A/N: Hello again, guys! I was stuck on what to write for this chapter, because I have something coming up in the story, but I felt like there would've been too big of a time gap between the last chapter and the thing, so then a friend suggested I do something like this!

Hope you like it!

Lucy was out with the girls today. Layla was almost three weeks old, and she and Natsu were doing a kind of experiment to see if she was okay being taken care of by only one of them so that they could start doing jobs again. Now that he thought about it, Natsu didn't know exactly why they'd decided to have him watch the baby alone first, but he hadn't argued at Lucy's suggestion.

"So Lucy, how is it with the baby?" Levy finally asked her friend as they sat down at a cafe for lunch. She and Erza had refrained from asking about Layla all morning, figuring that this was a bit of a break from the baby, but they were excited to know how the family had been doing, as they hadn't been to the guild in a little while. And knowing Lucy, she'd probably love to chatter about her child.

"Oh, it's been great!" Lucy said with a wide grin after taking a sip of her herbal. "It can be frustrating, at times, but I love her so much! I just love her small, chubby, adorableness, and her wide, hazel eyes that stare at the world in wonder, and her soft, pink hair that already acts stubbornly and is in constant disarray just like her father's..." Lucy trailed off a bit and let her grin fall as she said the part about Layla taking after her father, then gave a small smile to her suddenly concerned friends. "Yeah, she's really taking after her father. Was super interested in his flames the other day, the night of that storm..."

"Lucy...?" Erza questioned.

"Hm?" Lucy suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.

"Is something wrong?" Levy voiced both she and Erza's concerns.

"No, no... Nothing's wrong. Everything's... fine. Layla's happy, Natsu's happy..."

Erza and Levy gave each other a look of worry. Something was going on with Lucy. She'd been so joyous to have Layla and start her family with Natsu. What had changed? Did she regret having a baby? But she'd been so excited! "But what about Lucy? Is Lucy happy?"

Lucy's stature suddenly straightened as she nodding her head. "Yes, yes, I'm happy! Of course I'm happy! I love Layla with every bit of my heart! I just..." Lucy trailed off again. She hadn't admitted these anxieties to anyone, not even her husband, and she didn't really know how to say them.

But her friends urged her on. "Lucy..." Levy reassured gently, making sure Lucy knew she could tell them anything.

"I just don't know if Layla really needs me," Lucy finally blurted out.

"What do you mean? You're her mother!"

"She's taking after Natsu in almost every way," Lucy explained. "And she has such a connection to him. A lot of the time, he can just hold her and she'll calm down. I need Natsu to help me take care of her because she loves her father so much, but after she moves off breast milk... I just don't think he'll -they'll- need me. When Natsu suggested we try taking care of her with just one of us so the other could go on jobs, I... I got scared! I just can't, guys! Layla needs Natsu! I can't do it alone! I pushed for Natsu to take care of her today so I could try and figure this stuff out, but we all know that Natsu will be going on jobs most! What happens then!? Wha-" Lucy was suddenly interrupted by her friends wrapping their arms around her in a hug.

"It's going to be okay, Lucy," Erza told her.

"Even if it doesn't seem like it now, Layla certainly loves you."

"You're an amazing mother, Lucy. You cherish your daughter and you'll do anything for your family."

"And you said she was taking after her father? If that's the case, then she has to love you more than anything!" Levy reminded her.

"Yes!" Erza agreed. "She has to!"

"I know neither of us have kids and that we can't really relate to your issues, Lu, but I just know it'll be okay. If it doesn't seem like she's connecting with you now, then I'm sure she will in the future." Levy told Lucy.

"What I think you need to do," Erza started, "is tell Natsu how you've been feeling. He can probably make you feel immensely better about this than we can."

Lucy nodded. She hadn't wanted to tell anyone, especially not Natsu, but now that Levy and Erza had pulled it out of her, telling her husband seemed much easier than before. She could do it.

"Do you want to go now?" Levy suggested. "Erza and I won't hold it against you if you bail on lunch," she teased.

Lucy smiled. "Yes, I'd better go and talk to Natsu now before I lose my confidence again. This morning was great, guys," Lucy told them as she stood up. "I can't wait to do it again sometime." The girls all said their goodbyes, and then Lucy was headed back home.

"How long... how long have you felt like that?" Natsu asked his wife as she finished telling him her concerns. When Lucy had arrived home, Natsu had just gotten Layla down for a nap. He felt so dumb for not noticing that something was off with Lucy. He was usually particularly conscious of her emotions! He felt so horrible!

"Since... since about a week after Layla was born," Lucy hesitantly replied.

Natsu shook his head. "A couple of weeks already!? Why- Why didn't you say anything!?"

"Because..." Lucy sighed. "Because I was afraid. I was afraid feeling like this made me a bad mother..."

"Lucy, you're a fantastic mother! You love and cherish our daughter with every bit of your heart! You're not a bad mom at all!"

Lucy smiled. "Yeah, I just... I wish I could calm her down like you always can..."

"Lucy, she likes when I hold her now because I'm warm, remember? You're the one that figured it out!" Natsu laughed. "But when summer comes, she's probably gonna hate me for that! I mean, there's been times, remember, that you won't even let me hold your hand in the summer because it's just too hot!" Lucy laughed, as well. Natsu really could always make her feel better. "And I think Layla takes after you more than you realize. Every time she's staring at something in wonderment, Lucy, I see you. She may have my eyes, but the gleam in them is yours."

Lucy smiled as she leaned into her husband, seeking his warmth in the same way Layla so often did. Maybe the girl was taking a bit from her mother. Natsu wrapped his arms around her and they stayed like that for a good while, loving the moments of peace and comfort with each other.

After just a few minutes though, crying resounded from Layla's room. Lucy immediately darted up to go check on her and Natsu found himself once again dumbfounded by the fact that she thought she was a bad mother. Natsu listened as Lucy started singing her lullaby to the baby, who calmed down fairly quickly. Natsu grinned at that and began approaching Layla's bedroom.

He was greeted with the sight of Lucy rocking Layla in the rocking chair, softly singing to the nearly-sleeping girl. Lucy was smiling as wide as she could through her singing. He watched his daughter's wiggling and cooing gradually slow down until she was asleep again. Lucy sat and rocked her for just a bit more before standing up and laying Layla in her crib again. She quietly gestured for Natsu to leave as she herself began to.

"That was fast," Natsu commented. "How'd you know she needed to go back to sleep again?"

"Because that was her sleepy cry," Lucy remarked, as if it was obvious and required no further explanation. Natsu made it clear that she did need to explain, though. "She cries differently when she's hungry, needs a diaper change, is tired, or just wants attention."

"See, Luce?" Natsu pointed out. "I couldn't even tell you that! Don't ever think you're a bad mother, Honey, okay? Not while you do everything you can to care for your children."

Lucy nodded with a smile and a blush. "Yeah, okay. Thank you, Natsu."

"Not sure what I did," he laughed, "but you're welcome." Lucy laughed as well and gave his cheek a peck. "Why don't you go find the girls again?" Natsu suggested. "Continue your day?"

Lucy smiled and looked back in the direction of Layla's room. "No. I'm good. Actually..." Lucy turned back to Natsu. "Why don't you go find Gray or Gajeel and fight them or something. Let me take care of her this afternoon."

"Yeah?" Natsu replied. "You sure?"

Lucy nodded with confidence. "Yes. I want to."

Natsu grinned. "Okay." He gave her a kiss. "I love you. Call for me if you need help."

Lucy waved him off as he left the household then closed the door behind him. She could do this.

A/N: Thank you for reading, reviewing, etc.! I appreciate everything!