In Mother's Footsteps ✔️ FT Watty Awards | fairy tail

7. Swallow

They handed Lucy her precious items. She was grateful, and happy till their warm expressions changed to disappointment. Knowing that there's not a cure broke Lucys heart. But knowing this pain was eating at her mother before she passed made her ache more than the sickness was. Her mother was in this much pain that she was? Lucy bit her quivering lip as she heard Erza break the news to her. It hurt her so bad to tell her.

"I'm so so sorry Lucy." Gray chocked out from behind Erza who now zoned out with sorrow.

"It's not your fault. I appreciate all your hard efforts. You didn't have to." Lucy lifted their spirits. Her mother never showed weakness neither would she. She commanded herself. Have you ever been told that you were gonna die, and that there was no way to heal you? Lucy was being captivated with the thought that she's end up like her mother. She didn't think she'd die like this. She didn't want to leave her family. She wondered maybe that's how her mother thought? Then she thought maybe she was just being selfish, and naive. Maybe her mother wasn't scared, maybe she yearned death? Maybe she just thought positively. Did she hate it? Was she in this much pain? Don't think like that. Be positive. Lucy gulped down her hacks as her friends looked at her worriedly. Death. She'd leave this earth. She'd leave her friends. Her family. Her home. She'd leave her past. Her future erased. The pain. The death. The death. The death. She blinked from her zoning. The realization of dying was terrifying.

"Lucy-" Levy questioned hurrying to her friend. Lucy fought her tears. The walls were closing in. She'd pop. She wheezed with fear as she looked around helplessly. She hyperventilated as death repeated in her mind.

"I-I don't want to leave you all! I don't wanna l-leave..." She coughed up. Her friends looked at her with pale expressions. Levy stopping in her tracks. Their hearts sank as their friend struggled with the news that finally got to her.

"Lucy-" Everyone rushed to calm her.

Lucy sobbed drastically as she slapped everyone away pushing herself back. Curling up ontop of her pillow of her hospital bed shaking horrifically. Death. Death. Death. She'd die. A limit to her life that she knew was coming. Her life was always at risk but she'd live through it. Now she can't. She can't be saved by Natsu this time. She'd fall without being catched. She'd die this time. She swallowed before balling loudly, "PLEASE! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE YOU ALL! I DON'T WANNA DIE!!! ...P-PLEASE!" Tears formed in everyone's eyes. She'd done nothing wrong. She was just living her life. She was so happy. She was so wonderful. She deserved longer. They tried to calm her sobs. Her chin quivered, and her body shook as she held herself tightly.

-

"Is mommy available now?" Young Lucy asked her father sweetly, with an innocent smile.

"Not today either." He said with enormous bags under his eyes. Wrinkles formed his face as his facial hair increased.

"Oh but why father?" Lucy questioned with a pout formed on her lip. She looked up at her father wit curious eyes.

"She still isn't feeling well." He choked out.

"She's got a bad cold father?" Lucy asked with a raised eyebrow; confused.

"Yes darling, a horrible horrible cold."

-

"Can I play with mommy today?" Lucy asked softly to her father yet he denied her once again.

"Lucy, she's really really sick. I don't want you seeing her till she's well alright?"

"Yes father. I understand, father." She nodded walking away to play alone.

-

"You are going to visit mommy today." Jude told his daughter quietly pulling her to their bedroom.

"She can play with me, and Michelle today?!" Lucy beamed.

"No... No playing today." He said many times before they entered the dark room. Her mother laid tiredly in bed she coughed harshly before looking at her beautiful daughter with warm but sad eyes.

"Hello baby girl. How are you?" Layla asked with a sick, but happy smile.

"I'm fine, how are you mommy. When can we play again?" Lucy questioned hopping to see her mother who laid high above her. Jude pushed over a stool for Lucy to see better. Her mother was skinny as bones, and chapped lips that looked to be blue. She was as pale as snow.

"I will play with you soon my baby girl." Layla apologized for her absence.

-

After many visits Lucy noticed her mother get worse, and worse. How could her mother's cold make her like this? "Oh baby I'm so sorry. I'll play with you soon. We'll be at a very bright, happy place filled with no colds at all. You'll have to wait for me okay?" Layla told her daughter with a whisper escaping her chapped lips.

"Will that be soon?" Lucy questioned.

"Patience baby."

"Yes mommy." Lucy nodded as she headed for the exit.

"Goodbye baby. Lots of love till next time." Layla called. Lucy looked back before the door closed with a click. She could've sworn she saw her mother begin to cry.

-

Soon enough her mother was found dead in her bed. Jude didn't speak a word, only to shut everything down. At the funeral Lucy kept best to be quiet. She wasn't sure what was going on. Only that her mother had left. When she came to the realization she died she sobbed when she heard it.

"M-Mommy is gone! Mommy is gone!" Lucy sobbed tugging at her fathers pant leg. How could a cold kill? How could her mom be dead?

"Shhhh." Jude tried to calm her.

"MOMMY! MOMMY! PLEASE COME BACK MOMMY! I-I promise... I PROMISE I'LL BE GOOD! I WILL BE PATIENT TO PLAY! I WILL CLEAN MY PLATE! I'LL BE POLITE, AND QUIET!! J-JUST PLEASE COME BACK MOMMY! PLEASE...P-please..."