Welcome to the Family, Layla:
"Nashi…"
The little girl crinkled her nose as she stirred slightly, groaning sleepily. Jude chuckled at her and gently patted her on the shoulder.
"Nashi…"
She grunted again, tossed and turned.
"Nashi. Time to wake up sleepy head."
She rubbed her eyes before opening them and forwning sleepily at Jude. "But I wanna sleep more."
"I know, but we've got to go to the guild hall now."
Nashi yawned. "But why?"
"Why? To see your little sister of course," Jude answered with a big smile.
Nashi gasped as she sat straight up. "The baby's here!?"
"The baby's here, she was born early this morning."
Nashi gasped again as she held her hands to her face, beaming ear to eat.
Jude chuckled at her again. "You want to go meet her?"
"YEAH!"
"Well then, let's get ready to go see her."
Nashi jumped out of the bed and ran to her dresser, pulling nearly everything out as she tried to pick out the perfect outfit to meet her baby sister in. Jude didn't bother cleaning up the mess, that would take too long, he'd just handle it when they got back. Once he'd finally gotten Nashi to settle on an outfit, he and his granddaughter headed out. Nashi giggled and danced every step of she took. Jude just smiled at her as they stopped at a pastry shop on the way up to get breakfast.
"Welcome to the Duke of Dough. What can I get for you?" the girl at the counter asked.
"I got a new baby sister! We're going to meet her!" Nashi cheered, jumping up and down in front of the display case rather than looking at the donuts.
"Oh, do you?" the girl working the counter asked, a smile on her face.
"Uh-huh!" Nashi nodded.
Jude chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "Yes, we're grabbing some breakfast and sweets to bring to mom and dad. And for ourselves, of course."
"You must be the grandfather."
"Goodness, do I look that old?"
"Not at all," the girl winked. "Congratulations! What can I get for you?"
"Alright, I'll need three breakfast sandwhich combos," Jude began ordering.
"Do you want bacon, sausage, or ham sandwiches?"
"Bacon for all three," Jude answered. "And can I get an extra side of scrambled eggs on one of those?"
"The sandwhich already has eggs on it," the girl informed him.
"Oh, I know, the side's for the little one over there," Jude pointed to Nashi.
"Ah, gotcha," the girl nodded.
"Yes. She won't finish a whole combo, but she'll make herself sick trying," Jude sighed at the many memories of Nashi gorging herself to the point of throwing up because someone put too much food on her plate and it was all "just too good to stop eating it!"
"What drinks do you want with those?"
"Two large coffees. One black, one with extra cream and sugar. Maybe even a shot of chocolate sauce if you have it?"
"That one must be for mom," the waitress grinned.
"Indeed."
"I can put some foam on it too, if you want."
"She would love you forever and I would be dad of the year, so let's," Jude nodded, making the girl smile.
"Hm," Jude drummed his fingers on the counter. "Nashi, what does your daddy like to drink at breakfast?"
"No coffee!" Nashi announced. "Mommy says he's not allowed!"
"Yes, I know that," Jude nodded. "But what does he drink."
"Um…" Nashi twirled about, making her skirt spin as she thought. "Orange juice!"
"Alright," Jude turned back to the waitress. "One orange juice and a child's chocolate milk."
"Okay, can I get you anything else?"
"A dozen variety please?"
"You'll get four sets of three."
"That's fine."
"What four flavors do you want?"
Nashi bounded back up to the counter, and stood on her toes to look over it at the waitress. "Sprinkles!"
"I guess one will be sprinkles," Jude laughed as he ruffled her hair. "And her mother will want chocolate glazed. I'll have lemon cake. Erm...Nashi, what kind of donuts does your Daddy like?"
"He likes spicy food."
"That doesn't help," Jude arched an eyebrow and turned back to the waitress. "Do you have any spicy donuts?"
"We have a hot cinnamon," she suggested.
"Yeah, we'll just do that," Jude nodded as he began rumaging through his pocket for the money. He paid for the food, took the bag from the waitress, grabbed Nashi's hand and they began heading out.
"Wait," the waitress stopped them before they left, handing them a cluster of white balloons with pink dounts on them. "For the newcomer."
"Oh, thank you," Jude said, searching through his pocket again. "Have an extra tip."
"Can I hold them?" Nashi asked, reaching her hand for the balloons.
"No, because you'll let go of them."
"No I won't!"
"Tell you what, you can have them once we get to the Guild Hall. Sound fair?"
Nashi sighed. "Okay…"
She soon cheered up and began humming and dancing with excitement again as they drew close to the Guild Hall. The minute it was in eye sight Nashi broke off in a sprint, forcing Jude to trot to keep up with her.
"About time you got here!" Laxus shouted once they walked in. "Hurry up and go see the baby! I don't know how much longer I can fight the rest of them off!"
"We just want to meet her!" Erza whined from where she and the rest of "the usual suspects," as Jude called them, were seated.
"We had to wait almost a month before we could meet the triplets, you can wait a few hours," Gray sighed, before turning to Jude. "Seriously, though, we're all dying to see her, but Natsu and Gray want you guys to be first so hurry it up."
Jude laughed. "Yes, yes, we're going."
He led a very excited Nashi down the hall to the recovery room Lucy was assigned to. He gently knocked on the door. After a few seconds Natsu opened it, smiling brightly.
"Hey!"
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Nashi shouted, jumping up and down wildly.
"Nashi! Nashi! Nashi!" Natsu bent down, scooped her up, tossed her into the air, and then kissed her cheek as she came falling back into his arm with a burst of giggles.
"Daddy!"
"What?"
"Where's my little sister?" Nashi asked.
"Little sister?" Natsu asked, a playful scowl on her face. "You have one of those?"
"Yes!"
"You sure?"
"Yes!"
"Hm…" Natsu squinted his eyes. "I don't know…"
"Daddy!" Nashi grabbed his shoulders and shook him (or tried to.) "Where is she!?"
Natsu laughed. "I take it you want to meet her?"
"Yes!"
"Alright, let's go," Natsu pushed the door back open, still carrying Nashi, Jude following along behind him.
Lucy sat on a bed, propped up on pillows, a tiny bundle in her arms.
"There's Nashi," she beamed.
"Mommy!" Nashi cheered as Natsu set her down on the mattress. Nashi cralwed to her mother's side, gasping and beaming as she gazed down at the tiny babe in Lucy's arms.
"You see your little sister?" Lucy asked.
Nashi nodded as a squee of excitement escaped her. Natsu sat down behind Nashi, draping an arm around both her's and Lucy's shoulders. Jude set the bag of food and an cupholder of drinks on a table to the side of the bed, tied the balloons to the bedpost and then leaned over to look at the baby. She had golden blond hair, onyx eyes, and a small, slightly turned up nose like Lucy's. His cheeks began to ache from smiling too wide.
"What's her name?" Nashi asked.
Lucy glanced up at Jude, smiling softly before answering: "Layla."
Jude gasped, turning to his daughter with tear-brimmed eyes. "Is it really?"
Lucy nodded.
Jude rubbed his eyes on the back of his hand. "Your mother would have been honored."
Lucy's eyes began to get a little watery as she turned back to the baby and stroked her hair. "Yeah, I know."
"Can I hod here?" Nashi asked.
"Sure, c'mere," Natsu pulled Nashi into his lap before Lucy passed Layla to her. Natsu guided her arms around her new sister.
"Mind her head," he said.
Nashi's smiled widened and she giggled in glee. "She's so cute!"
"Yeah, she is cute, isn't she?" Natsu agreed.
Nashi giggled again. "Layla. Hi, Layla!"
"Sh, not so loud. You'll hurt her ears," Natsu said.
"Oh," Nashi whispered. "Hi, Layla."
Layla gave a small coo, making her big sister giggle again.
"She talkin' to ya?" Natsu asked.
Nashi nodded. "Hi, Layla! I'm your big sister."
Layla cooed again, blinking curiously at the four-year-old holding her. Nashi grinned, bent down, and kissed Layla's forehead.
"Aw," all the adults in the room crooned.
"She's so tiny, tiny, tiny!" Nashi exclaimed.
Layla let out a whimper.
"Sh, Nashi, not so loud," Natsu reminded her.
"Oh, sorry Layla," Nashi whispered.
Layla continued whimpering. Natsu gently ran his hand over her hair.
"Sh," he whispered. "You're okay."
"You're okay, Layla," Nashi repeated what her father said. "You're okay."
Natsu smiled at her. "Can you give her another kiss?"
Nashi kissed Layla's forehead again, which seemed to calm her as she relaxed and went back to looking about her surroundings with innocent curiosity.
"She stopped crying," Nashi whispered with great fascination.
"Yup, you made her sto crying," Natsu agreed, to which Nashi beamed. "Good job, big sister."
Jude smiled at them as he turned to Lucy. "How are you doing, dear?"
"Alright," Lucy shrugged. "Not as sore as I was last time."
"She was awesome," Natsu commented from where he was still holding both of his daughters in his lap. Lucy smiled softly at him.
"She's so tiny!" Nashi whispered.
"She is," Jude nodded. "I may be wrong, but I don't think Nashi was that small when she was born."
"She wasn't," Lucy answered.
"How much does she weigh?" Jude asked.
"Six pounds, 2 ounces."
"Goodness!" Jude exclaimed. "Nearly a whole pound and a half smaller than her sister."
"I was this small?" Nashi asked.
"No, not quite that small," Natsu said. "You were seven pounds, 8 ounces."
Nashi nodded thoughtfully. "So I was bigger than Layla when I was a baby."
"Yup."
"But Layla's bigger than Minette, Eva, and Von," Nashi continued.
Natsu let out a nervous chuckled. "Yeah, I don't want any babies that small."
"But they were cute," Nashi protested. Layla let out a small coo.
"Don't worry, Layla," Nashi assured her. "You're cuter."
The adults all chuckled at her.
"Here, Nashi, why don't you let Pops have a turn," Lucy said as she reached over for Layla. Nashi pulled the baby closer to her and frowned.
"But I just got her!"
"Don't worry, you'll get plenty of chances to hold her," Lucy assured her as Nashi reluctantly take Layla from her and pass her to Jude.
"Ah, there she is," Jude said as he positioned her to the crook of his arm. "There's our little Layla."
He smiled as the baby stared up at him, calmly sucking on her hand. Jude turned back to Natsu and Lucy for a moment.
"There's breakfast over there, by the way."
"Alright!" Natsu cheered as he gently set Nashi back on the mattress and headed towards the bags of food. "Pops, you're the man!"
Jude rolled his eyes at his son-in-law, though a smile was tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked back at his newest granddaughter.
"You've got a good name, Layla. Wear it well," he said, thinking back to his late beloved. "I wish your grandmother could meet you and your sister. She'd adore both of you."
Jude felt two tiny hands on his shoulder, and turned to see Nashi standing on the bed, leaning over his shoulder to look at Layla.
"Nashi, careful, you'll fall," Lucy warned.
"Come along, Nashi," Jude motioned towards the rocking chair. "Let's go rock Layla for a bit, shall we?"
"Okay," Nashi agreed, smiling brightly as she hopped to the floor and scampered behind her grandfather. Jude sat down, repositioned Layla to free one arm so he could lift Nashi and set her on one of his knee. Nashi leaned her head on his shoulder and reached out to take one of Layla's hands in hers.
"Be very gentle," Jude instructed.
Lucy smiled, growing a bit misty eyed at the sight before her.
"Here," Natsu handed her the breakfast sandwich and coffee Jude had bought for her, then sat down next to her.
Lucy took a bite and a sip before turning back to her father and daughters.
"Never thought in my wildest dreams I'd see that," she whispered, gesturing to the three in the rocking chair.
"Yeah?" Natsu asked through a mouthful of sandwich as he turned and looked himself, smiling. "I think Nashi's smitten."
"Yeah, she is. But I was kinda talking about my dad."
"Well, he looks smitten too. Of course why wouldn't he be? We make awesome babies."
Lucy beamed, letting out a sigh of contentment. She and Jude had been through a long, messy, and complicated path together. One that had a lot of hurt and a lot of bitterness littered throughout it. Still, she was happy that they were where they were now. And getting to see both of her girls have such a close relationship with a grandparent, something neither she nor Natsu ever had, made it all worth it. She was broken out of her small trance by Natsu pressing a kiss to her cheek. She giggled as she recoiled slightly.
"So, how's it feel being outnumbered three-to-one?" she asked playfully.
"Fantastic," he answered. "I couldn't be happier."
Lucy smiled, though there was something she'd been thinking about. "You know I meant what I said earlier, right?"
"What was that?" Natsu asked.
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Hey, you knew I had a bad memory when you married me," he playfully snapped.
"That I'd have as many children as you wanted."
Natsu's eyes widened slightly, but he smiled. "I know. But let's get you healed first before we talk about that, alright?"
"Fine," Lucy nodded.
Natsu gave her a strange look.
"What?"
"Nothing," he shrugged. "We'll talk about it later."
"Sure," Lucy nodded before, after a few seconds of silence. "But-"
"There it is," Natsu rolled not just his eyes, but his whole head. Lucy playfully swatted at him and he laughed.
"But," she continued. "You know we never really talked about how many kids we wanted."
Natsu shrugged. "Eh, I kinda figured we'd know how many was right for us once we got there."
"So your plan was to just keep making babies until we got overrun?"
"No, I'm just saying I don't have an exact number."
"Uh-huh, sure," Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Why are you even worried about it? You just had a baby 8 hours ago," his brow furrowed in worry. "Shouldn't you be focused on recovering?"
"I just want you to know that I'm open to having more if you…" Lucy began shifting about awkwardly.
"If I…?" Natsu gestured for her to continue.
"If you...wanna try for a boy…"
Natsu rolled back his head and laughed. "Is that what this is about?"
"Well-"
"Luce," Natsu took both of her hands in his. "We could have 33 girls and no boys and I'd be happy." He released one of her hands to cup her face. "Because they'd be ours. As long as I have my family, no matter how big or small it is, I'm happy."
Lucy beamed at him. "Same….though maybe not as many as 33…"
"Aw, where's your sense of adventure?"
"Natsu Dragneel!"
"I'm kidding!"