''No matter how far you wander, you can never truly get away from this love we've created, this love will transcend life.''

Frost lightly swirled in the milky twilight, the stars shone and the clouds danced together with the dropping snowy ashes down to earth only to rest atop our old man's head.

Jude hailed the latest cab he could, sore and tired and only just getting off of work at 2:00 AM, he had left Lucy's keys in his drawer back at the hospital.

He slumped down on the cold velvety seat of the rather cool car, recounting memories that haunted him in his younger old age. ''Where are you going?'' the young driver interrupted his train of thought. ''To Fairy Hills.'' ''You think you can pay for that?'' ''It always costs extra when we have to drive through forest type places Sir,'' ''I have enough to pay for that.''

That was a truth no one could deny as the Heartfilia family was known to be wealthy for all of the medical prodigies they produced from both sides so after learning his last after light chatter the driver sighed a bit lazy to go that far.

Memories of his wife and daughter, ones he didn't like discussing such as the reason he didn't let Lucy attend the funeral of his beloved Layla came flooding back into his head.

The uncalled for and unorganized autopsy that left her disfigured in her open casket, a scene he didn't wish for his daughter to remember till the end of her days, he only wanted her to see a smiling and beautiful Layla in her mind when she pictured her.

Jude still had two haunting cases in the vicinity of his heart: finding out who performed the autopsy and discovering the mystery behind the false text message.

Whosoever was responsible for either of the crimes he hoped wasn't near his daughter so he returned to keep her safe while starting his investigation over again, the real reasons he returned from overseas was that every clue from doctors who went around the world after that tragedy brought him back to his own hospital and he hoped the criminal(s) wasn't anyone he knew because that would only increase the boiling fury in his heart and the poisonous want for revenge. as he knew this same person had to have something to do with her unnatural and sudden death.

Jude began to scratch his suddenly itchy palm till it turned red, his nervous habit that brought Layla's attention to him all those years ago. ''Hey you! let me see your palm are you allergic to anything?'' he heard her words and lifted his head looking directly into her chocolate orbs during a class session for people like him who were unusually talented in that field.

''The world's still a beautiful place despite all that I've lost.'' ''How so when you have lost so much?'' the driver replied after a minute of thought into Jude's sudden subject. ''The shimmering lights and colors my lovely wife introduced to me still remain in my eyes, the wind still gently caresses my hair in the way she once did.''

''I won't ever remarry, I'll live with her past love surrounding me.'' he gazed out the window at people closing up their late shops and grabbing their coats to go home.

''The butterflies in my stomach still revive when I think of my happiest days with her.'' he said in an almost whisper.

''You're divorced?'' the driver pulled into Fairy Hills' with one last bounce of the car ''No, I'm a widow.''

''I'm so sorry.'' ''But I feel like she is still here waiting for me.'' Jude slid from his seat and walked around to the window to tip the driver and pay the fare. ''Besides I know I will see her again.'' ''All I have to do is wait.''

Jude opened the door to his daughter's apartment squinting for even a tiny bit of color this time he refused to be frightened by Natsu showing up as soon as he stepped in, and as he expected the young pink haired boy was waiting for him sleep lingering in his eyes that lit up when he saw his 'Father-In-Law' ' 'You always take so long to come home.'' husky tiredness slipped off of his complaints that were accompanied with happy smile.

''You don't have to wait up for me.'' Jude took off his shoes and Lucy's life-saving jacket. ''I hear the door open up and it bothers me enough to wake.'' he bent to straighten Jude's shoes as a kind of perfectionist. ''I didn't hear the car pull in this time?'' Natsu furrowed his eyebrows.

''I left the keys in my office and came by taxi.'' ''Oh.'' Jude looked at the boy who was always weary of intruders and different dangers when it came to the two blondes that held strict places in his heart, ''I can make a sound when I come home late so you'll know it's me.'' Jude raised a eyebrow waiting for a reply from the sleepy 'child'.

''Nah I like waiting up for you, that way I know you're okay.'' Jude cracked a slight smile Natsu was just as kind as he remembered. ''Okay but don't get all mushy with me and let's go to sleep.''

Jude walked past Natsu to the kitchen to get a glass of cool water to revive his bones and throat, Natsu handed him a thick pair of socks and gloves. ''It's colder than normal so I set up a heater in your room.'' ''I could have used that heater earlier..'' he squinted at Natsu with his usual sour face.

Natsu looked at Jude through slit eyes 'this guy always finds a way to argue with me.' Natsu hugged Jude tightly and transferred as much warmth as that short hug would allow, it was an act of sweet kindness that he didn't mind since he liked the slender old man. ''Do you have Hyperthyroidism?'' Jude teased.

''No I'm naturally warm.'' ''Don't randomly hug me at least tell me first.'' ''Who the heck ever said hey I'm about to hug you?'' It was pointless to argue with Natsu so Jude walked off without another word and dived into his warm bed finding a warm water bottle under his sheets.

Natsu laid beside and cuddled Lucy who was sleeping but still managing to give the cold shoulder, he wondered why Jude was so sour all the time or was that his personality? (Yup)

''But not everyone starts out sour If we can still love him in that state, I wonder how lovable he was back in the day?'' Natsu cut his thoughts short exhaled imaginary bubbles and let the waves of sleep drown him quickly before the heartless sun's glare kept him from sleeping.

Jude opened his eyes to a warm day-off still tired from that late night and he would've slept longer but Lucy's loud noises woke him up, Jude rolled over pulling off his warm gloves that were now too hot for the occasion, looking at the pink alarm clock by the bed it was only 1: PM he totally would have slept the whole day and not minded as he normally slept long periods of time even when he was a young boy, it was just how he was.

Jude fell out of his bed and waddled to the kitchen to see where all the racket was coming from and if it was Natsu causing the noise have mercy on his soul.

Seeing it was Lucy he dived onto the couch before deciding he needed a blanket so he went and got that and came back to sleep in this new comfortable place. ''Lu what are you doing?'' ''Making lunch and snacks, don't worry I'm done with the blender so you can rest now.'' Jude watched blue flowers bloom on the roof as sleep a forever companion overtook him again for six hours to go making his waiting lunch turn into dinner.

Natsu hopped into an unexpectedly cold shower as soon as he woke up, he couldn't believe he managed to sleep through Lucy's food processor and now she turned off the blender. 'What in the world is she concocting?' He threw on a black cotton t-shirt and black denim jeans topped with shiny black shoes without laces (because he hated tying his shoes). 'Why is this so tight?' he adjusted his silver belt buckle nervously to no avail.

'I need to go shopping.' his pants were tight on his thighs from all his working out and he didn't like when pants hugged his bottom so he wore an oversized black sweater over his t-shirt, Natsu brushed his soft hair laced with sweet almond oil into a somehow pink side sweep that he knew for a fact was going to bounce right out of the style if he jumped around. flicking his hair out of his eyes and adjusting his bangs he went to go see what was going on after of course grabbing his phone.

'Luce, what're you doing?' Natsu finally rounded the corner to confront Lucy for all that noise that caused him to wake up earlier than 3: PM. Lucy didn't answer and a cold breeze ran through his heart because it was impossible for her not to hear him unless she was deaf. ''The day is unexpectedly warm and I need to go clothes shopping.'' he tried again and this time she answered coldly. ''Then go shopping why do you need to tell me?'' Natsu stared at her with a hurt look on his face before his weird mind giggled imagining her wearing his sweater it turned into a party dress and suddenly she was less threatening.

The two were dressed alike once again she was wearing black skinny jeans under a short black dress with see-through sleeves finished off with shiny Mary Janes, she was currently standing in front of the counter top wrapping up three different meals and fresh fatayers (Lebanese spinach pies) her eyes focused solely on her task and never lifted to look at Natsu once. ''We look like we are about to go to a funeral, but then we would be inappropriately dressed.'' she didn't answer his random remark 'somethings up'.

''Luce you can't still be mad at me?'' Lucy habitually took a note of Natsu's sweet chamomile and lavender scent wrapping her pastries tightly in plastic wrap and handing him one out of the goodness of her heart.

''Yes I still am, so leave me alone.'' Natsu bit into the soft bread eyeing the blonde who was placing her creations into a big basket. ''How can I leave you alone, I have to have my best friend with me all the time.

''Lucy handed him a spicy chicken dish that was sitting inside of a plastic meal container which allowed only bits of the delicious scent to leak out of it. ''If you're mad at me then why do you treat me so well, even making lunch for me?'' ''Cause I don't want to be mad at you Natsu!'' ('I like you')

''Then why are you mad at me?'' Natsu looked at the top of her head waiting for an answer and then to her wedding ring happy she still wore it though he still wasn't sure if she liked him like that.

She did not answer him but instead focused her attention on writing a note for Jude, she was writing a note cause she was planning on taking her car and escaping for a few hours maybe visit Levy and drop some of the spinach pies.

''Hold that thought I need to get a few things.'' Natsu sat all of his possessions on the table and flew back to their shared room, Lucy watched him go only just looking at him.

'Brr' 'Brr' Natsu's phone vibrated on the table in between his lunch and snack, out of curiosity Lucy looked at the caller ID seeing it was a common friend Mira-Jane calling she picked up the phone.

''Natsu finally! I've been calling you for an hour now, I wanted to let you know your test results are back and you should get the haircut.'' ''As well as I know what you've been hiding I got it out of Lisanna.'' ''Just cause you tell her not tell me doesn't mean I can't read her face.''

Lucy didn't answer Mira but only listened to the one sided conversation. ''Natsu Hello?'' When Mira began to question if he was listening Lucy got scared and hung up the phone placing it back in its spot exactly. 'What test results?' 'A haircut why?' 'What did he tell Lisanna and not me?' she had new questions and it wasn't like she could ask him directly could she? 'He wouldn't get mad at me would he?'

Natsu walked back into the kitchen with his wallet, some gum,a small camera, and Happy in his pet carrier after a few minutes. ''What's that for?'' Lucy asked taking a bite out of her spinach pie nervously, Natsu stared at her blankly spying a piece of spinach in her front teeth. ''What?'' she scrunched her nose at him.

''We're gonna visit my family today remember?'' he looked at her like she grew another head. ''Can't we go tomorrow?!'' Lucy was panicking and wanted to postpone the event that in her opinion was too sudden. ''Why are you so riled up it's just my family, come on let's go.'' Natsu grabbed a basket off of the refrigerator and placed his wallet, phone, gum, lunch, and Lucy's things from her basket into it making his basket rather heavy.

Lucy put Jude's meal, a glass, and pitcher of water on the coffee table in front of him and adjusted his blanket under his chin and over his hands.

Natsu grabbed her wrist after she got her white purse and led her outside into the warm and wonderful wind that was in the process of hugging each and every little flower Fairy Hills had to offer.

The dappled green shade allowed little droplets of light seep down towards Lucy's irises making her chocolate orbs appear hazel for a second before she blinked and averted her face from the twinkling natural light that shifted in the palm of the open air bringing in breezes that held scents of different kinds that managed to do something humanity has yet to do live harmoniously, The ground was kind of damp but not muddy as the grass wouldn't allow for such treachery.

squirrels scolded the duo from the tree top and chattered with insects sleeping in comfy leaves awaiting nightfall and the bloom of a butterfly cocoon.

Lucy's eyes wandered upon the carved quote on the tree "The future bears down upon each one of us with all the hazards of the unknown. The only way out is through." -Plutarch it kind of made her upset looking at it so she focused on something else like the birds that flew through the sky in the same way that a stone chipped across the water, or the melting snow that fell from the tired trees in giant piles onto the ground that was prepared for more water to drink in.

''So..'' Lucy had just realized she was standing there admiring the almost saddening beauty of the forest, she held onto Natsu's hand looking through new leaves into the sky filled with wispy cotton clouds. ''Where's my car?'' ''Jude left your keys in his office.'' she said realizing hers was the only one not present in the makeshift 'parking lot' ''Why?'' ''He was too tired to drive.'' ''Oh.'' ''So are we gonna walk?'' ''No dumbo we're gonna take the train.

Now it was Lucy's turn to look at him like he had just run out of an outhouse screaming ''Mercy on our souls the end is here!'' ''You want to take the train?'' she asked what he just answered, ''Yup I can suffer to see my mother.'' 'That's dedication.' she thought letting Natsu lead her through the winding path of the forest out into the opening, they walked passed Magnolia General all they way to the train station. ''But what about your father?'' ''Then I would walk.'' ''Why?'' ''Cause he always attacks me with kisses.'' she chuckled and held onto his arm tightly matching his wide steps that were unbeknownst to her lessening so she could keep up.

Lucy looked at Natsu and wondered why he took her from mood to mood so easily, Lucy brushed Natsu's hair out of his onyx eyes and told him she was still angry to which he only giggled making her awkwardly hold her own laughter because she honestly didn't want to give into her changing mood not realizing she laughed earlier.

Lucy recognized many people who were once her patients at the station she remembered little Minerva fondly who was afraid of needles and screamed when her little brother Simon needed one.

Minerva made eye contact with Lucy and she waved happily it was sweet that the little girl now filled with smiles remembered her dearly though everyone in Magnolia remembers but tend to place a person or thing so far in the back of their minds that it had to be brought back with hypnotherapy, truly it was the city that never forgot but only some families gave birth to endless generations of prodigies, Minerva being a musical genius climbed aboard the train with her violin in hand.

Natsu recognized Minerva's father on the other hand and watched him proudly recounting how quickly he came around in his healing process just for his family's sake.

Natsu groaned in pain for the millionth time garnering the same icy stares from strangers that basically said ''Shut him up before I snap.'' It was on her nerves but she was a patient and sympathetic person so she just sat rubbing circles on his stomach with a fist, Natsu rested his head on her thighs looking into another realm lost in his pain and dizziness his own mental fight caught up with him whenever he had to take some form of transportation while Lucy's caught with her when she was left alone.

''Other people could use those seats.'' an old woman with tight facial features spoke up in her annoying shrill voice for the tenth time it was hard to hide from her as she sat across from Lucy watching her closely, this time she caught Lucy's attention the old woman was the second broken record player on the train Natsu being the first groaning and asking if they were there yet plus Happy meowing 'Aye' the entire time afraid of the bouncing train.

Lucy grabbed Natsu's arms and helped him shift to a sitting position so others could sit in the space his long legs took up.

Lucy gulped nervously as she only just realized she was going to see Grandine in an almost Gothic attire, the outfit was nice but why couldn't she have gotten lighter colored clothing? she should not let her mood dictate her clothing choices from now on till forever and what was even worse was Natsu was wearing all black too people probably thought they were some crazy weird couple as she had pink nails that matched with his oddly 'dyed' hair or at least they thought it was that way, the only other colorful thing was Lucy's purse.

''Ahem!'' the same old lady spoke up again. ''Yes?'' Lucy was used to dealing with old people that had quick tempers so she was patient. ''We know you two are married but where is your decency?'' ''HM?'' Lucy looked at Natsu he wasn't resting his head on her shoulder anymore but was rather resting it on a more comfortable surface. Lucy grabbed his face and moved him from her breasts back to her shoulder and apologized quickly flustered for all the right reasons.

''Do we have to take the train when we're going back as well? Natsu asked. ''You're the one who suggested we take it! Of course, we have to take it again.'' she said annoyed it was like carrying a heavy 5'11 bag when she went places with him. Natsu groaned at her response then randomly handed her a piece of strawberry gum.

''Are you saying my breath stinks?'' she accepted the gum with a rhetorical question. ''No your breath doesn't stink I thought you would like some gum.'' ''but there's spinach in your teeth,'' Natsu said bluntly walking past her to admire the different air of Oak town, Lucy ran to catch up with him after checking her teeth. ''My God! you could have told me that before we got on the train!'' ''I was talking to people and you let me with a piece of spinac-'' she squealed in embarrassment holding Natsu's arm and burying her blushing face in his wool sweater.

Natsu laughed and continued on walking while Lucy talked him up about all the people who looked at her weirdly on the train. During their walk, Lucy's shame faded and she finally peeked out of the burrow she made in his forearm to look at the beautiful view of the Oak Town she heard so much about.

The trees rocked to a lullaby the human ear couldn't hear summoning gentle breezes to fondly kiss the faces of strangers and carry spices and perfumes to tickled noses.

It was a cool and damp morning in the little town, dimly sunlit hillsides let silver waters fall from their fingers and trickle down into a valley, everything even to the far horizon was seemingly in view when Lucy looked around with eyes full of awe. ''It's breathtaking.'' she held Natsu her only guide's arm and watched a beautiful variety of butterflies swirling in the air looking for fresh wild flowers. Doves and pigeon flocked around watching everything not letting a single detail whisk by their keen eyes.

Lucy was pleased by the pretty views everywhere she looked in the town that was fresh and new to her and she hoped to see more of Oak Town's clear deep blue hued sky one day.

Natsu received a phone call and judging by his face he looked like he was expecting it. ''Luce I'll drop you and Happy at the house and come by in a few.'' ''HUH?'' ''You can't just leave me there I need you.'' ''I'll be right around the corner besides my family won't eat you alive.'' ''I know but I'm shy.'' Natsu ruffled her hair and messed it up. ''You're fine.'' Natsu walked her up to a big sea foam green colored house that was edged with darker green wood giving it a forest home feeling.

''Go on in the gate isn't locked.'' he left her by the white gate no matter how much she pouted her lips. ''Luce I'll be back cute I got to get my hair shaved.'' ''Shaved?'' she repeated after him. ''SHAVED?'' ''WHY?!'' she called after him. ''Reasons.'' that wasn't enough of an answer for Lucy she looked at the perfectly groomed red climbing roses on the white fence of the green house.

'Does he have a problem he doesn't want to tell me about?'' 'What test results?' she remembered Mira on the phone talking about a haircut, the thoughts of Natsu's being sick while she was only angry at him flooded her mind and brought tears to her eyes. ''Natsu you idiot!'' she called knowing well he heard her.

The blood red roses on the white fence danced gently to an unheard tune making Lucy feel even more nervous as to what was awaiting her.

~End of chapter~

The chapter after this should be out soon.

I hoped you enjoyed this one, please leave me a review of your thoughts of the story so far.

I'm nearing the end of High school so I am continuously busy as an active member of my large family and kind of like a third parent being the fourth kid and all.

excuse the mistakes in my story that I have so often overlooked and the speediness of the plot.

But enough of my rambling Thank you for tuning in and taking the time to read this far.

-Peace