," Lucy pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, but that's not saying much. Both of those boys were shrimps."
Lucy smiled softly, remembering how reluctant Natsu had been to hold the boys when they were born. He was so scared he'd accidently hurt one of them. Lucy ruffled his hair.
"Well, we won't know until she gets here," she said.
Natsu smiled softly. "Yeah, I guess so," he kissed her abdomen. "Guess we'll just have to wait for you to get here, huh tiny?"
Lucy giggled, setting a hand on her belly. "You really think she's going to be a Celestial Wizard?"
"That's what Rhea said. And so far she's been right about everything else," Natsu answered, nuzzling his face against her belly again to listen to the baby's heartbeat.
Lucy began playing with his hair again, leaning her head back against the couch, brow furrowing slightly.
"Whatcha thinking about, Love?" Natsu asked.
"Names," she answered.
"Yeah?"
"Just thinking…" Lucy chewed on her lip as she pondered. "If she is going to be a Celestial Wizard than she's be one in a long line of Celestial Wizards."
"Sure will," Natsu agreed, smiling up at his wife. "Your family has a long history of 'em."
Lucy nodded. "Yeah, there have been Celestial Wizards in the Heartfelia family for over 400 years, but not anymore. I was the last of the Heartfelias before marrying you."
She patted her stomach. "So this one's going to be a Dragneel."
Natsu's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm sorry-"
"Don't be," Lucy smiled, cupping his face in her hands. "I don't regret it at all! But, I still I'd like to honor my family in some way."
"Like?" Natsu asked.
"Well," Lucy rubbed circles on her stomach. "What if we named her for the two wizards in my family who opened the Eclipse Gate." She smiled as she stroked Natsu's cheek with her thumb. "The ones who brought you to me."
He smiled softly as he leaned into her touch. "So your mom and Anna?"
Lucy nodded. "How does Layla Anna Dragneel sound?"
His smile brightened. "Sounds like an awesome name to me!" He kissed Lucy's abdomen once again. "How about you, Layla? You like your name?"
Lucy giggled as she leaned down and kissed the top of his head. He quickly turned his face up, catching her lips with his. She giggled again as he rolled over, placing the back of his head in her lap as he reached up tucked his hand behind her head, playing with her hair.
"Where're the kids at?" he asked, suddenly realizing he hadn't been told who was watching them today.
"They're outside with these exceeds," Lucy answered.
"Ah, okay."
"Now shush and get some rest."
"Yes, mom."
She playfully swatted him, causing him to chuckle as he got comfortable in her lap and closed his eyes again.
Lucy shook her head as she began folding the laundry again. "Silly dragon."
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Gun show! Gun show!" Koree cheered, hugging Pantherlily around his neck, choking the black cat slightly.
"Ergh! Please let go!" Pantherlily begged.
Koree released him but kept cheering "Gun show!"
"Gun show!" Persephone agreed as she raced to Pantherlily and Koree's side.
"Alright, alright," Pantherlily changed into his warrior form, squatting his knees and holding his arms down so that both of the twins latched onto his wrists.
"Okay, girls, youready to go to the gun show?" he asked to which both Persephone and Koree squealed:
"Yeah!"
"Here we go!" Pantherlily flexed his arms, bringing both girls up into the air, leaving them dangling from his wrists, squealing in fun.
"Oh, do be careful!" Carla called from where she was helping Farrah make a flower crown.
"Don't worry, we do this all the time," Pantherlily assured her, flexing his arms again. "It's actually excellent exercise. Helps me keep my biceps in shape and it helps them develop their upper body stregnth."
"They're only two, is it really necesarry to worry about building up their muscles so much at this stage," Carla sighed, passing a small bundle of daisies to Farrah.
"Never too early to start," Pantherlilly insisted, flexing yet again. "Especially if Koree wants to be a strong Iron Dragon Slayer like Gajeel."
"Me too!" Persephone insisted.
"Yes, you'll be strong too," Pantherlily assured her. "Whatever magic you end up using."
"Done!" Farrah stated, holding up the flower crown, before carrying it over to where Nashi was chasing Storm, Cato, and Roman about.
"Here you go, Nashi," she said, setting the crown on her head. "A pretty flower crown."
"Like a pwincess?" Nashi asked, pushing the daisies up out of her head.
"Uh-huh," Farrah smiled.
Nashi grinned widely before poinitng to the boys. "I a pwincess now! Youse gotta do what I say!"
"No we don't," Storm crossed his arms, a frown on his face.
"Na-na-na-na-na!" Cato replied, holding his hands out to either side of his head as he made a face at her.
"You not a weal pwincess," Storm continued.
"It justa game," Nashi rolled her eyes. "Now be nice to de pwincess!"
"I don't wike dis game," Storm said.
"Wet's pway more tag!" Cato cheered before poking Storm in the shoulder. "You it!"
"Ah!" Storm chased after Cato. "Come back!"
Roman simply toddled to Nashi and gave her a hug.
"See?" Nashi asked, crossing her arms. "Roman gets it. C'mon Roman, we gonna make a feast!"
"W'atta feast?" Roman asked as Nashi led him by the hand.
"I dunno. Some sorta fancy pawty wit' food."
"W'at food?"
"I dunno."
"Cake!"
"Yeah!" Nashi cheered and jumped. "We'll make a cake feast!"
"Sounds fun to me," Happy said from where he'd been sitting next to Carla, and followed after them.
"You realize it won't be real food, just mudpies right?" Carla asked.
"Still sounds fun."
"Just don't get that muck on me, thank you," she sighed as he began picking more flowers.
"You'll help me make more crowns for Koree and Persephone, right?" Farrah asked as she knelt next to Carla.
"Of course, child," Carla smiled.
Screams suddenly came from the direction Nashi and Roman had gone. Not playful scream, either, terrified screams. Carla gasped and turned. Both of the children were scampering back towards them. Behind them was a large man dressed in a horse mask and carrying a bola sling in his hands. He was stumbling backwards as Happy was plastered on his face, clawing at the eyes of the mask.
"No you don't!" the blue exceed shouted. "You're not hurting these kids!"
"Get off me!" The man shouted, grabbing Happy by the tail and flinging him into a nearby tree.
"Happy!" Carla shouted.
"Carla, get the children inside," Pantherlily said, setting both of the twins down and racing towards the man, sword in hand.
"Come along, children, let's go!" Carla said, pointing back towards the house.
"But wha' about Happy?" Nashi asked, pointed to the blue cat who was muttering and staring straight ahead, waving his arm in a lopsided figure eight.
"One fishy, two fishy, red fishy, blue fishy," he muttered.
Carla whimpered at the sight of her mate completely out of it, but she knew the children came first.
"He'll be fine," she lied. "Let's go!"
"Oh, no!" Pantherlily shouted as he shrunk back to his usual size. "Too many gun shows!"
"Ha!" the man shouted, kicking the black cat in the stomach and sending him flying over the children and into a rose bush.
"Ouch!" he shouted.
"Lily!" both the twins yelled as the raced towards him.
"Don't get too close!" Pantherlily groaned. "There are thorns in here!"
"Uh-oh," Persephone stopped in her tracks, then turned to Koree. "You do it."
"Okay," Koree nodded as she raced forward.
"No, Koree, you'll get hurt!" Pantherlily said. Koree reached out, and Pantherlily was stunned when the skin of her arms chained to steel scales. She reached into the bush, the thorns unable to penetrate her scales as she grabbed him and pulled him out.
"We' save you, Lily," she said as she held Pantherlily in her arms as she and Persephone began scampering towards the house, only to have their path cut off by a man in a pig mask.
"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" he asked, reaching towards Koree. "A couple of baby fairies?"
"Don't touch her!" Pantherlily warned, scratching them man's hand.
Persephone frowned, ran forward and began beating the man in the knee.
"Persephone, what are you doing, get back!"
"No hurt ma sista! No hurt Lily!" she shouted as he banged her tiny fists on his knee. The man laughed, grabbed Persephone by the scruff of the shirt, and lifted her in the air.
"Lemmee go!" Persephone shouted, kicking her legs wildly.
"Fiesty little one, aren't you?" the man in the pig mask asked, poking her in the face. Persephone bit down on his finger, making him yelp in pain and drop her. Persephone raced to Koree's side, grabbed her hand, and they began running again, only to have their path cut off yet again by a man in a sheep mask.
"This is Fairy Tail litter, alright," he said, scooping one girl under each arm. "Only Fairy Tail would keep fighting when they haven't got a chance."
"Lemmee go!" Persephone shouted, beating her tiny fists in vain against his arm as Koree began crying.
"I want Mommy and Daddy!"
"Oh, don't worry, they'll get you back," the man in the sheep mask said as he walked back to where the rest of the children were now surrounded by men in farm animal masks. "So long as they cooperate."
He dropped them into the center of the circle. "So, Ricki, who we got here?" he asked a man in a duck mask.
"Let's see, those two are the spawn of Gajeel Redfox."
"The dragon slayer?"
"That's the one."
"Oh-ho! We hit the jack pot!"
"Oh it gets better!" the man in the duck mask said as he scanned through an archive file. "Grape-Head over there's the son of Titania. And that's the daughter of the Salamander. Those two are the children of the She-Devil and Fairy Tail's heir. And then that one's the son of Gray Fullbuster the demon-slayer."
"Ha ha!" the man in the sheep mask laughed. "Oh, boys, we're gonna be paid today! Can you imagine the price they'll be willing to pay to get these brats back?"
"What about the cats?" a man in a chicken mask said as he entered the circle, carrying Happy by the scruff of his neck and tossing him in with the others.
"Happy!" Carla gasped as she ran to his side.
"Big fishy, small fishy…"
"You monsters!" Carla shouted, turning to the men. "What do you want from us?"
"Aw, don't be rude. We ain't monsters," the man in the sheep mask said. "We're just some friends trying to make ends meet. We don't want to hurt you. We're just gonna borrow you until your guild pays us a pretty penny is all."
"You're kidnapping us for ransome!?" Carla shrieked.
"Sure are. Don't worry, I'm sure Fairy Tail will behave. After all, we did quite a number on Lamia Scale when they didn't tae our threats seriously, so they'd be stupid not to."
"It was you!" Carla shrieked. "You're the ones who destroyed their guild hall!"
The man in the sheep mask looked at his friends. "Sure are. But threatening to damage property clearly doesn't result in the big bucks, so maybe holding children for ransome will. Now please-" he pulled out a jagged knife and pointed it at the crowd of children and exceeds. "-don't make this harder than it needs to be."
Nashi suddenly fell to her knees, putting her hands on the ground.
"Aw, begging for mercy, Pinky?"
"Rhea!" Nashi shouted and all of the children and exceeds were coated in pink flames.
"Um...okay…" the man in sheep mask said before turning to his men. "Well, get them."
They rushed forward, reaching to grab the children, but they immediately recoiled in pain, nursing their burned skin.
"Oh...alright…" the man in the sheep mask looked back at Nashi, putting his knife back, and pulled out a whip. "Not bad, but you'll have to do better than that."
He popped the whip, wrapping it around her arms and shoulders, pulling her to the ground.
"I don't have to touch you to take you."
"Nas'i!" Roman cried, grabbing onto the whip and pulling at it, trying to tug it out of the man's hands.
"Aw, that's actually kinda cute. Now I almost feel bad about tak-"
"Lightning dragon, roar!" Farrah held both hands to her mouth, sending out a blast of lightning that knocked the man onto his back, making him drop his whip.
"Ow," he groaned. "Alright, now you tykes are just making me mad!"
He sat up to grab his whip, only to find it was gone.
"Huh?" he asked, looking at the children. "Alright, which one of you took it?"
Roman began to whiper.
"Was it you, grape head?" he pointed at the little boy. Nashi jumped infront of him, arms held out in a protective stance, despite the fact that they were still all covered by Rhea's flame.
"Oh, what do you want Pinky? Trying to play the hero?"
Sparkling crimson flames that almost looked like fireworks began popping in Nashi's palms. She placed her hands over her eyes, creating two rings around her eyes with the flames.
"Daddy!" she shouted.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Lucy hummed absentmindedly to herself as she kept folding laundry. She'd almost finished, only having half of a basket left. Natsu was still asleep in her lap, snoring softly. She smiled softly at him. He was so cute when he was asleep, peacefully snoring, muttering and smiling in his slumber every now and then.
As she set a stack of freshly folded towels to the side a popping, crackling noise came from near Natsu's head. Lucy frowned in confusion, then gasped when rings of sparkling crimson flames surrounded his eyes.
Natsu snapped his eyes open, sitting up and looking about wildly, a confused scowl on his face.
"Natsu?" Lucy asked.
When he didn't answer, she set a hand on his shoulder.
"Natsu, is something wrong?"
The flames suddenly disappeared. Natsu jumped, putting his hands up as if he were trying to block something. He then stopped, blinked several times, and began rubbing his forehead. "What the heck…"
"Natsu, was that Nashi?" Lucy asked.
"Nashi?" he arched an eyebrow.
"Were those her Thea flames? Did she-"
Before she could even finish, Natsu's eyes widened and he darted out of the room and up the stairs.
"Natsu? What's wrong?"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Alright, enough of that, Pinky!" the man in the sheep mask picked up a rock and threw it Nashi. It hit her in the side of her forehead, knocking her off her feet. All the flames, the pink and the crimson, disappeared as Nashi clutched the bleeding gash on her forehead and began to sniffle and whimper.
"Nas'i!" Roman shouted as he knelt next to her.
"Nashi!" Storm raced to her side, setting a hand on her shoulder. He held out his hand and a small sphere of water appeared in it that he used to help her wash the wound.
"That's it!" the man in the sheep mask began stomping towards them. "You kids are coming with us even if I have to drag you every step of the way!"
He reached a hand out towards them. Nashi gasped, grabbing both Roman and Storm by the hand.
"Lightning dragon claw!" Farrah shouted as she jumped in front of them and punched the man in the sheep mask in the stomach, sending forth a burst of lightning as she did so.
"Don't just stand there you imbeciles, get the brats!" the man shouted as he landed on his back.
"Uh…" was all they could muster as they pointed upward.
The man in the sheep mask sat up, Farrah stood right in front of him, lightning cackling in both of her fists. He looked behind her. Nashi and Roman were gone. He blinked, where-
"Lightning blast!"
Another round of electricity coursed through his body, knocking him back on his back.
"Uh…" all his men muttered again, pointing upward. Now Storm was gone. Nashi suddenly dropped down from the air. She grabbed Cato around his middle. The man watched in astonishment as bright red flames sprouted from her back. They grew until the had taken on the shape of wings. She flapped them once and took off into the air, carrying Cato with her.
"Oi! Get them!" he shouted, diving toward Farrah who gave him another lightning punch.
One of the men snapped out of his trance and raced towards the twins. He grabbed Persephone, standing over Koree.
"Sephy!" Koree screeched, before chaning on of her arms back to iron and punching the man in the foot. He shouted in pain, toppling over and rubbing his probably broken toes. Koree grabbed Persephone's hand and they began running. Nashi dropped to the ground again, grabbing their hands, and she took off into the air again. Farrah punched the man in the sheep mask in the face again then took off to a tree, scampering up it. Carla flew down from the top, grabbing her by the shoulders and flew her to the top.
"Get back here," the man in the sheep mask shouted, racing the base of the tree (a little stiffly, he'd been fried several times by the tiny dragon slayer. She'd done quite a number on him.
He and the rest of his gang began climbing up the tree after them. The man in the chicken mask was knocked down by a giant ball of water to the face. The man in the pig mask was caught of guard by popping and crackling crimson flames on his face, knocking him to the ground again. Still the man in the sheep mask kept climbing, determined to get his prize.
That is, until he felt a pair of strong hands grab him roughly by the ankles and yank him off the tree. He slammed to the ground barely able to get back on his feet before he heard a loud shout:
"Fire dragon, iron fist!"
Though Farrah's attacks had been painful, this blast was crushing. The man's breath was taken right out of him as he was sent flying and bouncing across the lawn, crashing into a garden fence.
"Boss!" the men shouted as they all dropped from the tree and raced toward the pink-haired man who'd attacked them.
Natsu whirled around on them, glaring, veins popping from his head as two brilliant flames burned in his hands and smoke trailed up from the corners of his mouth.
"Fire dragon, claw!" he shouted as he jumped towards them. Jets of flame burned from the bottom of his feet, jetting him forwards. He waited until he was right ontop of them, then pivoted his body, kicking all of the men in the face, catching their masks on fire. He somersaulted behind them, placing himself between the tree and the men.
"Fire dragon roar!"
A wal of flame pushed the rest of the men off the ground, sending them spiralling into the same garden wall with their boss. The ground between the fence and the tree was black and ashen. Smoke twirling up towards the air as the men in masks all laid unresponsive, groaning and grumbling. Natsu glowered at them, and began to walk towards them again until her heard a small:
"Daddy!" from behind him.
He turned and saw Nashi dropping to the ground, running towards him.
"Nashi!" he sighed in relief, dropping to his knees and holding his arms open. Nashi jumped into them, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck. He held her close, kissing her cheek.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Did they hurt you?"
"Uh-huh," Nashi pulled away and pointed to the bloody gash on her forehead, her bottom lip poking out and trembling slightly.
Natsu gasped as he ran his thumb over it. Nashi winced and whimpered, a single tear rolling down her chee. Anger seered through Natsu. He took one leap and landed on top of the pile of burnt and pained me. They all yelped in fear.
"Alright, which one of you did it!?" Natsu shouted.
"Wha-"
"Huh-"
"Uh-oh-"
"Eek!"
Natsu bent down, poking his face into theirs,flames trailing up from the corners of his mouth, his whole body smoking. "Which one of you hurt my little girl!?"
"The pinkette?" the man in the horse mask asked.
"WAS IT YOU!?"
"Eek! No! It was the boss!"
"Yeah, the boss!"
"The boss!"
All the men nodded in agreement as they pointed to the man in the sheep mask.
"Oh, no," the boss squeaked just before Natsu let out a cry of rage and tackled him. "Please don't-"
"Fire dragon, secret arts," two spheres of fire ignited around Natsu's hands and his glare deepened. "Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!"
With lightning speed Natsu attacked the man with a barrage of punches, each emitting a small, firey, explosion.
"So you think you can mess with my daughter, huh?" he asked. "I'll teach you for hurting my baby girl!"
He gave a final punch to the chin that sent the man flying towards the sky.
"You wanna make my Nashi cry? Well, I'll make you cry!" he shouted. "Fire dragon, wing attack!"
The man had just started falling back towards the ground before two blasts of fire sent him flying again. He let out a loud yelp of pain. Natsu jumped up after him, using his flames to propel him into the air.
"Fire dragon, iron fist!" he gave one final punch that sent the man flying to the ground, creating a crater as he crashed into the ashen garden floor. Natsu landed next to the crater panting slightly, his anger just barely satisfied by the sight of the burned, bloody, and groaning man lying at the bottom. His clothing and mask was burned off, revealing a tubby looking middle-aged man with wiry white hair and a bald spot (althought that may not have been there prior to Natsu's attacks.)
"I just wanted to get rich!" he sobbed as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Tch," Natsu scoffed as he turned to take care of the rest of the men. Before he could though, he heard a familiar voice calling:
"Open, gate of the Maiden, Virgo!"
"Right away, Princess!"
In a flash Virgo had restrained all the men in her chains.
"Would you like me to punish them for you, Princess?" she asked.
"Just hold them there," Lucy said as she jumped over the badly damaged fence and raced towards the tree. "Nashi! Nashi?"
Natsu followed her back to where he'd left their girl, but she was gone. Instead Storm, Cato, Roman, and Koree were sitting in the grass.
Carla flew Farrah down, a still injured Pantherlily, and a still mumbling Happy in her arms. Nashi flew Persephone down, her firey wings burning brilliantly until she released them as they sputtered out of existence. Natsu and Lucy took note of the wings, but were too anxious just to hold her to say anything.
"Nashi!" Lucy cried as she held her close. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"Uh-huh, wight hewe," Nashi pointed to the gash.
Lucy gasped. "Oh, baby," she whispered as she leaned down and kissed the wound, gently stroking her hair as she held her close. Natsu sat down next to them, wrapping an arm around his daughter, and one around his wife as he looked about at the other children.
"Are you kids okay?"
"Yes."
"Yeah."
"Uh-huh."
"Uncwa Natsu?" Roman asked as he scuffled forward.
"What is it buddy?" Natsu asked.
"I did a bad t'ing."
"Aw, I don't believe that," Natsu smiled brightly. "What did you do?"
"I took de bad man's rope t'ingy wit'out askin'," Roman answered, his bottom lip trembling.
"Well, was he going to hurt you?" Natsu asked.
Roman nodded his head.
"Were you trying to protect yourself?"
Roman nodded again.
"See? It wasn't a bad thing, you were just trying to stay safe."
Roman sniffled and wiped his face on the back of his hand. "Okay."
"Where'd you put it?" Natsu asked, now curious seeing as he didn't see anything that looked like a rope anywhere nearby.
Roman held out both hands. His palms began to sparkled, and glow a golden color. The whip shined into appearance in his hands and he held it out towards Natsu, his bottom lip trembling.
"Oh. My. Gosh." Lucy gasped.
"Roman!" Natsu cheered as he grabbed the little boy's shoulders. "You realize what this means, buddy?"
"I'm in twouble?" Roman asked, bottom lip trembling even more.
"No, no, no, you're not in trouble," Natsu giggled as he used his sleeve to wipe Roman's tears away. "It means you're a requip wizard like Mommy!"
"I am?" Roman asked, brightening up.
"You sure are!"
"Erza is going to go nuts when she finds out," Lucy said.
Roman hung his head and began whimpering again.
"Oh, no, no, no, I mean she'll be happy that you're a requip wizard, Roman," Lucy explained. "You're not in trouble, we promise."
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"There we go," Wendy said as she finished waving her hand over Nashi's face. Nashi watched intently as she worked her healing spell, seated in her mother's lap. Natsu stood slightly off to the side, watching on with slight concern.
"Hm," Wendy sighed as she pushed Nashi's bangs aside, examining where the wound had been. "I've done what I can, but it looks like she's still gonna have a scar."
She stepped aside so Natsu could kneel in front of his daughter and examine her forehead. Indeed there was a tiny scar on the left side of her forehead, about half an inch below her hairline.
"Yeah, looks like it," he sighed running his thumb of the scar.
"It still dere?" Nashi asked, putting a hand on her forehead.
"No, no. The owie's gone," Natsu explained. "You just have a scar where it used to be."
"A scaw?" Nashi asked.
"That's what happens sometimes when you get a big owie, see?" Natsu pointed to the mark on his cheek. "I've got one." He tugged his scarf off to show her the one on his neck. "I've got a lot, actually."
Nashi gasped when she saw them, then she turned and looked at Lucy behind her.
"See, Mommy. I gotta scaw like Daddy!"
Lucy smiled. "You sure do," she agreed as she kissed the newly acquired battle scar. "And you've got wings now, too, don't you?"
"Uh-huh!" Nashi nodded. "I can fwy like Happy now!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy hopped up onto the arm of the chair Lucy was sitting on, causing everyone in the tiny family to jump.
"How ya feeling, little buddy?" Natsu asked, scratching the exceed behind the ear.
"I'm fine. I've had worse than that," he said.
"Ah!" a squeal of excitement came from down the hall. Natsu peaked out to see Erza holding Roman in the air as Jellal watched on with a smile on his face.
"Do it again! Do it again!" she begged.
Roman giggled, held out his hands and requipped the whip into his tiny palms.
"Oh, who's Mommy's little warrior?" she crooned as she nuzzled her nose against his. "Who's going to be the best requip wizard ever?"
Roman giggled as he stored the whip away and hugged his mother, Jellal smiling and chuckling at them.
"So…" Natsu turned to find Laxus and Farrah standing at the other end of the hall. "How many hits did you get on that guy?"
"Um…" Farrah counted off on her fingers. "Five or six I think…?"
"And how many did he get on you?"
"Zero!"
"That's my girl!" Laxus held out his hand and Farrah high-fived it. "Who rules?"
"Lightning dragon slayers!"
"And what does that mean?"
"That means I rule too!" Farrah cheered.
"Atta girl," Laxus held his hand out for another hih-five. "Now c'mere squirt!"
He picked her up and tossed her in the air, catching her in a burst of giggles.
Natsu smiled at the sight before slipping back into the room he, Lucy, and Nashi were sharing while at the recovery center. Nashi was standing on her toes, staring at her scar in the mirror over the dresser. Wendy was watching her intently.
"She seems okay, but let me know if she gets dizzy or anything," she said before heading to the door.
"Will do, thanks, Wendy," Natsu said.
"Your welcome," Wendy smiled before stepping out of the room. Natsu closed the door behind her, turning to watch his daughter again.
"At least she's taking it well," he said. While he didn't mind any of his scars, not even the one on his face, he knew sometimes girls could take that hard. Especially very little girls who didn't fully understand what was happening.
"Taking it all in stride," Lucy nodded as she stood out of the chair, smiling as Nashi began making funny faces at herself in the mirror. "Reminds me of someone else I know," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck, kissing the scar on his cheek.
"Just the Dragneel spirit, eh?" he smirked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Mm-hm," she nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I just hope Layla gets it too."
"Oof, I don't know," Natsu said in a joking voice. "Can you handle three of us?"
"Of course," Lucy pretended to be offeneded. "The real question you should ask is can you handle two of me, just in case she takes after her mother?"
"Hm…" Natsu pondered. "I mean you are tough to deal with…"
"Wha-" Lucy jumped back, glowering in fan as she swatted him in the shoulder. He laughed at her, smiling lovingly as he glanced down at her belly. Of course it didn't matter to him which parent Layla took more after. He was still dying to meet her.