As always Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima

Chapter 34

Waiting

All of Fairy Tail watched in silence as the two stared at each other, and everyone let out a collective sigh of happiness as Lucy ran into Laxus's waiting arms.

"Is it really you?" She whispered into his ear as he lifted her and held her close.

"Yes, its really me. I'm really, finally home." He whispered into her neck, inhaling her scent. "I've missed you so much, Lucy." He placed her down, and leaning forward, he captured her lips with his own, felt her hands dig into his hair. She broke off the kiss with a gasp as she felt a light kick, quickly she grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach, watched as his eyes lit up with joy.

"Feel that? They're excited too." She said with a smile, looked up into his storm blue eyes, and reached out to stroke his cheek. "I'm so glad that you're home, Laxus." Lucy buried her face into his chest, and he let out a small gasp when she began to glow with a faint white light.

"Uh... Lucy, you're glowing. Why are you glowing?"

"Side effects..." She murmured.

"Of what?"

"Summoning the Spirit King... He told Wendy that it will take about a month to wear off, until it does I can't summon any spirits, I can't even get any clothes from them." She looked up at Laxus and pouted. "See what I have to wear?"

"I do, and I love it." Laxus looked down at her and grinned. Their reunion was shattered, though, when Natsu came back in from the training field, and when he spotted Laxus flames practically shot from his eyes.

"Laxus!" He roared, causing everyone to groan. "Fight me!"

With a sigh, Laxus stepped away from Lucy and beckoned to Natsu, who came flying at him. Laxus pulled back his fist, and with lightning gathered around it, he slammed it into Natsu, sending him flying out the door he had come.

Bickslow was the first to come up behind Laxus, and put a hand on his shoulder and grinned. "Just like old times?" Old times, old times. His babies echoed from behind him and Laxus grinned.

"His head is as hard as ever, so I don't think I damaged anything too important." He wrapped an arm around Lucy's waist. "Let's go find somewhere to sit, I'm sure more people want to welcome me home." They made their way to a table and he held a chair out for her, which she took.

"Hold on. I'm forgetting something." Laxus stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled something Lucy couldn't see out, and tears fell from her eyes as he knelt down onto one knee.

"I know this is a bit late." He smiled as Lucy let out a short laugh.

"A bit?"

"Okay, more than a bit, but that doesn't matter now, does it?" He grinned at her as he reached his free hand up and wiped away her tears. "Lucy Heartfilia, I've loved you for so long, and now I finally have you, right here, in front of me. If I promise to never leave you like that again, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Laxus, of course, but I lost your..." Lucy's voice failed her when he opened his hand to reveal the ring she had lost, and he slipped it on her hand, kissing the tips of her fingers.

"How?"

"Lea found it and gave it back to me. She recognized if from all of your messages, how it was always hanging right beside the key Nami had picked out for you. Speaking of Nami, where is she?" Laxus looked at her concerned when she let out a sob, turning away from him.

"She's gone..."

"How?"

"She took a dagger meant for me and vanished. We don't know if she lived or died... Her bracelet took her home..."

Laxus looked around the Guild and spotted their Nami sitting on Levy's lap, munching on one of Mira's good knives. "So much has changed since I've been gone, I've missed so much..." He wrapped an arm around Lucy as she leaned into him, kissing her hair as she sighed, one hand resting on her stomach, feeling his children, the other holding tightly to hers.

"So when are they due?"

"Mid September, though Wendy says twins are known to come a little early. I had an appointment yesterday and another in two weeks, but if you want to find out the genders now I'm sure Wendy will let us."

"I can wait two weeks." He looked down at her as she let out another sigh.

"I guess I can't put that off any longer..."

"What?"

"Well, now that you're back, I guess its time to do the nursery. I wanted to wait and do it with you." She grinned up at him, a playful look in her eyes.

"I'm guessing you have everything picked out?" She nodded and he ran a hand through his hair. "And I have to do all the manual labor?" She flashed him a wicked grin and he let out a short laugh. "I knew it!"

"You got home at a good time, too."

"And why is that?"

"The furniture store is having a half off sale today, and I was hoping..."

"All right!" Laxus sighed as he stood up. "Let's go get this over with." Lucy beamed as she stood and took his arm.

"Oi! Mira! Plan my party for tomorrow night!" He called out as they mad their way to the doors, and Mira grinned and nodded as she waved at them.

~ TS ~ 6 hours ~

Lucy was grinning as she walked in the door, a light bag on each arm. Laxus was behind her, his arms loaded down with bags, grumbling about all the stuff she had forced him to buy. The furniture had already been delivered, all they had to do was clear out Lucy's old room and set everything up.

"Why did we have to buy all this crap?" Laxus asked as he dumped the bags, earning a glare from Lucy.

"Its not crap, its baby stuff. You'll be thanking me later."

"I'm sure I will be, but for now, go sit. I'll go clear out the room." He told her as he walked up the stairs.

Lucy sighed as she leaned into Laxus, admiring their work. Two matching cribs, a changing table, a small but colorful dresser, and two rocking chairs filled the room. Lucy turned and smiled as she leaned up and gave him a kiss, letting out a soft moan as he ran his fingers through her hair, and he broke away, a grin on his face as he stared into her warm brown eyes.

"I'm so glad that you're home."

"Me too, Lucy. I'm glad to be home with you."

~~ TS ~~ two weeks ~~ mid August ~~

Laxus sighed and opened his eyes as he felt Lucy shift on the bed next to him, she had been tossing and turning all morning. When he had asked her about it all she had said was that she was nervous about their appointment, and it was making her uncomfortable.

"Lucy." He murmured as he gently shook her awake. "Maybe a shower will calm you some."

"Maybe..." She murmured sleepily as she sat up. "Don't go anywhere, okay."

"Okay. I'll wait for you to get out." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before walking to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. As he heard the water turn on he let out a sigh and laid back on the bed, nodding back to sleep. After about twenty minutes, though, he jerked awake when he heard Lucy shout out his name.

"Lucy!" Laxus called out as he tumbled out of bed and threw the door open, finding her standing there in a bathrobe, pale and shaking. "What's wrong? What happened?" He looked around and noticed quite a bit of water on the floor.

"Its too early..." Lucy whispered, gazing at him.

"Too early? Wait... You don't mean... Now!?" He could hear the panic in his own voice, and tried to calm down. "Wendy! We have to get you to Wendy!" He rushed out of the room and threw on the first pair of clothes he could find, grabbing a clean shirt for Lucy, just in case, and as she walked into the room he handed it to her. He heard her gasp in surprise as he picked her up and walked through the house.

"Laxus! What are you doing?"

"It will be much quicker if I carry you." As he passed the hall table he grabbed her bag and handed it to her. "I know you always keep a comm. lacrima in there. Call Wendy and tell that we're going to be early." Laxus grinned down at Lucy in his arms. "Already they're going to be a handful."

"Well, they're your kids..." She muttered darkly before grinning up at him, digging the lacrima out of her bag. "Wendy." She said, but it wasn't Wendy who answered, it was Chelia.

"Chelia? What are you doing there?" Lucy asked, surprised.

"I came to visit Wendy. She's busy with Cornelia's check up so she told me to answer. You look a bit pale, what's wrong?"

"Could you just put Wendy on!" Laxus barked and she saw Chelia jump.

"Okay! No need to yell. Wendy! Lucy and Laxus need you!" She called out, and Lucy saw Wendy and Cana come into view, Cana holding Cornelia while Wendy examined her.

"I'm a little busy right now, Lucy. Can't you wait and call back?" She asked, not glancing away from the baby in front of her.

"I would, but they aren't waiting." Lucy said in a strained voice and gasped as she felt her entire abdomen clench as she felt her first contraction, a mild pain going through her body.

"Who won't wait?" Wendy asked, glancing quickly at the lacrima, and froze when she saw Lucy's pale face. "Lucy? Who won't wait?"

"Who do you think?" Laxus answered for her, trying to keep calm. "Get everything ready, we're almost there."

"Chelia!" Wendy called out, turning away from Cana and her baby. "I'm going to need your help today. Are you up for this?"

"Yes, what all do you need?" Chelia answered and Lucy let the lacrima go off.

When they made it to Fairy Tail it was as rowdy as ever, Gray and Natsu were fighting as usual, with everyone looking on.

"Obviously Wendy didn't say anything to them." Laxus muttered as he tried to make it to the stairs, but the path was blocked. "Oi! Move or get fried! Your choice!" Laxus yelled to the crowd, and everyone scrambled to get out of the way, some going silent when they noticed he was carrying Lucy.

"Laxus, Lucy? What's going on?" Erza asked, stepping away from the crowd.

"The little trouble makers decided they didn't want to wait any longer." Laxus explained as he carried Lucy up the stairs and into the infirmary, where Wendy and Chelia were waiting for them.

~~ TS ~~ 5 hours ~~

"Come on Lucy! Push again!" Wendy said from in front of Lucy, and she let out a low groan as she pushed, felt Laxus wince as she squeezed his hand, his fingers turning white.

"Okay, now breath. You're doing good Lucy. You're almost there. Chelia, get some blankets ready." Wendy said as she moved the blanket covering Lucy's lower half up to rest on her knees, her robe still covering her top half, offering a bit of privacy.

"Okay, Lucy, I can see the head. Try pushing once more, one big push this time." Wendy encouraged her and she let out a scream as she pushed again, and was rewarded with the cry of a baby.

"And it's a boy!" Wendy said with a smile as she held the baby up, slightly purple and screaming, for them to see, and Laxus leaned down and kissed Lucy's temple.

"One down, one to go." He said as Wendy handed their son over to Chelia to clean up.

"Yeah..." Lucy panted. "Your turn to push..." He laughed a little and Lucy smiled up at him. After a few minutes Laxus was handed their son, now clean and bundled up.

"He's so small." He whispered as he held the baby, running a finger lightly across the light wisps of hair. He reached down and took Lucy's hand again, seeing joy in her eyes as she looked at their son.

Wendy came over and checked Lucy again. "Okay Lucy, I can see the other head, one big push should do it this time."

Laxus winced as Lucy gripped his hand again and let out her loudest scream that day, but was rewarded with a worried look from Wendy.

"Chelia! Quick! The baby's not breathing!" Chelia rushed forward and Laxus glanced at Lucy, panicked, when he felt her hand go limp in his. He looked over to see her laying back in the bed, her eyes closed, barely breathing.

"Lucy!" He cried out, shaking her shoulder, trying to wake her. "Wendy! Lucy's not responding! Help her!" Wendy looked up and paled at the sight of Lucy.

"Laxus! I need you to leave, now!" She said as she began to work on Lucy, Chelia still working on the second baby, which was still silent.

"What! No I'm not leav-"

"Gajeel! I know you're out there! Come and remove Laxus! Now please!"

Seconds later Gajeel entered and put a hand on his shoulder. "Laxus, come on. Let them do their work." With one last look at Lucy, Laxus let Gajeel lead him out of the room and down to one of the tables along the wall, his son still in his arms.

"So what are they?" He asked as he sat next to Laxus, glaring at the people who tried to approach.

"Didn't you hear us up there?" Laxus asked, glaring a bit at Gajeel, who shook his head.

"Even if I'm a Dragon Slayer I don't listen in on conversations unless they involve me. I respect everyone's secrets." Gajeel said, and Laxus's expression softened a bit.

"Well, this one's a boy." Laxus said in a low whisper as he glanced down at the bundle in his arms.

"What about the other one?"

"I... I don't know..." Laxus's voice cracked and he hung his head.

"What do you mean you don't know? Didn't they te-" He stopped when he saw a single tear roll down Laxus's cheek. "Man, I'm sorry. What happened?"

"I don't know, it happened so fast. Lucy just gave birth to the second one and it wasn't breathing. I felt her hand go limp, and I look to her and she's just laying there, not responding to anything." Laxus brought his hand up and rested his head in it. "I don't want to lose either of them, I don't know what I'd do if th-" He choked back a sob, and tried to hide his tears, but he looked up and saw Mira standing there, a hand on his shoulder.

"Laxus, its okay to cry, we won't judge you." She gave him a small smile and tears ran down his cheeks, and he saw a few on her cheeks as well. "Wendy and Chelia are doing all they can, Lucy and the baby will be all right."

Laxus looked down as the baby in his arms shifted a little, then up at the closed infirmary doors. Please be okay. Laxus silently prayed, seeing Lucy's face in his mind. I don't know what to do without you now.

Hi everyone... please don't kill me! If you do, you will never figure out what happens next!