Chapter 100, huh? I honestly can't believe it myself. I mean, when I started this project way back November of last year, I can tell you I never expected to get this far without quitting. I've finished next to none of my other stories, and I recently deleted a bunch of unfinished stories. To say I have a three digit chapter story is...wow.

Of course, I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys. All of the support, kind words, and everything is so nice to see! Some of you I want to thank more than others, but I don't want to name anyone (If you're reading this, you know who you are, and I appreciate everything). I can't ever find enough words to be able to thanks you all, so maybe this chapter will be some form of thanks, huh?

Believe me, It's a very important chapter.

Thanks again, and enjoy!

Natsu was angry, which he was more than sure as an acceptable response. He was currently lying in bed, by himself, staring out the window. He knew Lucy had already left, but that wasn't the problem. Or maybe it was, Natsu didn't know. Groaning to himself and throwing himself back into the middle of the bed, he stared up at the roof uselessly.

The problem, you may ask?

Natsu felt like, recently anyway, there was a rift between him and Lucy. She'd been acting weird for a while, but Natsu had shrugged it off. Now he was worried, as she was just not herself. Had he done something up upset her? Somehow he could see that, he usually didn't know how he pissed her off until it was too late. Natsu suddenly sat bolt right up in bed, wide eyed.

Had he missed Nashi's birthday?

No, no that wasn't it. Her birthday wasn't for another few months. he slowly slid back down and stared at the rook, thinking for anything else he may of done. Her birthday? No. Anniversary? No. Important event? No.

"What's the matter, Natsu?" Happy asked, landing on the foot of the bed. Natsu covered his eye with his arm.

"I don't know." he finally replied. "But that's the problem."

"What do you mean?" Natsu shifted so that he could look at the exceed.

"Lucy's acting weird." he told the small blue cat, who made a face in response. "I don't know why, but she is."

"Do you have any idea at all?" Natsu went through a list of important things he may have missed again, and shook his head.

"Nope." Happy thought for a moment, and Natsu waited.

"Maybe Nashi knows." The cat suggested. "She's a girl like Lucy, it's always possible she slipped it in on some mother-daughter time."

"Hm." Natsu said, thinking about it for a minute. "I guess it can't hurt to check, right?"

"Right!" Natsu got himself out of bed and got dressed lazily, his head still clouded with everything that had happened. His walk to the guild was uneventful to say the least, just casting friendly glances at all those who did it to him. Once he got to the guild, he looked around, finally spotting the recognizable back of Nashi's head, He walked over with a dead serious expression on his face, startling Ultear and Drake, whom Nashi was speaking to.

"At least it..." Nashi stopped speaking as Natsu grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away. "Ow! Dad, what the hell are you doing?!"

"We need to talk." He replied quietly.

"About what?"

"Stuff, now come on."

"Dad...!"

"Stay quiet, no talking."

Natsu pondered his many questions as Nashi ate her ice cream, which he'd bought in an attempt to soften her up. Perhaps it was a default response, but Natsu often bought her ice cream to talk to her.

"So what's on that small mind of yours, Dad?" Nashi asked, putting the spoon down. Natsu sighed.

"It..." he made a face, trying to think what exactly he wanted to say. "I didn't miss your birthday, did I?"

"Um, no..." Nashi seemed confused as Natsu breathed a sigh of relief. "Why? Did you think you did?"

"Not really, no, but..." Natsu sighed and rested his head on his hand. "Your mothers been acting weird lately."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Silence punctuated the remark, and Nashi rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"I assume you fucked up somehow, right?"

"Probably." More silence, then, "Any ideas?"

"Hmmm..." Nashi said, obviously thinking as hard as possible. "It wasn't your anniversary, or Mom's birthday..."

"That's what I thought, too." Nashi crossed her arms and groaned quietly as she thought, making Natsu smile slightly at the face she was making. "I can't think of anything, Dad."

"Ugh, great" Natsu leaned back in the chair and stared up at the blue sky above, once again back at square one.

"Well, there is one idea I have." Natsu peeked back at his daughter to find her watching him carefully.

"Yes?" He asked, and she frowned.

"It may be she feels unloved."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Natsu replied. "Why would she feel that way?"

"Maybe that wasn't the right word." Nashi said, twirling the spoon around in her sundae. "Maybe I meant to ay she doesn't feel special."

"Please explain." Natsu said, leaning forward, and Nashi shrugged and stuck the spoon in her mouth.

"Vwell mafbe is becaze you nefer..."

"Swallow your ice cream, sweetheart." Natsu said with a sigh. Nashi blushed furiously and did as she was told, and put the spoon down.

"As I was saying." She said. "It may be because you haven't really, I don't know, payed her much attention."

"Uh..."

"I mean take her out, Dad. Show her you do love her. Dinner, fancy, late at night, the whole deal. You hear me?" Natsu thought it over for a minute and realized that Nashi was partially right. he really never did do any of that.

"Maybe you're right." he said, thinking it over. He smiled at his daughter. "Where'd you learn that shit, anyway?" Nashi almost looked offended.

"I'm a girl, Dad." She said slowly, as if she constantly reminded him of such a fact. "I know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah yeah." Natsu furrowed his brow and sighed. "Do girls your age find it attractive to have ice cream ob their noses?" Nashi blushed again and wiped it off quickly, sticking the finger it was now on into her mouth. "But I do appreciate the advice, kid. Thanks."

"You're welcome." She ate the last few bites of her ice cream and stood up to leave, leaning down and kissing Natsu's cheek as she did. "Good luck Daddy."

"Thanks."

Natsu felt like an idiot that the idea was making him nervous. All he had to do was ask Lucy to dinner, was that not it? It was.

"Mavis, I'm like a teenage virgin." he hissed, downing another mug of alcohol. "You can do this, Natsu." Rolling his eyes at his own nervousness, he walked up to Lucy, who was alone, and sat down next to her, acting like his usual self. "Hey Luce! What's up."

"Eh, nothing." Lucy replied quietly, not looking up. Natsu frowned and shifted to sit more comfortably.

"Cool." he said. "So, I had an idea today."

"Which is?" Natsu grinned at the idea.

"How about you and I," he pointed between himself and Lucy in case she needed a reference. "Go on a dinner date tonight?" Lucy didn't react at fist, and Natsu started to sweat.

"Really?" She asked.

"Uh, yes."

"...Just the two of us?"

"Yep."

"...This wasn't your idea, was it?"

"Wah...Yes it was."

"No, I'm willing to bet Nashi put you up to this." Lucy could read him like a book, and it made Natsu laugh awkwardly.

"Okay well, even if she did, why does it matter? It's still a good idea, don't you think?" Lucy hummed to herself for a minute, before she shrugged indifferently.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Was...that a yes?"

"Yes."

"Alright, awesome!" Natsu knew he seemed way to happy about such a simple thing, but he could now show Lucy that he did still love her. "I got this, I totally got this."

Natsu didn't have it. Not at all. He had assumed that once he and Lucy got to the restaurant that they could talk like old times, eat, and be happy. Lucy didn't share the mindset, apparently. Natsu had tried everything to get her to hold a conversation but nothing worked.

Nothing.

Natsu was currently tapping his index finger on his face in irritation as Lucy picked at the salad in front of her, trying to think of something to say.

"This is stupid." Natsu finally said, causing Lucy to look up at him. "Like, really stupid."

"Why?"

"Because..." Natsu sighed and leaned on his forearms on the table. "I imagined this whole scenario would be livelier."

"How so?"

"I don't know." Natsu looked up at her. She seemed innocent enough, but Natsu wasn't as big an idiot as everyone pegged him to be. She knew he knew. "I figured you were being all quiet recently because I wasn't showing you the love or attention you deserve, and when I asked Nashi she did suggest this. I guess I figured it was the problem." Natsu looked for any sort of reaction, but Lucy's face barely flickered. "I guess I was wrong, huh?" Natsu looked up in confusion as Lucy giggled.

"You're such a moron, Natsu." She said, smiling brilliantly at him. "I'm fine, really. Although, it was nice of you to be so worried about me." Natsu raised an eyebrow at his wife, who just smiled back. "You're too cute when you try and make me happy."

Natsu felt like an idiot.

Or he would if he couldn't tell she was lying for his sake.

"Um, right." Natsu said, pretending to shake it off as nothing. "Of course I knew you were fine, you're capable." Lucy rolled her eyes and continued eating, much more heartily then before. Natsu just watched, looking for any sign she was messing with him.

I know you're not okay, you don't have to lie to me...

Once they had left the restaurant and were on their way back home, they did a small conversation going. Nothing important really, just about the upcoming S-class advancement.

"You think Nashi'll make it in?" Natsu asked, and Lucy shrugged.

"Before Devil Advocate I've had said no, but..." Lucy shrugged. "She's more and more like her father every time I see her." Natsu rolled his eyes, even if he knew it was true. Although not as dense and hard headed as he, Nashi was a lot like Natsu. "It's always possible."

"Mmm, yeah." They stopped talking momentarily as they spotted another couple across the street, except with a small child running around them. Natsu found the whole thing a little heart warming, as apparently did Lucy.

"I remember when Nashi was that little." She suddenly said, and Natsu grimaced.

"I don't." He said. It was meant as a joke, but he could tell he'd gone about it wrong. Lucy looked over at him sympathetically.

"Don't be like that." She scolded. "Everyone's over it, even Nashi."

"I know." Natsu said, pocketing his hands quietly. "I just...I realize when I talk to her that she's almost seventeen and I've only been there for half a year." Now he was just making himself feel bad, and Lucy rubbed his back comfortingly.

"As long as you're here now." She said brightly. "I'm sure she'd rather you're here now than not at all."

"I guess." Natsu was about to say something when Lucy's eyes widened.

"I got it!" She said, snapping her fingers together. "How the did I not think of this sooner?! Come on!" Lucy grabbed Natsu by the arm and pulled him along to the house, him staying in confused silence the whole time. Once they reached home, Natsu was thrown onto the couch. "Sta." Lucy ordered.

"But..."

"Stay!" Lucy barked, and Natsu stayed still like a good dog. Lucy disappeared into their room, cursing and muttering to herself. Natsu had absolutely no idea what she was doing, either. Once she reappeared, she was carrying a book. She threw the dusty thing down in front of Natsu, who just stared at it curiously.

"What?" He finally asked as Lucy said down next to him.

"It's a photo album, idiot." She replied, smiling brightly. "Of your little girl's childhood." Natsu now felt like he was staring at some sort of ancient object, as he could barely process the though of Nashi being any younger than she was. Lucy picked it up and placed it on both of their knees, opening it to reveal a picture of Nashi before she was year old. "This is when she was six months old." Lucy told him like she was reading off of a script.

"She's cute." Natsu commented, unsure of what else he was supposed to say. Lucy showed him a few more pictures of Nashi when she was extremely young, right up until it skipped from months old to four years, and Natsu stared down at the picture in shock. "That's her?" he asked in bewilderment, and Lucy nodded.

"Yeah, that was on her fourth birthday." Lucy replied. "That was when I gave her Igneel's scarf. She loved it from the moment she laid eyes on it."

"Are you sure that isn't me with long hair?" Natsu asked, but e was genuinely curious. It looked far to much like him.

"Yes, I'm quite sure." Lucy smiled weakly, a tear in her eye. "When I told her the scarf was from you, she refused to take it off."

"You told her that?" Natsu asked, and she nodded. "But she seemed surprised when I told her it was mine."

"I never said that it used to be yours." Lucy clarified. "Only that it was from you."

"You shouldn't have gotten her hopes up like that." Natsu grumbled, and Lucy sighed.

"I suppose not." She then laughed, saying, "But you didn't see her when I told her. I'll never forget the look she gave me as long as live." Lucy continued to flip through the book, explaining various pictures to Natsu in extensive detail. What confused Natsu was that in every picture, even leading up to Nashi's tenth birthday, she still seemed very happy. He voiced his opinion to Lucy, who now looked sad. "She hid that from practically everyone for a long time." Lucy said quietly. "I'm more than certain only her friends and Laxus knew."

"She shouldn't have tried to deal with it alone." Natsu said, feeling angry at the thought of Nashi being bullied.

"That just makes her more like you, though." Lucy said with a small smile. As the pictures became less frequently taken and Nashi grew older, Natsu could see her growing up much faster than before. There were only about ten or so pictures from eleven years to sixteen.

"Why are there so little pictures now?" He asked, and Lucy closed the book with a sigh.

"The older, and more depressed she got, the less she liked getting her picture taken." The book was placed n the table, and Lucy looked sad. "I suppose because she hated herself, in every sense of the word..."

"Lucy..."

"How she looked, how she was treated..."

"Luce..."

"Being who she was, your daughter...

"..."

"I...I can't stand thinking about all those years she spent, hating herself so much she'd rather death..." Natsu couldn't do much but sit there and listen to her ramble, every word a fresh knife driven through his heart. "E-Excuse me..." Lucy got up from the couch and ran away, stiffing what was obviously a sob.

Natsu went after her.

He found her in their room, staring out the window. He walked up behind her and hugged her tightly, resting his head on her shoulder.

"But she's fine now." Natsu said softly. "She's happy, cheerful, beautiful, friendly, loves herself and everyone around her...she's perfect, and now she can finally she it."

"No thanks to you." Lucy said with a weak laugh as she clutched Natsu's arms. "You were the fire that illuminated her darkness after so long. You saved her, Natsu..."

"I guess I did..." Silence enveloped the parents as they stayed in the embrace a little while longer, Lucy seemingly getting comfortable. Natsu didn't mind, tonight had been far more successful then he originally thought. It was nice to see so much about Nashi and lift what appeared to be a burden on his wife. Natsu, for lack of a better word, was happy.

"Hey, Natsu?"

"Yeah Luce?"

"Something, uh, has been bothering me lately..."

"Go on, tell me. Let me help." Lucy didn't reply, right away, just remained silent. Natsu could feel her shaking, which he didn't like, "Come on, Luce. Don't hid this stuff from me."

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Perfectly." Lucy remained silent, before Natsu felt her guide his hand to her stomach.

"Natsu," She said softly. "I'm pregnant."

...Too much? I cannot wait to read the response to this chapter! I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get ten for the one hundredth chapter!