Chapter 69

"It looks so crisp now." Levy marveled at Gajeel's tattoo as he looked at it in the mirror. It had been over three weeks since Bixlow did the touch-up, and it had finally healed up. Bixlow did an amazing job, but that was to be expected. He was the best tattoo artist in Magnolia, after all. The fierce dragon on Gajeel's back looked like it had new life. It was crisp, clean, sharp... no longer faded and dull. Its crimson eyes glared at all who saw it, a threat of death in those eyes. Its scales looked sharp and almost as if they were not skin, but actual scales. Bixlow had even added to the tattoo, which Gajeel appreciated. Now the dragon held an orb with the kanji for steel in it. He'd gotten inspiration for it from the end of Gajeel's little speech about steel being hard to break and whatnot.

It looked amazing.

"He did a great job." Gajeel nodded with a grin, turning to face his wife. He pulled her into his arms with a quick kiss. "How'd you feel if I got somethin on my arms, too?" he hummed at her. "Maybe some sleeves?"

"I think that would look great on you." Levy smiled at her husband.

"I was also thinking... maybe we should get a matching tattoo." he smirked, then, pressing a kiss to her temple. "On our anniversary, maybe?"

"Really?" the eagerness in Levy's voice made him grin widely.

"Really." he confirmed with a light chuckle. "I even have a design in mind."

"What is it?"

"I'm not telling." he grinned. "Ya gotta trust me on this, shrimp. I promise it's a good one. Even Bix really likes it."

"I trust you." Levy smiled happily at him. She knew he really did have a good design in mind. He wouldn't let her put something permanent on her body that she wouldn't love forever. "Let's do it, Gajeel. I want a matching tattoo with you."

"Good. I'll add it to the list, shrimp." he laughed lightly at her curious face.

"List?"

"List." he nodded. "I got a lot planned for our anniversary." he chuckled, silencing her with a finger to her lips when she tried to ask what he had planned. "My secret, for now." he winked. "You'll get to see it in two weeks. Just be patient."

Jude Heartfilia scratched at his beard, grumbling to himself about needing a shave. He hated growing his beard out. It itched like crazy and was highly unprofessional. He sighed heavily and relented to being unkempt. There wasn't anything he could do about it, down here in this cell. They barely allowed him a shower a week, and that was only to keep his stench away.

He leaned back against the cold stone wall. Three months, he'd been down here. He only knew that because Lucy told him the date when she came to visit him. It felt like it was so much longer than that. Down here in a basement cell, he couldn't tell whether it was night or day out. There was an analog clock on the wall to tell time... but the only way he knew if it was day or night was based on when meals were brought to him.

He was finally eating the meals he was brought. Hunger had humbled him and his high class palate. After starving himself for a week, even pig's food would have tasted like heaven to him. The soup and sandwich he'd eaten that day had been the best food he'd ever had. It took starvation to make him truly appreciate food of all kinds. He doubted he'd ever be picky again.

The sound of someone approaching was surprising to Jude, considering it was nowhere near meal time. There was rarely anyone down here, even in the cells. Fairy Tail didn't take a lot of prisoners, Jude noticed, and the ones they did take didn't last long after being interrogated. He, of course, was the exception for some reason. Jude guessed that it might be Lucy. She didn't visit often, but she did come sometimes.

Sure enough, his daughter appeared before his cell.

"Hey." She sighed softly as she looked down at him.

"Hello." He nodded in return. "Here to yell again?"

"No." Lucy gave a heavy sigh, crossing her arms. "I think you got the message. I just... want to talk."

"About?"

"Anything." She shrugged, looking away from him. "You... you are still my father. I would hate myself if we didn't talk some before the family finally gets rid of you."

"Oh? So has that been decided yet or?"

"The Don is still debating it." It was true. Gajeel was still trying to decide if he should kill Jude or not. He wasn't dangerous anymore and, with Cobra still out there, Jude could be useful down the road. Plus, Metalicana was right about one thing. Killing Jude wouldn't be a big enough punishment for his sins.

"I see. So... what would you like to talk about?"

"What were you going to do if you got me back?" She was quick to ask. She had wanted to know that for a very long time, and it was finally time to ask. Jude stared at her for a moment before sighing and looking away.

"That associate of mine still wanted to marry you." He admitted. The words he didn't say were obvious. He would have married her off the instant he could.

"You realize I'm married now? I know you would have known that before."

"I did." Jude nodded solemnly. "But... it's an easy fix, you know. Forged papers, bribed judge. You'd be divorced by the end of the week, married by the next."

"You would have done that to me?" Lucy asked but she wasn't really surprised. Jude's silence only confirmed this. "Even if, say, I had a child? Would you have taken me from my child?"

"Well... it's not like you do... do you?" Jude sighed. He knew he was a dick, but it's not like she really had a child to be separated from. His spies would have reported that. Lucy just stared at him for a moment before silently walking away, much to his confusion.

He thought she left for good. So he was surprised to hear someone enter the basement again a few minutes later.

"Mommy, where we go?" A tiny, very young child's voice was heard, and Jude felt his heart drop into his stomach. No, it couldn't be...

"To visit someone, sweetie." His daughter's voice came just as they came into sight. Jude's eyes widened upon seeing his daughter carrying a young girl in her arms. The child couldn't be more than three, and she was the spitting image of Lucy, but with pink hair that was pulled up into adorable pigtails.

"Lucy, she's..." Jude stared in awe at the small child. He was taken back to a time when Lucy, herself, was that small. She would follow him around all day and sing cute songs for him and her mother. And this child in his daughter's arms...

He was a grandfather, and he'd never known it.

"But... how did I not know? My spies..."

"We were very careful to keep her hidden." Lucy told her father. "She stayed with her other grandfather, mostly." She looked to her daughter and gave her a small smile. "Say hello, Kasai."

"Hi, mister!" The girl cheered happily. Her smile was so bright, and Jude couldn't help but smile back. She sure was a cute thing. Spunky, too.

"So?" Lucy's voice had Jude looking to her again. Her eyes were serious again. "If you had known about her... what would you have done? Would you have taken me from my baby? Would you have killed the one growing inside of me?" she demanded, placing her free hand on her stomach as she revealed her pregnancy. He was the first person aside from her husband to learn of this child. She'd known since shortly after her father was captured by the family. If he'd gotten her back then, it would have only taken another month or so for it to be discovered via her horrible morning sickness. She was still lean at just over four months pregnant, but... there was a bit of stomach now that could easily be mistaken for chub.

Jude's eyes went wide as saucers upon learning of her pregnancy. He looked between her face, her stomach, and her daughter... all the while trying to find an answer. What would he have done if he'd known of his granddaughter? If he'd gotten his daughter and discovered her pregnancy? What would he have done?

He... he didn't know. That scared him, too... because there was no telling what he might have done in that situation back then. Now? Now, well, of course he wouldn't have done it. He would have tried to make amends with his daughter. But that was now. Back then? During the war?

He didn't know...

Hi guys! So sorry for not posting Thursday, but I've had a busy couple of weeks. Hope this chapter makes up for it!

Please tell me what you think! I want to include a few more Jude and Lucy chapters, maybe bring Natsu in... but we'll see.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12