Obsessed Deleted Scene 1: Daddy(s) Fluff!

AN: Hello, I'M BBBAAAACCCKKK! Now that "Obsessed" is finished, I'm starting this bad boy back up until I'm ready for the next full length story. First thing first, however, I've got a couple scenes that I wanted to include in "Obsessed" but I couldn't find a place to fit them into the story is such a way that it didn't slow the momentum of the story down. So, I decided to include them here. Hope you enjoy!

This first one takes place after the final big fight between the kids and Elena's Guild and it's just about the Dads taking care of their kiddos because I'm a sucker for cute FT Daddy moments (if you can't already tell).

"Um, sir, you should really let them rest…" a young nurse said softly as she shuffled into a recovery room

"They are resting!" Gajeel insisted as he held his girls closer. Both Koree and Persephone were curled up in his lap. Koree's head was leaned up on his right shoulder and Persephone against his left, his arms wrapped around their shoulders, holding them close.

"Well, um, don't you think you should let them lie down?" the nurse asked.

"I will in a minute, now leave me be," Gajeel huffed. "Can't a Dad spoil his little girls in peace? Gimme a break."

Deep down he knew it was probably a bit silly, him rocking two eight-year-olds like they were babies, but he didn't want to let them go. Not yet.

These girls had scared him! He'd been more afraid today than he had been in a long time. When Levy told him that someone had broken in to try and kill her, and then that the girls had gone after her, he felt as if his heart as stopped. Then watching helplessly as they both battled for their lives against a couple of psychos…

...well, the shuddering hadn't quite stopped for him yet, hence why he was holding them as they slept, to reassure himself that they were okay.

"Oh, um, well, can I at least check up on them?" the nurse asked. "Just to make sure that they are replenishing their magic energy normally and don't have any other ailments or injuries we have missed the first time around."

"Absolutely!" Gajeel nodded, relinquishing his hold on the sleeping girls just enough for the nurse to examine them.

Koree grumbled as the nurse set a hand on her stomach, frowning.

Gajeel felt his bottom lip poked out slightly. She felt horrible! He remembered how he felt after eating Rogue's shadows for the first time. Oh, sure, he hadn't let anyone know how bad he had felt. It was the middle of the Grand Magic Games and he couldn't afford to quit! Besides, he wasn't Salamander, he could handle a tummy ache. Koree, though, she was just a little girl, and she was miserable.

Koree squirmed and cracked one eye open. "Eh?"

"Go on back to sleep, kiddo," Gajeel said, patting her head, hoping she'd listen a sleep off the worst of the illness. She didn't protest, but instead snuggled closer against him and closed her eyes. Despite feeling bad at how icky Koree was feeling Gajeel couldn't help but grin in pride.

An Iron Poison Dragon Slayer! As far as he knew she was the youngest dragon slayer ever to gain a second element (there was still a lot of things left unknown about Acnologia, but Gajeel was pretty sure he didn't start his slaughter campaign until he was well past the age of eight!) That was his Koree, kicking butt and making history!

She wasn't the only one, though. Gajeel couldn't help but smirk as he thought back to what Persephone had told Laertes after she'd defeated Samson

"She makes things from broken screens and she's mastered protective cube…" Laertes' eyes widened. "THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT! YOU'D HAVE TO BE THE STRONGEST ARCHIVE WIZARD TO HAVE EVER LIVED TO DO ALL THAT!?"

"Yeah, and?" Persephone shrugged.

The strongest archive wizard to have ever lived, eh? Well, she wasn't quite there yet, but if Persephone kept going at the rate she was now she'd certainly would be soon. Even Hibiki had said so. Persephone wasn't your normal archive wizard who just sat back researching, crunching numbers, and coming up with all kinds of weird trivia. She was always finding new ways to push the boundaries.

A screen breaks? Use it to slice an opponent to shreds!

Able to download information from any source? Why not a someone's brain? It wasn't exactly mind reading but pretty darn close!

Able to put certain codes on locks to make sure only certain people can access your info? Why not just insert a person's magic energy chemistry or genetic code? No way someone could crack that and just one touch and the lock opens!

Why just stick to flat screens? Make some cubes, steps, or any other shape out of those things!

Think outside the box, that was Persephone's motto. She didn't follow the rules and she was excelling for it, just like her old man!

He chuckled as he watched her sleep. She had her back up against his chest, her head rolled back on top of his shoulder, arms crossed as she snored. The nurse set a hand on her forehead to check for any signs of a fever and Persephone frowned, grunting in her sleep.

"Some things never change," he chuckled as he reminisced about the day the twins had been born.

He had been a ball of terrified nerves the whole day, only bringing on panic when Levy did not stop pushing after Persephone had popped out and Porlyusica had to basically toss Persephone to Gajeel in order to catch Koree in time.

To say he'd been stunned was an understatement. He just stood there, jaw dropped, holding Persephone out at arm's length as he watched Porlyusica swaddle Koree. The old woman had to coach him on how to set Persephone in one arm so she could hand Koree to him.

Even to this day he could swear that time had stopped once he had both girls in his arms. Persephone was the first to open her eyes, a deep scowl on her face as she stared up at him. She didn't even cry, just grunted, as if to say "what are you looking at, old man?" Koree cried, though, until she was in Gajeel's arm. Then she only whimpered as she squirmed. Out of instinct he'd drawn her closer. She snuggled up against him and then quieted down entirely, perfectly content where she was as she opened her eyes.

They both had his eyes.

It was seeing that, two sets of identical ruby red eyes looking up at him that finally broke him. He'd cried, in an embarrassingly hard fashion.

Gajeel smiled at the memory as the nurse took her leave. The girls didn't quite fit into the crook of his arms anymore. They were almost too big to fit comfortably in his lap. They were growing up fast. Too fast for Gajeel's liking. They'd proven one thing today, though, they could certainly handle their own in a fight. That made him feel a bit better, and extremely, extremely proud.

"Reckon I shouldn't call you two rugrats anymore," he murmured. "I'm still gonna, but y'all sure ain't babies anymore."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"How is he?" Erza asked as she walked into Roman's recovery room.

"Still resting," Jellal answered from his seat at Roman's bedside. Roman was sound asleep, lying on his side, hands tucked under his head, as his father ran a hand over his hair. OF the six children who'd fought Roman had suffered the least amount of injuries. He was still exhausted, though, and did have a few nasty bruises here and there.

Roman yawned and stretched in his sleep, rolling over onto his stomach and letting one arm hand off the side of the bed. Jellal took his son's hand in his, running his thumb over the back of Roman's hand. The skin along his knuckles had been scraped, a minor injury that would disappear before the week was over. It still made Jellal's jaw tighten though. It didn't matter to him that it was a tiny scrape that would do nothing more than itch. The fact of the matter was that it was a mark that someone had left on his son.

It didn't matter to him that Roman had nothing but scrapes at bruises. Well, that wasn't entirely true, Jellal was grateful that it was nothing serious. But at the end of the day Wilma, a grown woman, had hurt his boy! The idea of anyone hurting his child caused his blood to boil.

But Roman was still here. Jellal kept telling himself that. Roman was okay, he'd won and he would be fine.

He'd won.

He'd gone up against an experienced dark wizard and had won. He'd requipped a full set of armor for the first time! He'd protected his friend from harm. He'd saved his family.

To say Jellal was proud was an understatement. He smiled as he raised a hand to brush Roman's hair out of his face, still holding his hand with the other. He cocked his head to one side as he examined his son's face. It was a bit strange, actually. When Roman had first been born it was impossible to say which parent he looked more like. Even his hair had been a mixture of his and Erza's colors, purple. But the older he got the more and more Roman began to favor his mother, and not just in looks.

He had had her spirit too. He was fiercely loyal, and protective. He pushed himself to be the best, sometimes a little too hard. He was courageous beyond belief. He was a warrior through and through. He had every right to be known as the Son of Titania.

He was still his own person, though. While Erza was quite, well, let's just say when she entered the room you knew she was there. She would make her presence known, both verbally and physically.

Roman was much more low key. He was the quietest of his friends, and he had quite to gentle side to him when he wasn't in the middle of a sparring match or actual battle. Erza always had to be in charge in whatever it was she was doing. Roman didn't necessarily have to be the leader to be happy, nor did he have to be in the middle of the action. He was perfectly content to just read his comics in a quiet corner of the guild hall while the other five members of the Birthday Gang brawled amongst them self, only getting involved once things got too out of hand and someone needed to put an end to whatever it was the other five were doing.

A soft smile crept over Jellal's face as he watched his son sleep. And to think at one point he was absolutely opposed to having children. Before he was afraid that because of his past he could never be a good father. That it would only be cruel for him to bring a child into this world. Erza eventually convinced him to have a baby, but even throughout the whole pregnancy he'd been afraid. Between his past sincs, his work with Crime Sorciere, and the constant judgement he still recieved…

...he'd just known raising a child would be a disaster.

It wasn't until Roman was placed in his arms for the first time that those fears went away. He'd been so tiny, so helpless, so perfect! In that moment suddenly everything was right in the world. Jellal still had those moments. He was having one right now. A moment of wonder. How could something as miraculous as Roman come from him?

He'd always thought having children would be his biggest judgement, but Roman had ended up becoming his greatest redemption. As had Eva, Minette, and Von.

He'd left a lot of pain and suffering behind him, but now, thanks to his children, he would leave behind something beautiful and amazing.

He turned and looked behind him. Erza was standing at the foot of Roman's bed contemplative look on her face. She probably had a lot running through her mind as well. Jellal stood to his feet, walked to her, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her into a deep kiss.

Erza squeaked in surprise, then sighed as she melted into the kiss, her fingers tangling themselves in Jellal's hair.

"Not that I'm complaining," Erza said one they'd parted. "But wha-"

"Thank you," Jellal whispered.

"For what?" Erza asked.

"For finally convincing me to have children."

Erza smiled as she leaned her head against his chest. "Thank you for finally agreeing."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Creak. Creak. Creak. That was the only sound as Laxus rocked July in the rocking chair at Cato's bedside. Cato was asleep now, which Laxus was thankful for. Though the healers had managed to get some of the splinters Cato had gotten stuck in him during that fight there were still several that were too deep to be dug out now. They'd have to wait a little while until they'd festered closer to the skin to remove them.

The whole time they'd been removing them Cato hadn't shouted out once. h e just gritted his teeth and took it. He'd come a long way from that shy little boy he'd run and hide under his father's coat every time a fight broke out in the Guild Hall. LAxus readjusted July to free one hand to place against Cato's forehead.

He frowned. His magic energy was still extremely low. Why wouldn't it be, though? He had recreated Thunder Palace!

If it was possible to be both jealous and proud at the same time, that's how Laxus felt.

It hadn't taken him days to finally finish Thunder Palace when he'd created it all those years back and Cato had made a mini version of it in a matter of seconds! That was just not right!

But on the other hand, holy smokes his son could recreate thunder palace in a matter of seconds! His kid was incredible!

July began to fuss and Laxus turned his attention back to him.

"He, now, no need for that," he whispered as he bounced the baby. "Your big brother is gonna be fine."

"Ermph."

Laxus turned back to Cato as he cracked an eye open.

"Ish he okay?" Cato asked.

"He's fine," Laxus smiled. "Just being a little fussy is all."

Cato sleepily reached out a bandaged hand and ran it over July's hair. "Sh, you okay…" he muttered.

July squirmed until he'd grasped onto one of Cato's fingers with both of his tiny hands and pulled it into his mouth.

"I'm not food," Cato sleepily protested, but he made no effort to pull away.

Laxus smiled, his boys were already getting along great!

Cato quickly fell back asleep and Laxus pulled his hand away from July and tucked the blankets back around the baby. Seemed like only yesterday Cato was this size. July began to fuss again.

"Sh, you're alright," Laxus said. "You've got me, your Mama, your big sister, and your big brother looking out for you. No one's gonna get past us."

He turned and looked at sleeping Cato, a smile spreading across his face. "Especially not your brother. That kid is crazy!"

Crazy, but strong. He'd proven that much.

A draft blew through the hospital room. Cato shivered. Those thin hospital sheets were not much for keeping the cold out. Laxus frowned and, after much effort given he was still holding a baby, shed his coat. He set it over Cato and tucked it around him. Stopping as he began smoothing the ends over Cato's feet. Before Cato could hide his whole body in just one corner, now he was starting to get to the point that he could wear the coat. It would still be giant on him, but still.

Laxus remembered the first time that had happened.

Gray and Natsu had gotten into it, again. Laxus was barely even paying much mind. He'd been talking with Freed and Bickslow about a job they were thinking about when he felt something on his coat. Expecting it to just be the leg of someone stool who had backed over it by accident while getting up (that happened quite a bit), Laxus turned to ask whoever it was to get off. Instead, however, he found a pair of tiny feet sticking out from under the fur lined hem. Curious, he lifted it up and found Cato hiding under it, hands covered by his tiny hands, whimpering in fear.

Laxus had chuckled as he'd reached down and scooped the boy into his arm.

"C'mere squirt," he said as he set Cato in his lap. Cato had whimpered again as he clung to Laxus's shirt.

"Wha wong wit Uncwle Na'su and Uncwle Gway?"

"Nothin'. They're just being their usual idiotic selves."

"They scawy."

"Eh, you'll get used to it, kiddo."

Cato didn't seem convinced and snuggled closer to Laxus, clinging to his shirt. Laxus smiled as he pulled one of the sleeves around and tucked it around Cato.

"Doncha worry, squirt. Your Papa can handle those two knuckle heads if they get too wild."

"Weally?" Cato asked.

"Sure. Just ask your Mama for some stories when she gets back over here."

Cato finally smiled and pulled the coat under his chin as he leaned against Laxus. Laxus then turned back to Freed and Bickslow to continue the conversation, only to find Freed had turned his face away, a blush forming on his cheeks, and Bixlow holding both hands to either sides of his face.

"What's wrong with you two" Laxus asked.

"N...Nothing," Freed answered.

"SO CUTE!" Bickslow exclaimed.

"SO CUTE!" all of his dolls repeated in unison.

Laxus smiled and shook his head at the memory as he continued rocking July. Cato murmured in his sleep, then reached up, grabbed the coat, and tucked it under his chin.

"Huh," Laxus smiled. "I guess something never change."

Cato didn't answer, just snored softly.

"You've always liked this old thing, haven't ya squirt? Maybe one day when you're big enough I'll let you keep it. Maybe."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Eeerrr…" Storm moaned in his sleep, his brow furrowing.

"Sh," Gray whispered, setting his hand over Storm's bandaged body, letting a light snow flurry fall on him to help ease the numerous burns he'd gotten from Sina's Boiling Sand attack. He may have won the fight, but he'd taken quite the beating in doing so. None of the burns seemed to be super serious. They probably wouldn't even scar. But there so many of them! Even in while he slept they were bothering Storm.

Storm soon settled down and began snoring peacefully once again. Gray let the flurry disappear and smoothed Storm's hair down, a small smile tugging at the his lips as he saw a few snowflakes still stuck on his son's eyelashes. He thought back to the moment in the fight when Storm had lured Sina to the fountain.

Gray had been terrified at first, his stomach tied in knots so tight that it hurt. He thought for sure Storm was done for! His worst nightmare was about to come true before his very eyes and he was helpless to try and stop it!

Then Storm did something unexpected.

He froze the water.

Gray had just gaped at first, then smiled, and even cried a little bit. His boy could use ice magic!

Gray had always thought Storm was Juvia's spitting image. He looked like her, he had the same sensitive and emotional heart she did, he even used the same magic as her. It never bothered Gray, though. In fact it had thrilled him we he held Storm the first time and saw an almost replica of Juvia looking up at him. But there was something thrilling about getting to see a bit of yourself in your child.

The snowflakes melted and dripped down Storm's face. He wrinkled his nose as one trickled down it. Gray chuckled and wiped it away so that Storm could go back to sleeping peacefully.

It felt good to see his son so calm. Storm had been distraught when he found out Yukino was hurt. He'd been disappointed beyond belief when he couldn't help her. He'd been absolutely crushed when Juvia was attacked. And yet despite it all he somehow found the strength to stand up and fight for his guild and his family.

That was another thing Storm and his mother had in common. No matter how much they themselves may have been hurting they would do whatever it took to protect their loved ones, no matter the personal cost. Though that made Gray proud it also worried him as he looked at the numerous bandages on Storm's body.

A few burns were painful, but they'd heal in time and leave no trace behind. Storm might not be so lucky the next time. Gray swallowed as his throat grew tight. He always knew this day was coming, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon. He'd always known that sooner or later Storm would have to learn to fight on his own, and he'd certainly done that today.

Of course Storm was still a child. After today he'd go back to being a curious and fun loving little boy that explored to woods behind the Guild Hall with his friends. Grumbling whenever he had to help Koree with her motion sickness, or put out any fire Nashi had started, but secretly enjoying every moment of it. Gray could enjoy keeping his little boy safe and tucked closely under his wing for a little while longer.

But he'd just gotten a taste of what was to come today and it terrified him. Even more than that, though, it made him proud. As scary as it had been to helplessly watch Storm battle against Sina it was also incredibly, well, mind blowing. To think the tiny babe who fit perfectly in his hands was now absolutely destroying a dark wizard all on his own was a bit hard to fully digest.

And now that it was over Gray was strangely comforted by it. If Storm could do this at only nine years old there was no telling what he'd be capable of when it did come to that tie when Gray really would have to let go.

He had nothing to worry about, but he was going to anyway, no matter how proud he was of his son. And, boy, was he proud.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"It will fully heal, but I'm afraid it will leave a scar," the healer said regarding the gash along Nashi's side that she'd gotten from her fight with Elena. Natsu nodded as the healer left and then reached out and ran a gentle hand over the freshly laid bandages wrapping around his sleeping daughter's middle. His other hand instinctively found the scar marrying his own torso just above his hip. He then reach up and brushed Nashi's hair out of her face, revealing the small scar just below her hairline.

That was two outta three so far. Both he and Nashi had a scar on their face and their side. All she was missing was one on her neck. Natsu hoped she never got it, though. He didn't like the idea of his little girl getting hurt. Deep down, though, he knew she probably would no matter how much he hated it.

It would probably be either through protecting or avenging someone she cared about. When Nashi felt someone she loved was either in danger or had been wronged nothing could stop her from getting involved. Natsu sighed. He would know, he was the exact same way.

He thought back to the fight, watching her battle it out as he tried desperately to get E.N.D. to come out so he could help her. Internally he had cursed himself for not realizing she'd slipped off. For not being able to stop her before she went off and picked a fight with a experienced killer!

Her magic energy was all but gone. She was beaten up and tired. Elena had lifted her hand, ready to make the kill shot as both he and Lucy screamed and begged for it to stop to no avail.

"I suppose there are still your younger siblings."

"Those words turned out to be Elena's fatal mistake.

In a flash, despite the exhaustion, the lack of magic, and the pain, Nashi jumped to her feet and fought back, hard. Within minutes the fight was over and Elena couldn't even gather the strength to move.

Those short five to ten minutes, that was when it hit Natsu. For when he watched the fight rage on he didn't see the baby girl he used to sing to sleep.

He saw himself.

That burn, that desire, that consuming need to keep everyone he cared about safe, Nashi had it. Those instincts that made it impossible to just sit back and do nothing when a loved one was in distress, even if it was the smart thing to do, beat out of Nashi's heart in the same natural, integral way that her blood did. Suddenly Natsu was no longer kicking himself for not realizing she was going to slip away. It wouldn't have done any good. There was no one in heaven, hell, or earthland that could stop her. Not him, not Lucy, no one.

In those short few minutes every stupid decision, every dangerous move, every life-threatening gamble, every life threatening situation he'd gotten himself into raced through Natsu's memory. Now he no longer saw himself in those moments but his daughter. Suddenly all the yelling he'd endured from everyone his whole life about being an idiot began to make sense.

A part of him wanted to lock Nashi away in a tower like in all those stories Lucy read to the kids, but he never would. Again, she was turning out more and more like him everyday, and to be locked away somewhere would be torturous for him and her. He'd never do something like that to his little girl, no matter how much he may have wanted to at that moment. And, once again, it wouldn't have done anyone any good. She'd find a way to get out and go right back to being a reckless protector just like him. She herself may have not been a dragon slayer, but she had the heart of one.

At least she was smarter than him. Thank Mavis he'd been lucky enough to marry Lucy! Maybe her intelligence and genetics would be enough to counteract the stupid in his when it came to Nashi. Although if today was anything to go off of it didn't look too hopeful. Now looking back on his daughter's short life he should have guessed that. Yes, Nashi was very intelligent. She loved reading and solving riddles. But when it came to fighting or sparring all those brains went flying out the window and instinct took over.

Just like him.

Natsu shook his head. Why, oh, why did she have to take after him like that?

So this is what karma felt like, huh?

"You're gonna be the death of me, Firecracker," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "Still love you, though. And I'm proud of you."