Secrets within Fairy Tail

Chapter 34

Lucy's POV:
The Next day I examine my wrists to see what type of damage is there, and see that the area that Igneel grabbed me has turned black and blue. It's a lot worse than it was last night, and I can tell just from looking at it that it will take a while to go away. I still cook breakfast at my usual time, and we have left soon afterwards. Today I opted to eat breakfast with everyone, and listening to what Igneel said, I talked more with them than I have since I left the guild.
I spend the rest of the day mostly talking with Erza and Wendy, and steering clear of the guys, not wanting to have the conversation that I know Natsu will be wanting to have with me. Erza seems very happy that I am now spending time with her again, and doesn't seem to mind my staying with her. "So, I have to ask. Why are you always wearing a cloak?" Erza asks as we are walking along a bit past noon.
"Well... I guess that after spending so much time with Igneel on his island I just got used to the heat, and it's nowhere near as warm here." I lie not wanting to tell her the real reason. The fact that I do it to hide the fact that I'm pregnant.
"I suppose that would be something that you would become adapted to. It would seem that if there is anyone that should be blamed for the fact that you get cold more easily it's Natsu's father." Erza says after having thought about it for a few minutes.
"Why gets cold easily?" Natsu asks having run forward and started walking on the other side of Erza.
"Apparently Lucy does, and it would seem that it is all your father's fault." Erza responds. Natsu looks over at me as though to ask if this is true, and I just nod, finding it harder to lie to him than it is the others. He then spends the rest of the day walking next to us, and although he doesn't really talk to me in all this time I can tell that he does want to talk.
It would seem that I was correct, for when we have stopped for the night and everyone else has gone into their tents, and are getting ready for bed, he stays outside with me. I have started to put the fire out when he comes up next to me, and for a moment just stands there in silence. "Luce?" He asks uncertainly.
"What did you need?" I ask without looking at him, already knowing that he wants to talk about whatever it was he needed yesterday.

"Who did that to your wrists?" Natsu asks, seeming to be wanting to start with the thing that I wouldn't actually answer him about.

"Someone was worried about another person." I answer without looking at him, as I concentrate on the fire. He then taps me on the shoulder until I look up at him, and when I do I know that I am going to have to give him a better answer than that. "I have a friend that was worried they might not get to see someone do to them anymore, and in their worry, they didn't realize they were holding my wrists." I say with a shrug, used to things like this.

"That still doesn't explain why you haven't healed yourself, I've seen you do amazing things with your magic, and I know that you can heal others, so why not yourself? And even if you can't heal yourself the least you can do is ask one of the dragons to heal you." He says, and from the way he is talking I can tell that he is concerned about me, I guess that even with me having left multiple times he still cares for me.

"It's not that simple, I would heal myself if I could, but... wounds inflicted by dragons cannot be healed with traditional magic." I say in answer.

He nods seeming to accept this, and he smile as me, happy with everything that I have told him. "I was also wondering about why you agreed to take on this job, I know that you haven't wanted to do things with the team, so why take this one? Did Master force you to?" He asks, looking confused.

"I did it because after everything that has been happening the jobs have been very easy for me, and the master said that the council had requested that I take on the job as well.... I wasn't forced into this, and besides, I do love a good challenge." I respond with a smile, before adding. "Now, why don't you get to bed? We're going to be getting much closer, and by tomorrow we may have reached whatever it is we're after." He nods, and without a word of protest walks towards his tent.

I can just barely make out his whisper as he reaches his tent. "Goodnight Luce." I smile sadly as I watch him walk away, thinking of all the things that I know about him, and remembering the little boy that I saw so long ago. Knowing that with everything that has happened, although he might accept me as a dragon, unable to age, I could never allow myself to hold him back from loving someone he can spend the rest of his life with.

*Flashback*

Lucy 8 years old

Lucy's POV:

"Why don't you come with me today?" Igneel asks, watching me carefully. He must have known that as soon as he left I would just go back up to my room and read. When he is hear I will spend so much time with him, and when the other dragons decide they want to teach me some more I will come to their islands, but... they haven't been wanting to train me as often.

"I shouldn't." I say understanding what it would mean for me to come with him.

"Yes you should, your my friend, and I say that you should come." He says.

"But..... He's your son. This is your time with him." I respond shyly.

"Just come, I want you to meet him." Igneel says, extending his hand towards me, and I take it rather reluctantly, knowing that meeting his son, will be something entirely new. He teleports us to a clearing near some trees, and after getting into his dragon form, he heads towards a small form that I can see playing with some sticks in the dirt. His Salmon hair is incredibly dirty, and as soon as he hears the heavy footsteps of his father, he looks up. With a grin on his face he runs towards him, and although he is much smaller than Igneel, finds a way to hug him.

He grabs on to Igneel's snout, and holds on tightly as he hangs from him. In that moment I see just how happy that child is, knowing that Igneel is his father, even if he is a dragon. I watch from inside the trees, and after a few minutes Igneel begins to look around, and when he sees me I know what he wants. He wants me to come out and meet his son, to say hello, and to allow the boy he calls Natsu to meet another human close to his age. I do walk out, and Natsu notices his father looking, and looks as well. He allows his father to drop him down, and walks up to me. "Who are you?" He asks.

"I'm a friend of Igneels, my name is Lucy." I say with a smile. "And I have heard very much about you, Natsu." I say with a smile. He looks towards his father, not quite understanding, and Igneel says something to him, and nods.

Natsu grins, and looks back towards me. "Well then Lucy, it is very nice to meet you. My father has said some very good things about you." He says. We spend the next few hours playing, and Natsu seems happy to do so, glad that he doesn't have to do any training for today. By the time that Igneel has to take me home Natsu and I have become great friends. We start spending time with each other at least once a week, and it is wonderful, so wonderful.......

That is until the day that I have to make him forget it all, make him forget even meeting me.

*End of Flashback*