The next morning, when I head down at 5:00 to eat a early breakfast, I see Natsu with his hair still straight, my mother, and Harper all sitting at the table. Intrested, I take a seat near the end, and they don't notice.
"Why was my father, Igneel, accused of murder?" questions Natsu.
"Yeah, why was my adopted father accused?" chimes in Harper.
"Well," my mother says. "Three years ago, when you were adopted-Harper, was it three years ago or four?" she pauses to clarify. Harper holds up three fingers.
"When Harper was adopted by Igneel," my mom continues. "Her birth mother was murdered one year later. The police suspected it was Igneel, since they adopted you, Harper.
"Also, they thought that Harper had told Igneel to murder her birth mom. They also thought that Natsu had killed your birth mother under Igneel's orders. That's why you two are minor suspects.
"To avoid the police, your father moved different places a lot-How much did you guys move?" she stops to ask Harper and Natsu.
"5 times per 6 months," says Natsu, shaking.
"Eventually," my mom continues. "They caught up with Igneel and arrested him."
When my mom finishes, I am finally noticed by Natsu. He shakily gets up from his chair and walks over to me. Halfway over, he crumbles into a heap, so I catch him. Natsu cries into my shoulder, and I hold him. Meanwhile, Harper is curled up in a little ball, not letting anything disturb her.
"Why?" Natsu sobs. "Why did they?"
"I don't know, I say into his hair. "You're fine here." I gently stroke him on the back a few times, feeling like I usually am when Ul breaks a arm or something like that.
His sobbing turns into a sob with a little hyperventilating. I start to cry a bit too, sitting on the floor holding a emotional wreck of a boy in my arms.
GITL: This part made me sniffly as I was writing it. *cries*