Chapter27

"We're here," Natsumi the pink haired girl squeezed the other person's hand and raised her head to realize that he was staring at the stone before of him. Seeing his sad look that he wore was enough for her to shut up and freeze in her spot. She moved her head to look at the grave before of her and heard the blonde takes a long breath through his nose.

Lucas started walking pulling the dragon slayer with him to where the grave was. The both of them stared at the stone for a while not doing anything. The girl wanted to let go of his hand for the moment but he kept grasping into her hand squeezing it more and more.

"Lucas," she said with a very low tone but enough for him to hear. "Let's pray… for your father." She stated slowly bending her knees down as she pulled her boyfriend with her. They did pray and it was from deep down their hearts but then they kept staring at the stone not saying a thing.

Natsumi moved her head aside to look at the man next to her to see that his face still holding the same expression without shedding a tear. She breathed silently and opened her mouth to talk.

"Maybe… I won't be able to understand your feelings." She started catching the blonde's attention as he moved his eyes to stare at her. "You know… I don't have a father or… family." She stated snarling her fingers together as she looked down at her bare knee and the hem of her red skirt.

"Of course fairy tail members are my family," she let out a smile at what she said and then her face turned back to normal. She moved her head to look at the guy that was next to her. "If it was Igneel, I would have gotten really upset." The man looked straightly at her in the eyes and after staring at her for seconds he moved his head to look back at the stone.

"What you're trying to say is that you feel what I'm feeling right now."

"Yes, because I know these feelings of losing someone dear to you. I know how hard they are." She paused looking right into his eyes trying to control over her feelings. "I had faced them once,"

Yes, he feels these hard feelings at the moment. He feels that his heart holds a big hole inside of it and he can't do anything to cover it. He knows these feelings very well because he had felt them before when his mother died, his dear mother.

The guy moved his head to look at the girl that held tears in her eyes like she was forcing them away. But, why? Why is she saying these things and why is she feeling these feelings?

"Hmm,"

Both of the teens snapped their heads to the voice's direction to find that there was a man with a black hair wearing a black suit and looked like he was in his 40s staring at the both of them focusing on their faces.

"You are?"

The blonde man stood up as he started to wipe his clothes and clean it off the dirt and the girl kept staring at the guys for a moment and then stood up as she started to wipe her clothes as well.

"My name is Lucas Heartfillia." The blonde said as he draw no reaction on his face looking and scanning this guy's figure and his figure didn't ring a bell at all in his head.

"Oh, so you came at least." The 40s aged man stated as he started walking to where the teens in and looked at the boy closely. "You just look like what your father described, a handsome young man." At the moment –after what Natsumi said- he didn't seem that he was blissful because of what the man said or even moved his emotions just a little because all he cared about is to know who this man could be.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your father's friend, Tomas." He started and said his name and then didn't stop and continued to talk. "I'm the one that sent the letter to you after what happened."

Lucas narrowed his eyes while looking at the man and was just unable to get something straight.

"How did you know my location?"

"Ah, about that." He looked down at the ground and then back at him. "Your father had searched for you for some good time." Lucas shot his eyes wide as he heard this. He was talking about the same person he knows. "And when he found your place, he couldn't go see you because you were angry at him." Lucas moved his head to look at the ground sweat dropped off his face as he started feeling confused because he thought his father never cared and never wanted to see him.

"He…" the man looked at the ground as he continued talking. "He then fell sick and didn't want to bother you so he decided to write you a letter asking me to deliver it to you." He raised his head to look at the young man and his heart ached when he saw that sad face.

"But… that was your letter."

"Your father's letter is in my house, mind if you come to take it?" Lucas nodded his head as he felt that his legs were moving in their own following the man that was walking in front of him. He didn't know why he was following someone he meets for the first time, but he wanted to know these last words that his father left to him, at least.

Natsumi was walking behind her boyfriend as she kept thinking of him because she was worried about him. She knew how down he felt because of coming here but it just can't be helped because he's his father and if it's because of what he had done to him, it would be to appreciate giving birth to him at least.

Finally, they have reached to the guy's house and waited him to get what he wanted as they sat in the living room waiting for him. Natsumi looked at the man besides her to realize that he was staring at the same spot in the room unfocused at all. She stretched her arm out to grasp his left hand catching his attention as he snapped his head towards her.

"Lucas, it's going to be alright."

The man bit his lower lip while looking at her. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He was sure that of course he will feel sad for his father's death but didn't give it that much of care because he wasn't that close to him but now he was feeling something strange inside of him that might bring the tears to his eyes as well. He moved his head back raising his hands up and burying his face in his hands sighing heavily. He just wishes that this day passes.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The man came out of one room that was actually in the house holding a white box that its width was around the width of the man's chest and covered with a cover. Natsumi stood up from her place as she saw him coming while Lucas followed him with his eyes until he stood before of the blonde and that time he stood up and kept staring at that box and that when he realized that there was an envelope above of it. He gulped and moved his head to look back at the man.

The older man put the box down on the table as he bent his body down and then grabbed the envelope and waved his hand to Lucas's direction.

"This… is the letter your father left you."

Lucas hesitated at first as he kept staring down at the paper he held. Some part of him wanted to grab this envelope and shed it to pieces but other part wanted to open it and read it several times since it was the last thing his father left behind. He glanced at the pink haired girl to realize that she was looking at him and was struggling to encourage him to move forward and open it. He sighed again and then decided to open and read it.

Dear my beloved son, Lucas.

I really don't know what to say or what to write. I think I don't deserve even to tell or write you anything. I was a cruel father, sorry.

If you're reading this letter now, I'd be already gone forever.

I and your mother were so lucky to have you in our life. You were like our sun in it but because your mother was sick, she had lost her life and we both we were affected by that. And because of me, you didn't have a proper childhood.

Sorry will not be enough to apologize to you.

I don't ask for forgiveness but what I want to make sure of that you're fine, breathing, alive and happy.

I had searched for you for days after you were gone and when I found you I couldn't go apologizing for what I did. It was hard seeing you from far away and not be able to hold you or hug you.

I saw these sad eyes you had for several days and I couldn't help you. But then I found out that you were becoming relieved and pleased when you were around your friends and that made me happy as well.

Sorry for the last second that I spent away from you and died without you around. Sorry for troubling you all along and for leaving you alone. Sorry for taking your happiness away from you and sorry for not protecting you.

Inside of the box I left you an album of photos that our happy family once had.

Lucas looked down at the table to see that box. He stretched his arm out to grab the cover removing it without hesitating. He looked inside of the box to realize that there were several things. He stretched his hand inside of it grabbing the notebook and opened it and started to scan it. He realized that they were his family photos and photos that he didn't even see before.

His mother, his father and him.

His father and his mother.

His pregnant mother.

Him while sleeping.

Him as a child.

Him and his father when he was 8 years old.

The man felt his heart tightens at seeing these photos. It opened gates in his heart that would never be closed. The gates of feelings that flooded in his heart.

Natsumi glanced at the album he was holding to realize that there were a lot of photos that he and two other blondes held. She immediately guessed that they were his parents. She saw a photo of her boyfriend. He was holding a ball in his hands and had dirt all over his face and all over his shirt and his shorts. And the most important thing, he was giving the camera a big toothy grin. She smiled at seeing that and felt her heart warmth at how cute he was.

The blonde looked back at the paper he held and continued reading.

Sorry for not taking so many photos for you when you were a child. Your mother loved capturing the moments but it all ended when she was gone. I kept trying to search for these photos in the old mansion until I found them hidden in the crypt. And I immediately remembered that I was the one who put them there because I didn't want to be reminded of the past that was already gone.

But, I was wrong. I was wrong when I kept myself inside of my office and refused to deal with you.

The other things are books of learning about the space. I found out by the chance that you liked space and galaxy. I started searching for these books so I could send it to you but then, I fell sick and couldn't do anything.

I'm sorry , Lucas. I shouldn't have neglected you back then when your mother was gone. I shouldn't have left you alone and I shouldn't have done these things to you. It hurts me so much and I can't forgive myself for doing that.

And now, this is my farewell for you.

I'll go to the place that your mother lives in. I'll go tell her how good our son turned into and how handsome he got. I'll tell her that he became such a great wizard and a trustworthy one. I'll tell her that you grew up to be a good man like she was.

I love you my dear son, we love you.

Your father, Jude

And finally, his tears kept falling down and didn't stop.