Author's note: Where are my reviews? :3

Chapter 4

Planning ahead

(Laxus pov)

I was ready to kill someone. We came here to dispose of the Poison Wyverns, not twiddle our thumbs while they wreak havoc. Unfortunately, that's what happens when the Magic fucking Counsel gets involved. Lahar followed through his promise to release Cobra for the time-being, but not without being accompanied by an entire Squadron. There were Rune Knights everywhere, standing around doing jack shit. Of course Lahar came with them, automatically "taking charge" of the situation.

Translation: he's keeping us from doing what we came here to do.

The mission started off like every other S-class monster request; collecting information. We arrived early morning and got a hotel room to catch up on the sleep I missed. I couldn't help but sulk about how I should have been curled up with my new mate. The next day, we approached the mayor and got all the information we could. The Wyvern's attacks were random. The last attack left fourteen dead and twenty seven in the hospital. The mayor thanked his lucky stars that the Wyvern didn't stray too far into the town. We were finishing up the interview when a man ran in and shouted about another attack.

We were able to drive the beast away and keep it from causing too much damage. I would have followed it, but a building collapsed and trapped people inside. Me and the Team helped dig them out, interviewing those who could answer about the attack. It was odd for any kind of beast to stray near large cities.

The next few days were spent locked away in our hotel rooms due to the heavy rain. It rained on and off, light drizzle to pouring buckets, for five fucking days. By the time the sun returned, the Wyvern's sickly sweet was washed away. We could not track it until it attacked again. We could try to look for it, but I wouldn't risk leaving the town unprotected. I wouldn't divide our group either.

I cursed the Gods. It was as if fate itself was doing everything it could to keep me from my mate

When the Wyvern attacked, I was itching for a fight. We pushed it away from civilization and took it down. I was ready to go home, but we still had to scour the area and be sure there wasn't a nest.

I lost my shit when I found one.

Apparently, we killed daddy Wyvern.

Now I'm stuck here in this hell hole of a fucking town, surrounded by and waiting for people I despise, because a bunch of fucking Poison Wyverns decided to stray from the norm and nest 200 fucking feet from a town I don't give two fucks about!

To top it all off, we can't just go in and wipe the fuckers out. Fucking Lahar...

A snort to my left alerted me to another presence. "You're not the only one who thinks that. Gajeel is ready to bash the guys face in. It's pretty funny."

"What are you doing here, Cobra?"

The Dragon Slayer leaned against the balcony two feet from me. "Escaping the 'strategy meeting'. If this is how the Magic Counsel deals with all threats, no wonder Dark Guilds are able to do so much damage."

I snorted in agreement. They did drag things out, to a point where us Guilds had to take control to protect Fioré. Once the problem was dealt with, the Guilds responsible for saving the citizens of Fioré were punished by the Magic Counsel.

Both idiotic and unfair.

"Damn straight."

I growled at the smaller man. "Stay out of my head."

"It's not like I can help it. You practically shout your thoughts. Picture standing in a room full of people, all talking about one thing or another. That's what it's like for me."

"That must suck."

He shrugged, "It's annoying sometimes, but it has saved my life more times than I can count. And I know practically everyone's dirty little secrets." He shot me a dark smirk. "Wanna know Lahar's dirty shit?"

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself. By the way, congratulations."

I peered down at him. "For what?"

"Nailing the busty bimbo."

My hand shot out and wrapped around the man's neck. How dare this little fuck go through my thoughts! That is a private memory! And Lucy isn't a bimbo!

Cobra clawed at my hand, gasping for air. "I'm…. sorry…..You… were thi…..thinking…...of her…" I dropped him and watched as he panted, clutching his throat. He coughed, "Dude!" He coughed again.

"Stay out of my head. This is your last warning."

He stood up on shaky legs. "Like I said, I can't help it."

"You will if you want to keep your limbs."

"Alright, alright!" He coughed once more, rubbing his bruised throat. "I actually wanted to talk to you about that…" He froze under my glare.

"Drop it and never speak of it again. To any one! Got it?"

He nodded. "But… Are you sure that leaving a note was the best thing to do? You know women, they're overly emotional."

I was actually worrying about that, but I'll make it up to her once this Poison Wyvern problem is dealt with. Besides, I was sure to write my feelings down. She might be pissed about my sudden absence, but she at least knows my feelings. "You don't need to worry about it. Drop it!"

He opened his mouth again, but closed it when the door opened. Mira, Elfman, and Erza walked onto the balcony. "There you are, Laxus! We have been searching for you." Erza going straight to the point, as usual.

"Master sent us to help." Mira looked back at the hotel. "At least that's what we were told. Lahar certainly is a hindrance to the operation."

Isn't every Counsel lackey?

"It isn't manly!"

Erza huffed in irritation. "Why is he even here? S-class monsters are left to us to handle. I don't see why Lahar needs to stick his nose where it doesn't belong."

I gestured to Cobra. "There's his excuse."

The three finally noticed the extra Dragon Slayer. They tensed up at the sight of the ex-dark Mage. "Calm down! I'm here because I am a Poison Dragon Slayer. Mr. Tall, blond, and grumpy here requested me personally."

The three Fairies stared at me in shock. "Laxus? Is this true?"

"Yes, Erza. I thought that a Poison Dragon Slayer is better equipped to handle Poison Wyverns. Unfortunately, Lahar took the opportunity to assert himself leader of this operation. I tried to get him to back off, but he said he couldn't leave a convicted felon alone with so many high-profile Mages. Probably thinks I'm going to help him escape or something."

Cobra chuckled. "Actually, he is using me as an excuse to watch you all. Due to my assistance in the Dragon Battle, I am set to be released. They are still deciding on who is best to keep on eye on me for my probation period. And he wants the credit for spearheading the destruction of such a large nest."

A dark scoff signaled the arrival of an equally dark man. "Of course he does."

"Gajeel? Gramps let you come here?"

The Iron Dragon Slayer stepped into the light. "Erza was on a mission at the time. I've been here for quite awhile."

He was here? I never saw him...

Cobra shook his head. "He wasn't here in the building. He's been scoping out the mountain, thinking of the best way to go about killing them."

Gajeel nodded, "Yeah, but it's not looking so good. I counted 37 hatchlings and then there's mama Wyvern. No matter how we go at it, someone's gonna get hurt."

Cobra's head snapped to Erza. "That's not a bad idea. We don't have her Spirits or her brilliant mind, but we can use her strategy."

"What? What strategy? Whose brilliant mind?"

Erza answered Elfman. "Team Natsu once had a similar problem. A group of nasty wolves were nesting in a cave. Instead of going inside and risking injury, Lucy deduced the best way to take out the monsters was to make the cave collapse. Her Spirits took out the roof supports and we picked off any wolves that tried to escape. She had another Spirit check if any were still alive in the rubble."

Cobra, Gajeel, and I gaped at the red-headed warrior. Lucy came up with that strategy? I heard of that monster wolf pack and its demise and always thought Erza came up with the idea.

Gajeel whistled, "Damn, that's cold. Efficient, but cold."

"I didn't know Blondie was a strategist." Cobra obviously didn't know anything about Lucy's childhood. Being an heir to a company meant a lot of tutoring. "I knew she was an heiress, but I always thought she was the kind of chick to stand back and let men handle everything. It's what she did when I first met her anyway."

Black Steel scoffed, "Yeah right. Lucy is smart, not a wuss. She lets Erza, Popsicle-dick, and Flame-tard handle the stronger guys if she questions her own strength. Believe me, Lucy can take you on and win. Especially when I'm done with her."

My jaw ticked at his casual statement. What is he doing with her?

"Ah yes, you were training Lucy to hand-to-hand combat. How is she coming along in her training?" Erza said warmly. Lucy was like her sister. I know. I hear her talking about her Team all the time.

"She started off great, but I think she's come down with something. She was throwing up the day before I left and her scent was a bit off. She didn't have a fever, so I kept her moving. It might have been something she ate."

Cobra glanced at the taller male. "But that scent is bothering you."

A growl erupted from Gajeel's chest. "Stay out of my head!" He took a deep breath and let it out in a soft hiss. "And yeah, the scent is bothering me. I swear I've come across it before, but I can't remember where or the circumstance."

Mira smiled at her guild mate. "I'm sure it'll come to you, Gajeel. Maybe you should eat and rest, you know, stop thinking about it. I find the harder you try, the more elusive it becomes. Maybe you could bake! That always helps me clear my head. Or maybe you could go for a run!"

Gajeel sighed, "Yeah, that's probably best. I just have a feeling that it's something really important. The memory is there, but it's slipping away."

"We can spar to take your mind off things."

"Thanks for the offer, Elfman. I think I'll take you up on that."

"Sparring is manly!" Elfman flexed his arms.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. "Keep that up and I will unleash all my frustration on you."

Elfman struck another pose, flexing his muscles. "Accepting challenges is manly!"

"You asked for it." Gajeel cracked his knuckles. The two men walked back inside, heading to the hotel gym. I hoped that they were smart enough to keep the damage to a bare minimum. Since this is my mission, our guild is held accountable for any damage dealt by any Mages here to help.

"Mira?" I nodded towards the door. "Watch them."

She bid us farewell and trailed after her brother. Erza glared at Cobra in suspicion. "I'm going inside to speak to Lahar about Lucy's strategy. Good night."

Cobra and I watched as the door closed behind her in silence. I looked up at the darkening sky, smiling as the stars blinked in the dark sky. Maybe when I get back, I'll take Lucy stargazing. I know the perfect place. Maybe I'll even pack a picnic. I know Lucy loves chocolate dipped strawberries. An image of Lucy licking chocolate off me popped into my head. Then I pictured licking chocolate off of her.

"Please stop."

I snarled, "Why are you still here?"

He held up his hands in surrender and turned to leave. I looked back up at the stars as the door closed behind the Poison Slayer.

I wondered again if Lucy liked my letter. I wasn't a man of words, but I made my feelings for her as clear as crystal. I felt guilty about leaving her to wake up alone. Our first time was special to me and it was soiled because Freed volunteered my Team or this mission. I should have denied the request, but I didn't. I plan on more than making up for it. I already have a few ideas for dates thanks to Evergreen. Of course I should take into consideration that Evergreen and Lucy are two different people with completely different interests. Though both have a love for fashion, Evergreen leans more to the glamorous and sophisticated. Lucy prefers to dress down, most likely due to those uncomfortable looking gowns I've seen many an heiress wear.

Lucy…

I missed my mate. Being away from her made my heart ache. I shouldn't have mated her that night, but I was caught up with how damn good she felt. I black out for only a second and find myself mated to Lucy. I didn't mind being mated, I was planning on mating her, but the plan was to woo her first and then ask her to be my mate after several months of courting. I was not looking forward to her ire, but I plan to make up for that as well. I love Lucy and she must feel something for me. The mating mark wouldn't have stuck without mutual feelings of love.

Be safe, Lucy. I'll be home soon.

(Lucy pov)

Be safe, Lucy. I'll be home soon.

I sat up in bed, startled from sleep. I looked around the room, but relaxed when I only saw a curled up Charla. I swore I heard a man's voice, but it was probably just a remnant of a dream. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and checked the clock. I groaned at the glowing numbers.

7:08 am.

It's too damn early to be awake. Charla and I spent hours searching for that damn dog, working well into the night, when it started chasing Charla around. I caught it and gave it back to it's crazy owner. After receiving our reward we headed to our hotel. We had successfully removed a curse from an old family heirloom for the hotel manager earlier and got the room or free. I wasn't complaining. More money for my baby girl.

Completing two missions in one day is exhausting, but there is no way I'm going back to sleep. I crawled out of bed and changed into a cute purple dress with matching detached sleeves. Yellow ribbons hemmed the dress and trailed from my forearm to my knees. I bought the dress on a whim because it reminded me of Laxus. My insides ached constantly, reminding me of how naive I am. The Lightning Mage was always on my mind. No matter what I do, I can not forget him or our night together. Doing my best to push Laxus to the back of my mind, I left the room and headed for the lobby. The hotel offered free breakfast and I was starved. Noting the empty lobby, I surveyed the buffet and grabbed a tray and a few plates. I piled eggs, bacon, sausage, and an orange wedge. I also got two plates of biscuits and sausage gravy. I placed two milks on the tray and made my way back to our room. I would come back for coffee later.

I slipped in the room and set the tray on the desk. My stomach growled at the tantalizing smells coming from the food. Charla yawned and sat up. "That smells delightful." She took one look at the clock. "My dear girl! Have you slept at all? You look dead on your feet!"

"I've been having some weird dreams lately and they keep me up." And incredibly aroused. Damn, Laxus has a nice body.

"Well, you need to sleep girl. Maybe Porlyusica can give you something."

That won't harm my daughter? "Maybe. I'll make a point to ask her once we get back. Hopefully, as champions."

Charla smirked. "Those hooligans probably destroyed an entire town. If damage is something we're being judged for, we won the second they agreed to the contest."

"Oh yeah. Without Erza hovering over them, they have gone overboard. Of course, Erza is just as bad as they are when it comes to damage control now that I think about it. It's amazing how we get any reward at all!"

"I agree! Those neanderthals are going to get us into some serious trouble one day and will have no one to blame but themselves."

"Let's hope that day never comes. Who knows, maybe they'll mature soon."

Charla's nose twitched in a haughty sniff. "Lucy, dear. Men never mature. The Gods created women to keep them in line."

"I thought men were the rough draft before the final product." We both laughed for a good minute and dug in to our breakfast. Hotel food isn't the best, but the sausage gravy and biscuits were really good. We packed up our things and headed out, thanking the manager for her hospitality. We wandered the streets, window shopping, taking our time walking to the train station. Charla spotted a pretty dragon pendant. The intricate silver dragon was wrapped around a glittering blue stone. We agreed it would be a nice gift for Wendy and walked into the shop. While inside, I spotted two Silver Gate Keys and grabbed them. After a bit of haggling, we bought the pendant and Keys, and a pretty silver bow for Charla, for only 900 jewels. Charla loved her new ribbon and tied it on her tail with pride. We reached the station, paid for two tickets, and waited for the train.

The train docked and we boarded the almost empty car. We rode in easy silence, with me only throwing up twice, back home to Magnolia. The month coming to an end and it was time to tally up. I hoped beyond hope that I won. Not having to worry about one of my Teammates bursting in while I'm undressed and showing could be disastrous. I know Aries warded my home, but a strong attack could shatter the barrier. If Natsu, Gray, or even worse, Erza, were determined to get inside, a simple barrier wouldn't stop them. If I win this competition, the only person I'll have to worry about is Erza. Though she was just as bad as Natsu when it comes to breaking in and snooping through my things, at least she didn't barge into my bathroom. As long as I didn't change in my room, no one will ever know I'm pregnant.

When we walked through the doors, the guild was packed full. The only ones who appeared to be missing were the ones on the Poison Wyvern hunt. Everyone gathered to see the results of the competition. Cana had a board up with our names, gathering money for the bets being made. Natsu and Gray were already here, duking it out on the floor. Kinana noticed our entry and tried to get the guild's attention. When no one responded to her calls, Makarov slammed down his beer stood on the bar.

"SILENCE BRATS!" All conversations came to a halt. Natsu and Gray stood at attention, awaiting further instructions. Makarov sat back down on the bar, folded his legs, and picked up his mug. "You may continue, Kinana."

She nodded. "Thank you, Master. Now that Lucy is here, we can tally up their missions. They will be judged on the amount of missions they completed, how quickly they completed it, and the damage done to the surrounding area during the mission. The judges will be Macao, Makarov, and yours truly. Macao?"

The Fire Mage nodded. "We have kept an eye on their progress and recorded everything down. We have handwritten accounts from the people who sent the requests of their behavior and success. We will now announce the scores!"

The crowd whispered excitedly, a few making last minute bets.

Kinana turned her back to the crowd, clutching an air pen in her hand. She wrote our names in the air, side by side, with a vertical line separating them. Makarov smiled and pointed to the first name. "Lucy completed 15 missions!" The crowd cheered wildly for me. I blushed under the scrutiny. Makarov silenced them again. "Natsu completed 18 missions" The crowd cheered again. Makarov gestured for them to quiet down and pointed to the final name. "Gray completed 19 missions." The crowd clapped for Gray, who wore a smug look on his face. The Ice Mage turned to me and Natsu.

"Looks like I win."

Macao chuckled, "Not so fast, Gray. We're not done yet."

Makarov hummed his agreement. "Though you completed 19 missions, you took one that was not completed. You rushed through the mountain and missed a few Vulcans. That affects your final score." Gray humphed and crossed his arms while Natsu snickered. "Why are you laughing Natsu? Though you completed all the missions you took, you caused a lot of destruction."

The crowd watched as the green lights faded in the air. Makarov stood up. "Gray, you failed to fully complete a mission and Natsu, what you have done will cost me a small fortune. Though our Celestial Mage lagged behind in the quantity department, she more than made up for it in quality and control. She took her time to see what mission she was taking and made certain it was one that had little to no fighting." Makarov shoved his mug in the air. "Lucy is the winner!"

The crowd erupted into applause, there were cheers and a few groans over a lost bet, but everyone was happy. None was happier than the winner herself.

Natsu and Gray smiled at me. "Congrats, Lucy."

"Yeah, Luce! I guess me and Gray have to work on attacks, huh?"

Gray scoffed, "You have to work on managing your attacks. I only missed a few Vulcans, Ash for Brains."

Natsu removed his arm from my shoulder. "Like you're one to talk, Ice Princess! You froze a forest! I heard Gramps talking about it!"

"Um, guys, you should really calm down…"

"You wanna go, Flame Breath?!"

"Bring it on, Droopy Eyes!"

With that, Natsu and Gray started pounding each other with their fists. I hoped for the guild's sake that they'd refrain from using magic. I backed away from the flailing limbs and bumped right into Juvia. She was cheering on Gray, waving a blue banner with a chibi Gray head. She turned to see who had disturbed her and frowned. "Lucy?"

"Hey Juvia. I was about to head to the bar…"

"Juvia has been meaning to speak with Lucy. Juvia was worried about Lucy taking so many missions in her condition."

I froze. "My condition?" How does she know?

"Yes. You know," Juvia looked around before leaning close and whispering, "yours and Laxus' baby?"

How in the hell did she find out?! "W.. W….Well I…."

"Juvia knows you must keep your relationship secret, but Juvia thinks you should take more care of yourself. What would Laxus say if his Vixen got hurt?"

Ooooooh… Thats right. We lied to her to get her off my back. "I made sure to pick missions without any violence. Don't want anything to happen to my little girl, so I took extra care of avoiding fights."

The bluenette's shoulders relaxed. "Good. Juvia was worried."

"Well, I'm going to get a smoothie. Then I might pick another mission…"

Juvia grabbed my arm. "What? Didn't Juvia just say Lucy needs to be more careful? Juvia doesn't anything to happen to either of you!"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure it's an easy one, but one that might take a few months."

"Why must Lucy go?"

"I want to save up as much money as I can pay for… stuff."

The Rain Woman bit her lip. "Then Juvia shall join you. Juvia will protect Lucy to her best and greatest ability."

"Oh, really, you don't have to…"

"Juvia insists!"

I considered her offer. Though she didn't know the whole truth, she at least knows that I'm pregnant. She won't question eating or bathroom habits and if she's with me, she's not tempted to tell anyone here. If I did come across trouble, which is likely due to my luck, Juvia could take care of them without breaking a sweat. "That's very sweet of you, Juvia. Alright. I accept your offer. Want to help me pick a mission?"

Juvia smiled, "Juvia will help." We walked over to the board and scanned the requests. The only ones that were an estimated four to six weeks long were escort requests, and those often led to violence of some sort. I was losing hope when Juvia pointed to one near the bottom. "Look, this one asks for two mages to watch over a house while the family leaves on vacation. They'll be gone for a month and it pays rather 150,000 jewel. Juvia thinks this mission is perfect."

I looked at the paper and had to agree with her. The mission seemed simple enough. I could even have my new Spirit, Scutum, set up a few barriers to make it easier on us. "This sounds great. Let's relax today and head out first thing tomorrow."

Juvia beamed, "Juvia will be ready!"

"I'll go tell Kinana. Just enjoy yourself and pack whatever you think you'll need for the mission. Virgo can keep our bags in the Celestial Realm so don't worry about over packing. Unless you pack like Erza…"

"Juvia wonders what is in those bags."

I laughed, "Same here. I'll meet you at the station tomorrow morning."

"Okay!" Juvia skipped out of the guild, shooting a glare at Lisanna. With the way she was tending to Gray's wounds, I guessed that the youngest Strauss was her new Love Rival. I pondered telling Lisanna of the new danger, then decided against it. I had no warning. Lisanna would be fine.

I pulled the parchment from the board and headed to the bar. Kinana was talking with Cana and Makarov. They smiled when I sat down. "Hey there, oh victorious one. Congratulations on winning."

"Now I don't have to worry about those boys sneaking into my apartment anymore. At least until the six months are up. Then I'll be waking up to an empty fridge."

They all laughed. Kinana whipped up a strawberry milkshake and set it before me. I tried to push it away, but she stopped me. "You've earned it. Besides, we can keep a secret." Kinana winked playfully.

Secret? Do they know I'm keeping something from them? "What if Gajeel finds out? When he hears about this, I'm going to be doing laps for a week!"

Makarov chuckled and patted my hand. "Don't worry, child. If Gajeel finds out, I'll tell him about your little contest with the Destructive Duo. He'll let it go. In fact, he might reward you for completing so many missions in one month."

"Thanks Master." I sipped my milkshake and moaned at the creamy goodness filling my mouth. I gulped and sighed with content. "Man, I missed milkshakes."

Kinana smiled and shared a look with Cana and Makarov. The barmaid leaned against the counter. "Do you want to hear about the bets?" I shrugged, not really caring who wasted their money on a stupid bet. "Well, only four people placed money on you, and it was no small amount. Everyone else betted between Natsu and Gray."

That doesn't surprise me. Natsu and Gray were powerhouses, nearly on par with Titania herself. Though I knew about my Teammates popularity, it still stung to know my own guildmates had so little faith in me. I remember when we were trapped in Edolas how everyone doubted that I could get us back home. It hurts then and it definitely hurts now. "I'm not surprised. Hell, I would have bet on one of those two."

Cana set down her empty barrel. "Yeah, but guess who bet on you."

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "Levy?"

Cana blew a raspberry. "No, she didn't bet at all. I did!"

That surprised me. "Really? You did?"

"Yeah! Master and Kinana here did, too." Cana pointed to the other two. "You made us filthy rich!"

I sweatdropped. "That's only three."

A young female poofed into existence, perched on the bar. "Me four!"

"First Master Mavis? You bet on me, too?!"

She nodded, kicking her feet in the air. "I did! You underestimate yourself."

Cana grinned at me. "You are very smart and resourceful, Lucy. If it wasn't for the attack on Tenrou, you would have made me an S-class Mage. You knew where to find First Master's grave before anyone else. No doubt you would have helped me in the third round , too, whatever it was supposed to be." She picked up another barrel and set it on the counter. "We bet on you because we knew your sharp wit would beat Natsu and Gray's brawn."

"And after talking about it, we think you should have half the winnings."

I stared at Makarov in shock. "R… Really? Are you sure? You guys are the ones that placed the bet, not me."

Kinana bent over and lifted a bag the size of my head and dropped it on the bar.

"Go on and take it. Buy something nice. Just for you."

Tears almost spilled from their consideration. My financial troubles were common knowledge. Everyone knew that I was always scrambling for money. Some blamed it on my upbringing and 'need' for nice things. Others knew better and blamed it on my Team's destructive tendencies. It's hard to earning enough money to scrape by in a Team of five Mages and two exceeds. It's even harder when three, sometimes four, people on the Team get overly excited and demolish buildings and forests. There was also the fact that my Teammates made themselves comfortable in my home, going through and destroying my nice lingerie (Erza) or eating all of my food (Natsu, Gray, and even Erza). Those closest to me that weren't on my Team knew that I often was left broke paying for the roof over my head and food on the table for myself and my overzealous friends. I love them, but they cost me money I could be using to repair the stuff they destroy.

"Thanks you guys. This means a lot to me."

Mavis smiled warmly. "You deserve something special. You're always looking out for others, now it's time to do something for yourself." She leaned in close to my face, her eyes twinkling with knowingly. "I'll see you on Tenrou." Her voice and body faded away.

Kinana's eyes grew wide. "You're really going to Tenrou?"

Makarov answered for me. "She wants to train her magic and body there. I am happy that she is showing such enthusiasm, but I don't want her going alone."

"I won't be alone, Master. I always have my Spirits watching over me."

He didn't look convinced. "I'd feel better of someone went with you…"

I forced myself not to panic. "Capricorn is excited to train me. He wouldn't like anyone barging in and interrupting his immaculate schedule. He's got the entire thing planned out, from bathing to eating. Honestly, I'm kinda scared."

All three chuckled. "Well, best of luck to you. So how long will you be gone?"

"Hopefully just a month or two. If Capricorn isn't satisfied, then we'll stay until he says I'm ready." I replied smoothly. Cana clicked her approval and started chugging her ale. Kinana picked up my empty glass. "By the way, Juvia and I want this mission."

Cana and Makarov choked. Kinana gaped at me as if I'd grown a spare head. "You're going on a mission with Juvia?!"

"Did Juvia ask you to come with her? Are you sure she isn't plotting your murder?"

I waved away Cana's worries. "I asked her to tag along with me and no, she's not planning to kill me. I told her that I wanted to get to know her and she agreed."

Makarov smiled, "It's good to see you reaching out to others. Good luck on your mission. I'm sure you two will do splendidly." Makarov's pocket started buzzing. He reached in and pulled out a communication lacrima. "It's Mira. I have to take this. I'll be upstairs if anyone needs me. Anything at all, I'm in my office." With that, he jumped off the counter and made his way to his office, answering the call from Fairy Tail's barmaid.

Kinana giggled, "He's avoiding paperwork again. Anyway, I'll write you down for the mission, Lucy. You and Juvia be careful now."

"Sure thing, Kinana!" I put enough notes on the bar to pay for the milkshake and grabbed the swollen bag. "Bye Cana! Get home safely!"

Cana burped and continued chugging her beer. I walked out of the guild and started for home. Plans for the future filled my thoughts. My hand unconsciously covered my belly. The dress hid my baby bump well.

Don't worry, baby. Mommy will take care of you.