It's been too long - I'm sorry for the long wait!
Thank you, KiraKate, for your continuous reviews - I definitely agree; I want Mashima to give us a Jellal-sees-what-happened-to-Erza-and-mourns-the-loss-of-her-hair scene before they bring in Cancer and it's all back to normal.
Thank you Miss Panda for sending me reviews and reminders! Would've probably taken even longer if you hadn't spiked my motivation.
Hope you'll enjoy!
Lucy hammered on the door more frantically than she had intended. She couldn't help it. Her lungs were on fire from all the running and so were her legs. She managed to wait for precisely five seconds before resuming to knock at an alarming pace. It took another moment before the door opened.
"Lucy?"
"Let me in, let me in, let me in!" Lucy stormed inside, throwing the door shut behind her, then rushed into the bathroom. She hopped into the bathtub, swinging the curtain closed. Until she realised that the bathroom had a window. She jumped back out, almost running into Erza who was still standing in the hall.
"Did something happen?" Erza asked calmly. She was holding one of Jellal's shirts – and wearing another. Lucy followed her to the bedroom, not least because the curtains were mostly drawn.
Barefooted, hair pinned up messily and in no rush whatsoever, Erza resumed rummaging through the closet. She let whatever she found disappear in her dimension, occasionally dropping a baby item in a large bag. She was so serene, it nearly made Lucy calm down.
Only then did she register the lovely smell reaching them. The Scarlet-Fernandes household always carried the pleasant scent of something delicious.
"It's Natsu," Lucy panted, throwing nervous looks at the window. "Remember how you guys decided on making that tower search thing a baby quest for you and Levy? Well, Natsu found a new one."
"And he wants you to come?"
"Yes," Lucy said between her teeth.
"Why didn't you tell him to go by himself?" Erza asked absently.
"That's the problem – I'm sort of the main part…" Lucy reluctantly explained. Erza raised a brow, still with her head amidst her husband's neatly ironed shirts. "It's some sick experiment to see how much human sex appeal will work on demons – or whatever other creatures he signed me up for…" she mumbled, gesturing bashfully as a replacement action.
"Really?" Erza reappeared, turning. "How much did the client say he'd pay you?"
"Erza." It warningly came from down the hall. She only smirked.
"I don't know and I don't wanna find out," Lucy rambled on, following Erza to the kitchen. "Natsu stalked me all morning already. He had that look; he definitely has some hideous outfit prepared." She shuddered. Her racing thoughts slowed once they arrived and she saw Jellal.
Casually but at least fully dressed, contrary to his wife, he was stirring in a pot. Rosemary was strapped to his back, suckling on a pacifier. She was wearing a tiny hairpin with a violet flower at the end.
"I'd let you wait it out here, but I'm afraid he'll break down the door as soon as I'm gone," Erza brought Lucy back into the present. She was fetching a package of biscuits from an overhead cupboard. She threw Jellal a knowing grin at the way he supposedly nonchalantly observed her stretching to her toes. He mirrored it less obviously.
"You're leaving today?" Lucy asked. She was more than tempted to accompany them. A sleepless night or two was nothing, and she loved the babies. Surely, they wouldn't mind her tagging along? Possibly having to protect her from being dragged away…
"We would've already left an hour ago but Levy called – one of the twins bumped their head against a chair and she wanted to be sure he was alright. They'll come pick us up on the way back from Porlyusica."
"No, we'll meet them near the river in the Eastern Woods," Jellal piped up. From the pocked of his apron, he produced Erza's lacrima. She blinked at the screen when he presented it, skimming the messages. "But we still have time – we'll drive to the train station and make our way from there."
"Drive?" Lucy asked.
"Erza bought a Magic Four Wheel Vehicle," Jellal said, pursing his lips.
"And it will be absolutely worth it, you'll see," Erza told him for what sounded like the hundredth time. She had taken the lacrima from him, only to put it back herself, her other hand lingering on his chest for just a moment longer than necessary. He gave a sigh that did not yet speak of defeat but kept silent. His gaze softened when she was already otherwise busy, leaning on him to peek over his shoulder. Rosemary's eyes lit up as much as her mother's upon meeting, her suckling quickening with positive excitement.
"In any case," Jellal said, trying to resume stirring with Erza and Rosemary exchanging silly faces over his shoulder, "you're welcome to camp here, but I can't promise he won't find you. Being a Dragon Slayer and all…"
"What if I came with you?" Lucy blurted before having thought it through. Inwardly, she already knew she would prefer a straining mission of being the fifth wheel to posing in maid outfits to monsters. Erza put a finger to her chin, contemplating.
"We could also switch—"
"We are not going on a mission of beast-human sex appeal and we will not," Jellal went on without missing a beat when she opened her mouth to protest, "have an argument about this. We're not going. End of story," he declared. With her hand still on his shoulder, chin joining to tilt her head in silent plea, Erza fluttered her lids. Rosemary observed curiously. "No." Jellal insisted. Erza gave a pout. He only raised a single brow. "We're going on a mysterious mission that might take us a week!" Jellal tried, his façade cracking but not crumbling.
"Alright, alright," Erza threw her hands up, withdrawing. "We'll save it up for next time…" she mumbled to herself.
"We will not." Jellal gave a small growl. She threw him a most innocent grin, and he rolled his eyes, concluding the dispute.
Lucy caught herself staring, having to blink with her eyes having become dry.
"So…" she fidgeted with her hands behind her back, "does that mean I can come…?" She glanced up from below.
"Of course," Erza easily said, back to fishing for food in the cabinets.
"I don't see why not," Jellal added, he himself back to watching Erza stretch to reach. Lucy made a face, but was relieved nonetheless. She would gladly trade that lunatic Dragon Slayer for this lunatic couple. It was hard to believe that they were the same people she had watched suffer from each other's actions and absence only months ago.
Her gaze fell to Rosemary. Staring right at her with her huge green eyes, suckling complacently on her pacifier. Gripping her father's shirt, her little feet were dangling. Yes, Lucy could definitely get used to the idea of tagging behind them, even if it meant being stared at by a baby for hours on end. Or perhaps because it meant being stared at by that baby for hours on end.
"A-ha!" Lucy jumped when his voice was suddenly so close, it was as if he stood next to her. "There you are!" Natsu yelled through the window, his fingers leaving imprints on the glass. Erza frowned, then went over to open the window.
"No, don't just—" Lucy cringed but it was too late.
"We have a door," Erza plainly informed once Natsu had hopped into the window.
"You cookin' something?" He asked Jellal instead of answering. It earned him a shove, sending him onto the street.
"Romanesco – for the journey."
"On top of six other dishes we can't possibly all eat before they go bad," Erza mildly complained. "You know we won't exactly have a fridge and we can hunt just as well."
"I prefer a thoroughly washed and cooked meal." Jellal defended himself, blushing lightly.
"You're going on that tower thingy mission? I wanna come!" Natsu beamed, crouching on the windowsill again. Erza and Jellal exchanged a glance. Lucy wanted to gesture to them not to agree but Erza already shrugged.
"You have five minutes to get your things."
"Alright!" Natsu cheered. "Let's go, Happy!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy stretched his wings, carrying both of at an impressive speed. At least they seemed to have forgotten about their other mission…
"You know, when Erza said to get your things, I don't think she meant half the guild…" Lucy mumbled, glancing over to where Gray and Juvia had taken the lead. Her eyes flashed back down to the map in her hand when Gray glanced over his shoulder, obviously not too keen on anyone watching how closely he and Juvia walked together. "Maybe," Lucy tried to focus, "if you and Happy flew over the treetops, we won't have to divide the entire forest into a grid and check every square for…" she slowed when she noticed that Natsu wasn't next to her anymore. Neither were the others.
Lucy pulled a face. It elongated, seeing as Natsu had fallen behind, enthralled by the tiny hand of the twin Levy was currently carrying.
"…so cute!" Natsu raved in a high-pitched voice. It would have been endearing had it not been so mushy and embarrassing, Lucy thought. "This one's the cute one – the other looks like Gajeel," he said, making Happy and Levy snicker.
"Can it, Salamander!" Gajeel immediately fumed. "My kids are the toughest, coolest and cutest Dragon Slayers to have ever wandered Earth Land!" He boasted. Plucking Gale from Levy's arms and away from Natsu, he let him gently hop up and down on his biceps, before returning him to the baby sling at his chest. Tetsu gave a sound from the sling in the back, his brother reciprocating.
"Oh yeah?" Natsu grinned as much as Gajeel with the challenge. "Well, Erza's kid's gonna make everyone eat dust anyway," he retorted, somewhat including himself. Lucy wondered if it was an unconsciously admitted defeat.
Levy gave a sigh, looking on with a mixture of amusement and vexation as the two Dragon Slayers kept on insulting one another.
Their argument nearly drowned out the one to Lucy's right that she had tried to ignore since having noticed to be ignored herself.
"What, you don't trust me?" Meredy had her hands planted firmly on her hips.
"Of course I trust you," Jellal said.
"So then why did you test it again?" She asked, pointing at the bottle of milk in his hand.
"I just wanted to be sure it was sufficiently warm."
"Which I already saw to and told you as much."
"Can't be too careful when it comes to Rosebud."
"I'm always careful!" Meredy gestured wildly enough to snap a nearby twig off. "With her," she fleetly added. Jellal narrowed his eyes. It only made her more irritated, taking the bottle away, restarting the quarrel from the top.
Lucy heaved a sigh. Perhaps a baby mission hadn't been that good an idea. Or perhaps it was just the fact that everyone had come, which invariably entailed some sort of fight. It was a miracle that there had been none between Gray and Natsu yet. The tides were turning.
"Wendy," Lucy tried anew, "why don't you and Charle fly to—" she interrupted herself, then faded out.
Wendy had fallen behind too. Charle was grousing for Wendy to act her age, but Erza gently dismissed it. Having knelt down on one knee in front of her, Erza was using a handkerchief to pat whatever minuscule or perhaps non-existent scratch Wendy's cheek might have acquired. And Wendy looked everything but discontent with the pampering she received. Being treated like a child was apparently well worth the attention.
She continued to walk closely next to Erza, eyes shining as she retold a story, basking in the mellow frown of sympathy and affection Erza returned.
Erza was back in her usual skirt-blouse combination, but the blouse was different from before. Not sporting any buttons but long, wider sleeves, it looked less uptight and proper, but relaxed and comfortable. She had gotten used to wearing her hair up too.
"The grid it is, I guess…" Lucy huffed under her breath, regarding the map again. The woods were enormous, but a giant ancient tower as the description said should still not have posed such a problem to find. It made her wonder why the surrounding villages had posted the 'find and destroy' request. "Oh—" she stumbled into Gray. She followed his gaze.
"Fire," he pointed out the obvious, watching smoke rise into the sky above the treetops in the distance. "There must be a settlement somewhere – maybe they have information about that strange magic the tower is supposed to be surrounded with. Let's go ask."
"Good idea," Lucy nodded, not least because he was currently the only one focused on the mission itself. "Maybe we can finally get those loons to—" Again, she stopped herself. This time because the undergrowth rustled.
A man emerged, wearing a straw hat. His clothes were dirty, as were his hands and face, his skin tanned. A farmer, Lucy concluded.
"What the…? Oh!" He suddenly jumped over to them. Gray recoiled but his hand was already grabbed, then shook repeatedly. "You must be the wizards, come to our rescue!" He exclaimed, continuing to shake. Juvia pulled on Gray's arm, but the man held on. "Thank you so much, noble wizard! We're so grateful!"
"Uh, sure," Gray said uncomfortably. "You're from the village, I guess?"
"Yes," the man nodded avidly, losing his hat in the process. "We desperately need someone to lift the curse of that… that cursed tower that only ever appears when—" he paused, regarding the approaching group for the first time. His eyes found Lucy, then went to Juvia. "Well, as I said, we're ever so grateful, but, uh, I'm not sure it was such a – how do I say – good idea to bring, uhm…" He frowned slightly.
Gray's eyes followed. "The girls? Why? Got something against women?" He raised a brow.
"Oh-oh." Lucy heard Erza breathe behind her. "Where's—?"
"Right here." Jellal loomed over the man. The latter shrunk, making him notice Rosemary who was strapped to Jellal's chest.
"You brought… a baby…?" The man half-whimpered.
"Let's go," Jellal tried and failed to keep his snarl at bay, leading the way past the cowering farmer.
"Sorry, man," Gray shook his head disapprovingly, "but we'll do just fine on our own." He pushed his hand into his pocket, the other boldly taking Juvia's as he marched on. Completely forgetting to be offended, Juvia soared after her beloved with hearts in her eyes. "He's lucky there're more villagers asking for help."
"It was as if he was counting us," Lucy mumbled in agreement, catching up. "With Wendy and Meredy, we're outnumbering you guys, but still, this is Fiore – everyone knows women can have magic just as powerful as men, if not more."
"There is an exception to every rule." Gray shrugged. "How about we get that plan of yours into motion." He turned around but kept walking – Juvia looking as proud as if having been entrusted his very life, now watching out for him not to fall. "Hey, Flame Brain!" Gray cupped a hand to his mouth.
"Who're callin' Brian?!"
"Brain, you moron," Gray tutted. "Get into the air and look for that tower, will ya?" He lowered his voice again, catching Wendy's gaze. "Would you two mind overtaking the other side?" He pointed to the left of their current route. Wendy gave a court nod of understanding, taking off with Charle.
"You were actually listening?" Lucy asked, a smile forming on her lips.
"Sure," Gray shrugged, then resumed walking ahead, Juvia's hand still in his.
Lucy smiled at the joint hands. She turned around to where the man had been, but he were already swallowed by the thicket, Jellal having set a brisk pace. Lucy could hear them bicker in front.
"How does it not bother you?"
"Because I know my own strength; I know he was wrong in judging us and that's enough," Erza soothed.
"For you."
"Yes, for me," she sighed. "You know you'd feel much better if you let it go."
"I'd feel a lot better if I'd have—" Jellal bit his tongue. His pace slowed slightly. "Never mind. I'm glad at least one of us isn't offended." He offered his wife a smile, if an unconvincing one.
"You wouldn't have beat him up. Tell me you wouldn't have – not for something so petty." Erza propped a hand on her hip.
"It's not petty to me. And you were fine with me punching someone for dragging Fairy Tail through the mire."
"That's different."
"Is it?"
"Of course," Erza confidently said. "First, they weren't present to handle it themselves had they chosen to."
"Can't exactly have the entire guild together all the time…" Jellal muttered.
"And second, that's the guild. Of course you're entitled to defend your family; obliged even."
"You're my family," he leant down. She didn't hesitate any longer than the blink of an eye to soften her gaze, meeting his before meeting his lips with hers.
"I know," Erza giggled, smiling into him as she stole another kiss.
Lucy couldn't decide between rolling her eyes and swooning. She decided on laughing when seeing the crimson colour of Gray's usually so cool face. Gajeel joined her not a second later. The dirtiness of his laughter set off the twins and ultimately everyone else, making for a much more pleasant journey.
They had taken five times as many breaks with the children needing to be fed and changed. Eventually, when even Natsu and Wendy had found nothing, they settled for their best guess: the border of an enormous clearing. It was where they believed to have arrived on the map; the location of the magicked tower. Only there was no tower.
"He said 'it only appears when' something, so I suppose we'll wait for sunrise," Levy said, helping Lucy put up a tent.
"Why sunrise?" Lucy asked.
"Here," Levy gently dropped the pegs, then came over to where they had pinned the map to a tree. "Did you see this crescent shape in the corner? It looks like the rising sun over the horizon."
"Woah, I didn't even notice," Meredy joined them. "Where have you been all my life?" She turned to Levy, who blushed but smiled. "All this time I travelled with those two—"
"Careful, Meredy," Jellal had come up to them.
"Geniuses."
"Right." He poked her side. "But are you sure it's the sun? It's crescent; wouldn't that stand for the moon?" He pointed out. They all tilted their heads to see the inconspicuous symbol on its side. "I think we should wait for the moon to rise – the villagers sent out the request precisely one month ago, even though the tower's supposed to be ancient."
"Wouldn't it be this way around then though?" Levy drew a line on the map.
"Also, sunrise sounds so much better than waiting around all night," Gajeel said, crossing his arms.
"Sunrise," Gray raised his arm to vote. Juvia copied him instantly.
Lucy shrugged. "Sorry, Jellal."
"Sunrise it is," Natsu declared. He dropped back on his sleeping bag, snoring not two minutes later.
He woke in time for dinner, his nose alerting him. Jellal sulked with his well-planned meals being distributed and thus eaten all at once, but Erza again allayed him with the possibility of hunting.
"I have survived many a mission with food cooked over a fire."
"But you weren't nursing then," Jellal gave back. His retorts were starting to quiet though, the fighting spirit abating. Not least thanks to his daughter, Lucy thought, watching where Rosemary sat with her back to her father's torso, hands outstretched to touch those of Gale who was sitting against Erza. Levy watched lovingly, relaxing for once. Just until Tetsu started crying.
"Gajeel," she scolded. Gajeel, holding Tetsu, only grinned, moving away from the campfire again. Tetsu ceased crying, surprised by the lack of sudden heat. Until it returned. As did his cries. Gajeel grinned, repeating the process, watching with delight how Tetsu's howls of discomfort grew further apart the more he could guess that it would not be long until he would be away from the fire again.
"Gajeel, really."
"It's fine, Shrimp," Gajeel tutted. "He's learning."
"He's too young to be that close to fire."
"He's nowhere near in reach," Gajeel defended. "And it's never too early to learn respect and trust," he emphasised the latter, rucking his son up on his knee to fetch his attention. Tetsu tilted his head back with effort, earning himself a proud grin. "Wouldn't want you turning out like a spoilt weakling," Gajeel mumbled to his son. Levy's lips were a thin line, only now she was flashing an unsuspicious glance to Erza.
"Jellal," Erza was already chiding. Jellal had tightened his grip on his daughter the second Tetsu had let out his first whine. Gajeel laughed, having noticed. "She'll have to make those experiences sooner or later," Erza agreed with the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"Not with fire!" Jellal protested. Levy nodded but made no attempt to take her son away – Gajeel had stopped anyway. He was too busy being entertained by the others' argument, and so was the rest of the team, Lucy noted with a brief look around. "She can learn from watching – that way she won't even have to make any bad experiences."
"At least don't squish her like that," Erza reprimanded. Jellal froze a little, not releasing his protective grasp until Erza quietly promised not to be taking Rosemary to the fire.
He did refuse to give her to anyone though, holding his baby when they eventually went to sleep; strapped her to himself even.
It was not until hours later that Jellal discovered it to have been her saving grace. The same could not be said for Erza.
Jellal somewhat stirred awake. It was almost bright on the clearing with the clouds having moved away. A shiver ran down his spine, the wind still blowing harshly. Before so much as opening his eyes, Jellal made sure Rosemary was close; that her head was protected from the cold. He blinked, then glanced over his shoulder.
The moon was there – crescent and bright. He paid it no mind. A vast shadow was cast over the camp. The tower. It had appeared. It reached into the sky, leaning slightly as if threatening to flatten them all into the ground in their sleep. Colossal would have been an understatement. Built from bricks the size of a cow, it loomed with a menacing serenity. The magic aura surrounding it was thicker than fog, nearly tangible.
"Erza," Jellal sat up. "Erza, look," he hissed. His breathing was flat, as if the magic suffocated him with thick drops of an ancient spell, sticking hotly to his throat. "It's here, it—" His hand groped nothing but fabric next to him. He spun his head around. Her sleeping bag was empty. "Erza!" Jellal wheezed.
His breathing stopped.
"Gajeel!" Jellal crawled over, one hand always securing Rosemary to himself despite the sling keeping her in place. "Gajeel!" He shook the Dragon Slayer awake. "Quick, did you smell or see or hear or smell anything? Did she leave for the woods? Can you smell her now? Please tell me you do!" Jellal panted, coughing on the roughness of his own voice.
"What the…?" Gajeel grumbled, drowsy.
Jellal trained his eyes to the forest, unable to see even a single trace that could have told him Erza had left that way. "Erza's gone; can you smell if she's close by? I can't see!" Jellal somewhat punched instead of poked Gajeel's side. The latter growled, letting himself fall onto his back.
"Dude, chill, it's like—" he interrupted himself, having opened his eyes. Staring up at what cast its mammoth shadow over them. "The tower."
"Yes, but Erza's gone!" Jellal tightened his grasp on Rosemary, unintendedly waking her. The twins made a noise from within their tent, rousing too.
"It's huge…"
"Yes, but—"
"So you were right about the moon," Gajeel said.
"Yes, but Erza—"
"Levy, wake up," Gajeel rolled over to open the tent. "The tower's— Levy? What the—? Where—?" Gajeel turned back to Jellal, eyes growing with a similar fear.
"Erza's gone too! Try to sniff!" Jellal urged.
"What the hell are you guys…?" Gray nagged from the other side of Jellal, as did Natsu and Happy.
"They're gone!" Gajeel and Jellal yelled in unison.
Gajeel jumped up at once, marching into the cover of the trees, sniffing for his wife. Jellal scooted towards the tent, side-eyeing the tower while protectively hovering over the squirming twins.
"Meredy…" He realised only then. Gray must have noticed too, his gaze flashing from Juvia's empty spot to Meredy's equally deserted hammock. Gale started crying.
"Can I feed?" Natsu shot upright, half-asleep but ready for baby entertainment.
"Will be hard without their mother," Gajeel darkly assessed.
"And we already used our last bottle…" Jellal agreed in quiet horror.
"Where are they? What's going on?" Gray stood, shaking out Wendy and Charle's empty sleeping bag.
"There." Natsu made them all look up. He had his palm flat against the cold stone of the tower, his silhouette drawn sharply in the moonlight. His nostrils were flaring. "They're in there."