Lucy sighed as she paced their home, trying desperately to calm her panicked husband. Well, she tried to pace, but with as big as she felt, Lucy knew it was more of a waddle at this point.

"I'm fine. Nashi is fine. Levy is on her way to pick me up." She paused for a moment, releasing another sigh and absentmindedly rubbing her belly. "Natsu, please be reasonable. We do not need a police escort to the hospital. Some light bleeding is a common third trimester thing, and if you'd bothered to read any of the books I've handed to you in the past several months you would know that."

A knock at the door distracted her from whatever he said, but she caught enough of the comment to be bright red when she opened it to let Levy in.

"That is not the fucking book I was talking about!" Levy raised her eyebrow, choosing to remain quiet while her friend ranted and slid on her shoes. "You know damn well which books I meant. It's your fault I'm going through this, so I don't want any more commentary from you right now… Yes, I promise to call as soon as I know what's going on… I love you, too."

Another roll of her eyes punctuated the end of the conversation, and she and Levy were on their way to Magnolia General in no time.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him, Lu," Levy commented as she took a right turn. "He's worried about the both of you, and this might actually be something to worry about this time."

"I know that, but I would rather not have him distracted at work. That could end up being a dangerous situation really fast, and I don't want that to happen."

Natsu and Lucy had initially discussed having kids before the wedding and decided to wait until they'd been married a year to try for their first. That was two years ago, before the many negative pregnancy tests and two miscarriages. By the third time the test came positive, they were more apprehensive than hopeful, and they stayed that way until Lucy's second trimester. Early in the third trimester, there were some minor complications and Lucy was put on bed rest - just to be safe. She was worried, but tried to keep herself calm, knowing that the stress could harm both herself and their unborn daughter.

The doctor met Lucy and Levy as soon as they stepped off the elevator on the correct floor, escorting them immediately into an exam room. They were not long before Lucy was hooked up to various monitors and an IV in her arm. 'Placental abruption' is what her doctor called it, and she tried to remain calm while she was admitted and taken to a delivery room.

For the first hour, very little happened. The pitocin did what it was supposed to do while Lucy tried time and again to call Natsu. Each call went straight to voicemail, and with each failed attempt, she became more panicked. Levy took over, calling Cana's dad and informing him of the situation so he could get ahold of Natsu.

After that, however, things began going downhill. With Lucy no longer focused on calling her husband, she began to pay attention to the screen showing Nashi's heart rate. Pain from another contraction pulsed through her, and Lucy watched as Nashi's previously steady beat dipped down to nearly non-existent. Never in her life had the call button been hit so quickly. Minutes later, the pitocin was disconnected, stopping the contractions immediately.

With that option taken away, the doctor put in orders for an emergency C-section. That was not what they had wanted or planned, but it was necessary to save the life of their daughter, as well as her own. Levy stayed by her side through it all, phone within easy reach - just in case - and providing what support she could.

Since Natsu was absent, Levy was allowed in the room during the procedure. She held tightly to her friend's hand, assuring her that the doctors knew what they were doing and would do their best.

"She's beautiful, Lucy," Levy exclaimed with awe in her voice when Nashi was finally out.

Lucy's heart broke when, instead of handing over her tiny daughter, a nurse took her from the room. Nashi was so small and almost a month early; Lucy could not hold back her tears as the incisions were closed. They continued to fall as she was taken to a recovery room for additional monitoring, but no one would tell her what had happened to her precious baby.

Natsu arrived shortly after Lucy was taken to a private room. Devastation was painted across his features when he walked into the room; Levy stepped out and closed the door behind her to give them some privacy.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy." Natsu's sob restarted Lucy's own, and the couple held each other as they both apologized - Natsu for not following what his instincts told him, and Lucy for downplaying the potential seriousness of the situation.

Numb was the only word that could come close to how Lucy was feeling after they had stopped. Natsu's fingers were threaded through hers as they sat together and waited. Finally, after more than an eternity passed, the doctor knocked, entering the room with a nurse on her heels.

"We were able to stabilize Nashi's vitals," she informed them. "She's small, but a fighter. We had some trouble getting her to eat, but she has been fed a high-calorie formula to help get her weight up a bit. Because she is out a little earlier than expected, she will need to be monitored in the NICU for at least a few days, but she should be fine to go home in one week or less."

Twin sighs of relief left Natsu and Lucy with that information.

"Are you ready to meet your daughter?"

The halls of the delivery ward seemed too bright after so many tears, but Lucy bore it without a word as Natsu pushed her wheelchair behind the nurse. It felt like another eternity making their way through the corridors, and when they finally arrived, both had to thoroughly wash their hands before they were allowed entrance.

"It will be important to have skin-on-skin contract, so that your little one knows that she is cared for. Go ahead and decide which of you will go first while I get her."

It was an easy decision, Natsu unbuttoning his shirt as the nurse showed them how to hold her. Waterworks began again as their precious infant was settled on his bare chest; Natsu's hand held her tight, his palm covering from her tiny bottom to the base of her skull.

"Thank you, Lucy."

"I didn't really do anything," she insisted. And that was how she felt; her body had betrayed them twice before, and had tried to do it a third time. Lucy felt shame for not being able to carry Nashi to full term.

"But you did." He motioned for her to come closer. "Years ago, you gave me your love, and you put your body through hell so we could have a family. You grew a whole person inside of you, Lucy. Every day with you has been a gift - even when we fight. And now we have this tiny gift that is a product of our love. What else could I say when given something so beautiful?"

"I love you, Natsu." Her words were watery as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Lucy gently touched the silky pink tuft of hair on Nashi's head and knew her husband was right. Even with things going awry, at the end of the day, they had each other, their adorable daughter, their friends, their family. Every day truly was a gift, and Lucy did not think she would ever be happier.