The clear blue sky sparkled with a shine that only inhuman creatures and would be dreamers could see if only they learned to open their eyes.
''Lucy!'' Lucy didn't notice the white front door open or the blue haired little girl running towards her until she heard her name. ''Oh Wendy its been much too long!'' Lucy slipped off her wedding ring dropping into her bag quickly and wiped away her forming tears, she embraced the young Dragneel who loved and looked up to her. ''Wendy you gotten so tall!'' ''And so beautiful too!'' Lucy hugged the twelve year old who was much too cuddly for her own good always finding herself being lifted off the ground by those who loved her when she was hugged.
''So you're twelve now Wendy? my you've grown so fast!'' she blushed under the love and compliments Lucy showered her with. ''Oh you brought Happy!'' Lucy handed the pet carrier to excited Wendy who clearly missed the blue cat. ''Aye.'' she said to the cat Lucy laughed and patted Wendy soft dark blue hair. ''Okay sweetie let's go in and find your mother.'' ''Okay.'' Wendy patted Happy's fur through the carrier and followed Lucy towards the green house.''
Lucy stepped foot into the unusually quiet Dragneel residence inhaling the scent of a large meal brewing in the kitchen mixed with orange blossoms, Lucy felt shyness rush to her stomach and her butterflies slipped into her veins to mingle with her warm blood heating it more.
'I haven't seen her in years.' Lucy was very close to Grandine as a child, she shared everything with her and gave her lots of hugs and kisses, she was like an older sibling to her though much older than her, she loved her dearly and wished to meet her whenever she found herself hurting.
Wendy released Happy into the living room and the five-year-old cat instantly went to find Carla wherever she might be sleeping to greet her.
Lucy took a seat on the soft couch and looked around the peachy colored room decorated with pictures of family and close family friends including her of course.
Lucy stared holes into a picture of her and her mother with Grandine sitting on a picnic mat, Layla was laughing and Grandine was shaking her fist at Igneel the photographer.
''No you shouldn't give her a phone that early, children should grow up surrounded by nature, not technology.''
Lucy could hear the voice of Grandine in the kitchen giving parenting advice over the phone. ''Were you expecting us today?'' ''Us..Natsu's coming also?!'' Lucy took that as a no they were unusually early in their visiting, Natsu had only told her about it the other day. ''Yeah he said he had something to do quickly.'' her thoughts glided back to Natsu and his haircut for a few minutes she toiled in her mind trying to find out the reason for all his recent odd behavior before the doorbell rang sending nervousness back into her blood stream maybe it was Igneel another loved friends or a visitor.
The flower perfume of the house was not helping her it was lovely but it was nerve wracking. ''I'll get it Ma!'' Gray raced down the stairs past Lucy to open the door and let Natsu in. ''You're bald!'' he yelled. ''Who's bald?!'' Grandine hollered from the kitchen and probably into the phone.
Natsu was not bald but his hair was the shortest Lucy had ever seen, she pushed past Gray who just acknowledged her presence. ''I didn't know you and Natsu were coming today, I gonna go tell Juvia and Lyon.''
Gray retreated up the stairs to go tell the twins about the duo's arrival. Natsu's hairstyle looked uniform it was medium length but the cut still covered his head and some strands of his hair hung down to his forehead.
''Why is your hair so short!'' Lucy rubbed his soft hair and pulled him by the nape of his neck to smell the cut. ''Dang let me in the house first.'' When Natsu was inside he bent down to let Lucy sniff his haircut since she loved the shampoo smell the barbers used but that didn't mean she wasn't sad about his locks.
Natsu picked up and embraced Wendy tightly dotting her face in kisses. ''I got something for you princess.'' Lucy felt bad that she didn't prepare gifts so she made a mental note to get some great ones next time. ''Who is bald?!'' Grandine called from the kitchen and Igneel asked the same question from his study only hearing his wife now. ''Let me call you back later, I think I'm about to fight one of my kids.'' Lucy giggled at Grandine's parting note and waited nervously for her to round the corner.
Igneel got there first and hugged his son who tried to get away from his ticklish red beard and wet kisses. ''I'm too old for that!'' he pushed with all his might but Igneel was still too strong for him. ''Why are you so strong,'' he whined. ''A father's love is never weak.'' he only hugged him tighter so he stopped resisting and waited for it to be over. ''You still kiss Gray no matter how much he whines.'' Lucy cut in. ''Yeah but that's different.'' Natsu's reasoning was a little strange as evident here.
finally clear of his father who now focused on Lucy he handed him a gift box as well. ''Lucy it has been years!'' he ruffled her hair in the same manner Natsu always did, to which she smiled and said. ''It has been much too long.'' ''Lucy!'' Grandine ran up behind her and hugged a squeak out of her, the source of Natsu's rough but lovable embraces was his strong mother.
''Have a seat.'' Grandine let her breathe the white-haired woman smiled radiantly the air of a mother lived elegantly in her presence, the wind from the still open door gently shook her hair that was streaked with naturally dark blue highlights. Grandine and Igneel were aged forty-two and three and were the younger out of their group of friends.
Natsu embraced his mother just as tightly as she hugged him making Lucy wonder how they managed to breathe when they hugged each other though they loosened their grips when hugging Wendy, Igneel and Gray seemed to suffer when the mother and oldest son hugged one of them, though.
Lucy watched the scene when suddenly her eyes began to sting and her head began to throb in a familiar way.
She felt cold with jealousy while the family was warm in a group hug that Wendy and Gray had just flown into. 'Don't fall apart in front of everyone.' the tiny voice in her mind whispered softly to her.
She was happy watching the family scene but she wanted so desperately to be a part of a similar scene and it ate away at her sweetheart, the same predicament her father was caught in as he wanted to be a part of Lucy's life for a long time to come.
Natsu looked up from within his burrow of warm friendly limbs to scope out tearful Lucy as he didn't feel her usual soft hands in the hug, caressing his back a habit of hers' he grew very fond of.
Lucy was looking at her tapping black shoes nervously waiting for the seemingly endless hug to be over when Natsu grabbed her by her arm and pulled her into the hug that tightened around her, laughter erupted when she squeaked as she wasn't used to their ridiculously tight hugs.
The hug broke apart when Lucy wanted it more than anything cause within it she felt happy and safe. ''I gotta finish cooking Lucy can you join me?'' '''I'd love to,'' she said shyly, Grandine squealed and headed back to check her pot and slice more vegetables.
''Why are you spilling diamonds so easily?'' Natsu asked after his parents departed to their workstations and his siblings went back to studying their own respectful work. ''What are you saying?'' Lucy kept her head down knowing perfectly well what he was talking about.
Natsu lifted her chin in his free hand as he had wrapped his other arm around her tiny frame. ''I mean why are you crying?'' he wiped away her tears. ''This is supposed be a happy meeting.'' ''It is really its just..'' ''Just what?'' ''I wanted so bad to be apart of a family like that though I know I can't.'' ''Why can't you?''
Natsu asked scanning her face with his dark eyes. ''My mother has passed,'' she said removing his hand from her chin and looking down again. ''She could never replace her but my mother is yours if you treat her that way.'' Lucy smiled brightly looking into his face. ''Really I can?''
''Of course anything for a smile from you, truly its one of the best things in the world.'' he was surprised at how eager she was to treat Grandine like her mother.
''Don't get all sentimental.'' Lucy smacked Natsu playfully on the arm and ran off to see Grandine with a new found joy in her heart. ''So are you guys really married now?'' Gray whispered loud enough for only Natsu to hear after Lucy left because Wendy was present in the room but overly invested in her school work.
''No,'' he whispered back climbing the wooden chocolate steps to meet Gray halfway. ''Why are you still wearing your ring then.'' Natsu nearly had a heart attack slipping the ring off and into his brother's hand. ''Can you give that to Lucy and ask her to put it in her bag?'' ''Sure but I didn't get a gift when you came back I saw mommy and dad got one not to mention Wendy.'' ''Isn't my love enough for you?'' Natsu asked hugging his brothers head tightly playfully hurting him.
''No it isn't.'' Gray smiled his cheeky half-smile. ''Punk.'' ''Of course, I got you something.'' Natsu handed him two extra gifts for Lyon and Juvia upstairs. ''Tell Juvia to eat well.'' he patted his brother's back gently sending him back up the stairs with a heartfelt gaze ''Make sure to study well.
Natsu sat by Wendy in the living room playing with the two cats. ''Carla you've lost some weight since I last saw you.'' he rubbed behind her white ears listening to her soft purr. He helped his little sister with problems she didn't quite understand so that his father could review medical documents in his study peacefully.
The odd winter rain will scatter and vanish until spring peeks its pink cherry blossom colored head into the window that reflects the blue sky.
Lucy moved swiftly around the kitchen pleasantly surprising Grandine with her quick work, the older woman watched her proudly while munching on a spinach pie Lucy handed her during her own quest to thinly slice and arrange potatoes on a baking sheet, Lucy's spinach pies disappeared gradually as the Dragneels caught wind of its presence in the house when Grandine heated hers up.
Lucy found herself outside picking cucumbers from the family garden when Gray walked up to her chewing on a yogurt granola bar. ''Here.'' he handed her Natsu's ring.''He was wearing it wasn't he?'' ''Yep and he told me to give it to you.'' Lucy sighed and slipped it into her bag, she could have sworn she told him to take it off but sometimes he spaced out like that.
Lucy sat on the vibrant grass that took up most of the Dragneels large back yard with her back against a large oak the only tree present in the yard that was decorated with bird- feeders.
It didn't feel like it had been long since she came to Natsu's house but she had already sent a text to her father saying she would be late and that she had more food in the slow cooker.
Lucy looked at the setting cherry cast sun that allowed snow to trickle in water droplets on the purple flowers by the privacy fence.
She had already said Hi to the sweet girl next door Sherria who she caught fondly watching Lyon through Gray's window from the apple tree in her yard.
Lucy opened her mouth in awe at the large vegetable garden Igneel managed to cultivate, looking at it made her wish she had one. 'Maybe in the future, I'll get a small one.' Lucy watched the sprinklers dance under the impending twilight creating fading rainbows as darkness took over the last specks of endearing light. ''Lucy are you planning on living outdoors?'' Natsu scared her out of her wits like it was his self-made tradition.
''Come inside it's dark now.'' he tugged at her arm effortlessly driving her to her feet worried she was out here crying until she smiled telling him about her dreams of a mini garden. ''I see with all the seeds you collect that's possible but let's go inside and discuss this before the mosquitoes decide they like your taste.'' he slapped the back of his neck. ''They love me already let's not let them get to know you.'' Lucy giggled and followed him back into the house after one last look around the dark and beautiful yard.
''Bye guys!'' Gray called out the door watching until Lyon and Juvia were let into the house across the street before he closed the door.
Lucy hesitated for a heartbeat more before she sat at the dinner table on a misplaced chair that was originally from Igneel's study. ''I don't want to send you both home as your residences are far.''
Grandine believed Jude moved Lucy far away after Layla passed away and that was the reason they had not come to visit, they believed Lucy was living happily with her father who had been there all along.
Lucy played on that note and accepted to spend the night with arrangements that Natsu would stay with Gray and Lucy would stay in his old room because she didn't want them to feel bad when they found out she was just an hour away by train or that Jude was gone for seven years.
''I can't go with you, mommy.'' ''I'm sorry.'' ''Why can't you go to the fair with me?'' Grandine questioned Natsu closely watching him clear the white table.
Natsu swallowed the lump that had been in his throat all week. ''I came here unannounced because..'' Igneel turned to look and suddenly the whole house was expectant of his answer. ''I came to say goodbye to everyone here,'' Lucy felt as if she had fallen into a brook of cold silver water, it would have been pleasant if her ears weren't ringing out as bubbles rushed into her eyes and ears. Tears began to fall without much information received from the boy, she had been worried all day about the reason to his haircut and his recent secrets.
''Why are you leaving and where are you going?'' she asked full of regret for no reason at all. ''I have been placed into the 'World Savior Program' and I leave after tomorrow, I'll be busy tomorrow finishing the preparations for my flight.'' suddenly she understood why he was acting sketchy lately..why he got the haircut, he was planning on going away for a long time.
How quickly the happy atmosphere faded no one could really tell watching Natsu stand up and walk up the stairs towards Gray's room and his for the night as he didn't want to deal with the ones he loved beginning to cry. ''How long are you going for?!'' Gray called after him, everyone was shocked but especially worried that he would be going for 3 years or longer.
''A year and a half, don't blame me.'' his voice sounded odd from the top of the stairs maybe because his confession weighed down on him and hurt his heart only further.
After the sound of Gray's door was heard clicking closed, Lucy rose from the table and darted up the stairs to Natsu old room which she found after her third try.
she turned on the light and dived onto his bed and slithered under the covers in the room that was neat and constantly dusted which made her realize in greater depth of how much the Dragneels missed their oldest child.
his room looked like that of a smart teenage boy's the walls held old books concerning medical topics that were passed to him from his mother as well as childish books here and there were titles such as. 'Footprints in the peanut butter' and 'Goodnight moon'.
A picture frame with his favorite quote rested on the nightstand next to a little dark blue lamp that was decorated by the big silver moon and many yellow stars which complimented his baby blue walls that were edged with a dark blue at the top making a makeshift indoor sky.
"The energy of the mind is the essence of life."
—Aristotle
she read the quote over and over through wet eyes. ''Gotta stay strong,'' she whispered wiping her tears on the corner of his pure white blanket which smelled of peach laundry detergent.
Lucy spent the night weeping to herself feeling selfish for taking Natsu away when he went to live near her during his high school and college years but she still wanted him more and didn't want him to leave and go overseas.
she buried her head under his covers when she heard someone turn the door knob it was probably Grandine but she was ashamed to be crying at this hour so she pretended to be sleep.
The visitor padded into the room and bounced onto the bed it was Happy who mewed and made his way under the covers licking at her nose bridge.
Lucy smiled slightly but who turned the knob and let the cat in? she slightly adjusted her position to allow more space for Happy. The human visitor turned off the lamp and plugged in the pineapple looking nightlight instead, closing the window and canceling out the cold breeze her mystery person took a seat beside her on Natsu's bed.
''Luce I'm sorry for not telling you in this month I had quite the amount of chances and not telling you all gentler.'' Natsu's voice spoke after a minute causing Lucy's tears to flow renewed again. ''I was scared at how you would react.'' he thought he was talking to himself gently but tightly hugging the lump hidden under the white and blue star sprinkled covers.
''I've never felt so afraid and unsure in my life.'' he sighed looking around the room. ''But I promise I'll be back.'' and with that, he patted where her head would be and made his way out of 'her' room silently.
Lucy wondered how she was going to hide her puffy eyes in the morning as memories rolled down her cheeks in the form of hot fat tears.
She could feel the meaning of the words flowing through her body like warm milk but she didn't understand why he signed up for that dangerous program, something didn't add up.
Lucy sat up on 'her' bed to whisper into her hands. ''A piece of my heart is walking around outside of my body, I hope he is safe as I can't live well without him.'' ''Please keep him safe for me.'' she choked out her final words scaring Happy who ran out the still cracked door soon to be replaced by Carla who found her way inside.
Some people think that tomorrow will bring only sorrow but I have seen many tomorrows and they can only get better.
''I'm sorry,'' Natsu whispered to himself laying beside Gray who had long cried himself to sleep listening to Natsu talk about Ivan and all the stress he was struggling through.
he was whispering sorry to all the people he would be leaving behind for going overseas to help people was a dangerous yet commendable job he would work until this same time next year. ''This is just me stumbling and falling.'' he covered his eyes and let the tears flow without a word more though his mind still operated.
''Since I am always smiling people think I am the strongest there ever was, but sometimes I can feel my heart tearing itself apart inside. I feel sometimes like disappearing but I don't want to fade away...I still want to feel loved.'' 'I AM loved what is my mind coming up with.' he rolled over and snuggled with his brother trying to escape poisonous thoughts.
Unable to do so he rose from the bed and walked out the front door for a breather. ''Hey,'' Igneel said coming out to join him shortly. ''Hi,'' he replied sitting cross-legged on the ground looking up at the stars that ducked shyly behind clouds but came out to peep at the two souls who were still awake in the sleeping town. ''You signed up to go?''
Igneel sat beside him and raised his head to the sky stretching out the knots in his bones. ''No the director did that.'' ''And you can't say no why?'' his father asked sitting closer to him and holding his shoulder in a hug that was the tamest by far. Igneel radiated more warmth then Natsu did so he felt warm in his father's embrace. ''Ivan said he would shut down the program which is the master's legacy and then he said if I still refuse he would send Lucy instead.'' ''You can't let that happen.'' ''No never.'' Igneel ruffled his son's short hair though the wind was already gliding through the pink locks.
''Life is simply a four lettered word for struggle.'' ''Things will start looking up for you I swear, you just have to survive and live through it.'' Igneel planted a kiss on his forehead that previously would have been under his hair. ''Okay?'' he hugged a shy okay out of Natsu who was afraid of crying right then and there. ''Now let's go in the house before we die here.'' ''Why would we die here?'' Natsu asked following Igneel back to the door. ''Have you met the mosquitoes?'' Natsu giggled receiving a final hug before they parted ways in the hallway and returned to their beds.
'If I look at my life I can see I am blessed, all I have to do is survive and it will get better.' laying next to Gray he made a mental note of his conversation with his father.
knowing he would regret it if he didn't sleep he closed his eyes and waited for his upcoming and busy day.
As for Lucy she held a strong conviction in her heart that she would indeed try and seek help in the way Natsu had wanted her to.
This Chapter is dedicated to StellaHeartfilia.
_It has happened he did it! he said it! (JonTron joke right there).
I hope anyone who has tuned into to this chapter enjoyed it.
Please excuse my mistakes.
The next chapters should take more time since I have to take more time with my school.
please let me know what you think of the story so far and how I could make it better.
-Peace