Secrets within Fairy Tail

Chapter 37

Natsu's POV:

It has been nearly two months since the last time that Lucy came into the guild. I know that a lot of the time she doesn't come in for a while, but it's never been for this long.  The last time that any of us saw her was the day that she brought us back, and it doesn't seem that many people have noticed this. I have been going about my days as I usually do when she is gone, and of course going on as many jobs as possible. 

Even with Lucy gone, things have been going well, although Happy keeps on looking really upset. "I want to see her!" He exclaims today.

"I know you do, but you'll have to wait until Lucy comes back to the guild. You know that Saphira doesn't go anywhere without Lucy." Wendy says calmly, with Carla beside her.

"It's been too long! I want to go back, there were lots of fish there!!" Happy whines some more. I sigh, knowing we are in for another day of him missing The Dragon Realm. If I'm completely honest I miss it as well, but I know that there are few things that I can do to change that. I then go back to eating the food in front of me, listening to Happy continue going on about all the wonderful things that few in the guild have gotten to see. The others have come to listen to this, and I can tell that some days they feel so small compared to her, and they marvel at how she could have remained the way she is with all these things she had waiting for her.

Lucy's POV:

I walk into the guild for the first time in a long time, with my sleeping daughter in my arms, and Igneel by my side. It's only been about a week since she was born, and for the most part she just eats and sleeps. There is dead silence when I walk in, well I mean silence from everyone but Happy, who is perfectly happy when he sees that Saphira is with us. Erza, Juvia, and Levy walk towards me as soon as they have gotten over the shock of me being here after so long. Knowing that they will want to talk to me Igneel stretches out his arms to hold the child in my arms that he has grown rather attached to. Its always difficult to get him to do anything away from her, and he doesn't really like sharing her with anyone.

When I hand her to him, they seem to realize for the first time that she was even here. "She's so beautiful!" Levy exclaims happily, peering into Igneel's arms to get a better look at the little girl with pink hair, and a blonde streak in it. "Who does she belong to?" She adds curiously, looking up at me for an answer.

"Me." I answer, and she gives me a look of pure shock. And, although everyone around us seems very happy to have a new addition, I notice that Natsu doesn't even bother trying to come up and talk to me. It's almost as though he doesn't want to talk to me. I spend a lot of time with my friends from the guild today, and they keep telling me how beautiful she is.

"What's her name?" Gray asks while I'm sitting talking to him, he nods towards Igneel who is sitting talking with Natsu.

"Rose." I answer with a smile. He is the first person that did ask this, but I didn't even have to tell anyone else. Those around us ended up telling others, and I am enjoying myself, that is until I hear someone coming up to Igneel asking to hold Rose. I know that he won't want to give her up easily, so I walk towards her. "Let them hold her." I say calmly.

"But, she's my-" He says.

"It doesn't matter, let them hold her. You knew that you would probably end up having to let people, now do it before I decide you can't hold her anymore." I threaten, and although he looks very upset about this he passes her to the person that asked, who would just so happen to have been Erza. She looks so happy when she starts holding her, and within a few minutes I see that she is rocking her in her arms on the other side of the room.

"You do realize that you will have to be heading back soon, right? You told the others that you would be back in time for the meeting that has been put off for over a week." Igneel reminds me.

"I know." I answer with a sigh, not wanting to sit through a rather boring meeting when I could be here instead. "I suppose we should be going then." I add realizing we have already been here for more than an hour. I go and get her, but before I have walked out the door I hear someone call to me from the other side of the room.

"Luce!!" Natsu calls towards me, and I stop where I am, waiting for him to catch up to me. "I was wondering, with all that you have said, you never said. Whose her father?" He asks indicating Rose.

"Someone that I have known for a very long time." I answer with a smile. The table closest to us is filled with the team, and in that moment they seem to realize exactly who it is. Erza looks somewhat surprised for a moment, but then nods understanding. I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell him yet, when right now I'm getting used to having her in my life, but maybe soon.

"Oh." He says looking somewhat upset. He then smiles at me as though he isn't sad at all. "Alright Luce, I'll see you again soon." He adds.

As soon as I have left, since Igneel stayed a few minutes longer than me, I hear Igneel inside my head. "He thinks you were talking about someone else. Why didn't you just tell him the child is his?" He asks gently.

"I couldn't, not yet." I respond as I head upstairs to lay her down.