You guys are all very flattering!
Thank you all!
Forgive me! I completely forgot to put Arigato and until next chapter at the end of chapter twelve!
Lucy's heart was pounding as she opened the door to her apartment. Natsu was right behind her, followed by Erza, Gray, Lisanna, and Happy. Allison heard the door open from the kitchen, and smiled while a drowsy Mizuki was on her hip. "Hey Miss. Heartfilia! I was just about to put Mizuki to bed!" Allison greeted as she stepped into the living room. The ginger's smile faded, once she saw Lucy wasn't the only person in the room. "Oh.. Hello."
"Hi.. Allison." Lucy greeted, while allowing the rest of the mages in. "Can I have her, please? You can go home, thank you." Lucy said as she retrieved her daughter. Allison grabbed her things, waved good bye, and left the apartment.
"Mmf.. Hi.. Mommy.." Mizuki said as she closed her eyes and leaned into her mother's neck. "Hi honey." Lucy whispered, as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. Natsu's features held sadness, as he walked closer to Mizuki. "I-is this..?" The pinkette asked, while looking pleadingly at Lucy. The blond nodded her head, and her eyebrows knitted together. "Do you.. Do you want to put her to bed?"
"Y-yeah." Natsu said. His eyes began to tear up, once Lucy handed Mizuki over to him, and then the blond led Natsu towards her room.
Once Mizuki was put to bed, both Natsu and Lucy kissed her forehead. Making their way back into the living room, Erza, Gray, Lisanna and Happy watched Lucy with curious eyes. "Um, make yourselves at home.." Lucy said, and everyone sat down except for the blond, who leaned against a wall.
Natsu put his head in his hands, and glanced up at Lucy.
"S-so how old is she?"
"Four." Lucy answered.
"What's her name?" Erza asked.
"Mizuki.. It means beautiful and moon.." A sigh escaped Lucy's lips.
"She looks just like you, Natsu!" Happy exclaimed.
"Y-yeah, she does."
"She even has fangs, like you, Natsu." The blond indicated.
"Does she?"
"Yeah."
Natsu took a deep breath, and looked around Lucy's apartment. "This is all so.. unreal.." He said, and Lucy rubbed her arm nervously. "I know. I-I-I never thought I'd see you guys again.. I just-"
Natsu cut her off, "Wh-where is that guy, Luce?! The one who did that to you! Where's Akuzo!" He frantically asked, while Lucy wore a sad smile. "He's dead."
Gray and Lisanna's eyebrows rose, while Erza asked how. Lucy focused her eyes on the floor, but then closed them. "I killed him." Natsu gasped quietly, while Happy's eyes widened. "Oh.." The pinkette announced, and Lucy felt like throwing up. She didn't feel sad about the situation anymore, but she only felt anger. Lucy was angry for not being able to defend herself. She was angry at Fairy Tail for not rescuing her.
Lucy's anger resurfaced, and she clenched her fists. Her lips turned up in a scowl, and her blond hair shielded her eyes. "Why." She whispered, and Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" By that time, Lucy was shaking, and her lip began twitching. "I want to know why.." She said a little bit louder, and she bit her lip to prevent tears from falling.
"Why what?" Gray asked, confused. Lucy's head shot up, and she looked Natsu in the eye. "Why did you stop looking for me?!" She screamed, and tears finally fell. She sobbed violently, "I waited for you! I waited for someone to save me! But no one! No oneever came!" She yelled quieter, trying not to wake her daughter. "Why!" She yelled, "Why! Why!"
Natsu finally told Lucy to calm down, but she hardly did. "L-Lucy! Listen to me! We, I-" Erza cut Natsu off, saving him from angering Lucy any further. "Lucy. We had no leads as to where you were. It was like you just...went off the map. You need to understand that we looked everywhere, Lucy. And then, we thought you were dead. We thought you were dead and.."
"We held you a funeral, Lucy," Gray joined in, "But it wasn't much of one because we didn't have your body or anything.." Lucy silently cried, and sniffed loudly. "He, he d-did horrible things to me.. And, and, nobody was there.. Nobody was there to help me.. He, he tried to kill me, but he didn't so I-I killed him. I escaped and.. I-I-I met the gang.."
Lucy chuckled to herself, and stared at the carpet. "Mizuki always asked, 'where'd you get those scars mommy?' then, 'I bet mommy was in a battle and won, right mama?'"
"I'd always say, 'yeah, mommy was. And mommy won because she's strong.' Then.. then she'd say she'll grow up to be as strong as I am."
Sadly, Natsu mouthed oh. "Anyways.. Are you guys staying over?" Lucy asked, while wiping her damp cheeks. "If it isn't too much trouble.." Natsu said, quietly. The Celestial Spirit mage sighed, "Alright.. I'll get blankets and pillows."
While Lucy was off, Lisanna began conversing with Natsu. "Look, Natsu. I've always known you didn't love me like you love Lucy.. But, I want you to know that you're always going to be my best friend. I want you to be happy, so it's okay if you want to go back to Lucy." Lisanna gave Natsu a sincere smile, and he grinned back. "Thank you, Lisanna."
"If they're happy, I'm happy." The white-haired girl whispered to herself, as Lucy came back and put a bunch of pillows and blankets in the middle of the floor.
"I don't really care where you guys sleep, just.." She turned around, and headed to her room. "Wake up my baby, and you're all going to be dead." Glancing back, she glared at everyone, which sent chills down Gray and Natsu's spines.
Erza, Gray, Lisanna, and Happy all set up their blanket-beds in the living room. Natsu cautiously made his way to Lucy's room, and opened her door with a creak.
"Lucy? Are you awake?" Natsu whispered as he ventured closer to the lump in Lucy's bed. Groaning, she opened an eye to look at Natsu. "What do you want?" She asked, while closing her eye. "Is it okay if I sleep with you?" Lucy became nervous, but said she didn't care. It has been four years since she's been in the same bed as the Fire Dragon Slayer.
And so, Natsu slipped in Lucy's bed, and grabbed her waist. "Wh-what are you doing?!" She asked, shocked, once he brought her closer to his chest. "Shut up, Lucy. I haven't seen the one person whose always had my heart in what feels like a lifetime." Natsu buried his head in Lucy's hair, and closed his eyes. "I've missed you." Lucy whispered, as she put her hand over Natsu's, on her waist.
"I've missed you more." Natsu whispered back, while tightening his grip. Lucy smiled softly, and closed her eyes. "I could never stop loving you, baka, as hard as I tried." Natsu chuckled. "Me either, but I never tried to stop."
Lucy flipped over, so her face was snug against Natsu's chest. He snaked his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer (if that was possible). "You still owe me an alarm clock." She whispered, which caused Natsu to smile, and kiss the top of her head. "Anything for you."
The next day
"Mommy, mommy!" Mizuki cried, as she jumped up and down on her sleeping mother. Groaning, Lucy opened her eyes slowly. Sleepily, she asked her daughter what she wanted. "There's a man sleeping in your bed!" Mizuki yelled as she pointed an accusing finger at Natsu.
Lucy glanced back at the mage, who was now waking up. "Natsu," Lucy nudged him, "Wake up. Mizuki's here." Natsu inhaled deeply, and opened his eyes. He was greeted by Mizuki's brown ones, staring at him angrily. "What are you looking at?" He asked, while pulling back his arm back and sitting up.
"Why are you in my mama's bed? And why do you look like me!" Mizuki asked Natsu, while crossing her arms. Natsu looked at Lucy like, what do I say?, and Lucy sat up. She brought her daughter into her lap, and yawned.
"Remember when I told you one day you'd see daddy?" The blond asked, while her daughter hesitantly nodded her head. Lucy's vision blurred from tears, and she looked to Natsu. "Well, he's finally here. The man in my bed is your daddy, sweetie."
Natsu grinned nervously at his daughter, as she looked him up and down with a disbelieving look on her face. "Y-you're my daddy?" Mizuki asked, while crawling towards Natsu. He pat her head slowly, and built up his confidence. "I sure am!" Natsu exclaimed, and Lucy smiled and titled her head.
"You really are?" Mizuki asked, just to be sure. "I am, Mizuki. I'm daddy." Then, tears were running down the little girl's cheeks, and she jumped in Natsu's arms, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Natsu wrapped his arms around his daughter, and squeezed her. "It's great to finally meet you." The Fire Dragon Slayer choked back a sob, and his daughter nodded her head vigorously.
After a few seconds, they pulled away. Mizuki wiped her eyes, as did her father. Since Natsu's scarf had disappeared before he came into Lucy's room, Mizuki noticed the scar on his neck. "Daddy!" Mizuki yelled cheerfully, "Are you strong just like mommy?! You have a scar too!"
Mizuki's parents exchanged looks, and then both began to laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Daddy's as strong as mommy," Natsu turned to wink at Lucy, "But I think she's a bit stronger."
All while this was going on, Erza was watching them with a smile, from the slightly opened door.
"What's going on?" Gray asked, once Erza came back into the living room. Erza smiled, and sat down on her blankets. "They're really a family now." Lisanna sat up, and giggled. "Maybe we should go in there and meet Mizuki." Erza shook her head no, "No, not yet, Lisanna. Let Natsu get to know his daughter first."
"Yo, Erza." Gray called, while taking off his shirt. Erza shook her head, like, what are you doing? and crossed her arms. "Yes, Gray." He scratched the back of his head, and frowned. "What are we going to do about the rest of the gang? We still have a job to do."
Erza sighed. "We're going to bring them in as planned."
Gray raised an eyebrow. "What about Lucy? She was apart of them too, you know."
Lisanna chimed in, "Well... I mean... That little thing can be overlooked, right?"
Review!
My birthday is the July seventh, so technically today because it's past twelve o'clock.
He-yaa.
Arigato, and until next chapter!