Natsu's funeral was beautiful. Everyone in Magnolia participated. The streets were lined with citizens paying respects to the beloved fire wizard. Without a body to bury, the wizards of Fairy Tail carried an altar with a pile of wood on it. The altar was made out of expensive gold. Dragon's and fire designs were carved into the sides.

Citizens of Magnolia bowed their heads, some cried, as the men of Fairy Tail carried the altar towards the cemetery. Leading the parade across town was Master Makarov. Behind him was the altar carried by Gray, Gajeel, Laxus, and Elfman. After them came Lucy, Nashi and Happy, followed by the remainder of the guild.

It felt as if the entire world died that day. The sky was gray with rain-clouds, though no rain poured. Everyone in Magnolia wore something black out of decency. The only piece of clothing that wasn't black was Nashi's white scarf with her name stitched in with pink thread. The girl refused to take it off, especially when the ceremony was commemorating her father.

The mages walked into the cemetery and went to the very back where Natsu's grave was. Makarov ordered the men to put the altar in front of it. Lucy, Nashi, and Happy stood off to the side. Lucy read the words on the gravestone over and over again.

Natsu Dragneel

? - 800

Loving nakama,

husband, and father.

We don't have to know what tomorrow holds. That's why we can live for everything we're worth today.

The words on the stone taunted Lucy. Did he think of this before it happened? He never knew what would happen to him the day before he died. He didn't know he would never see his wife alive again or that she was carrying his second child, and now he would never know the pain his family was going through without him.

Lucy snapped out of her thoughts when a bright light was held up to her face. She looked down at Makarov who was holding a torch. He lifted it up expectantly. To her reluctance, Lucy took the torch in her hand. She could feel the heat of the flame against her face. Lucy bit her lip thinking about how she would never feel her husband's loving warmth again. All she had left was a void of cold in his place. Lucy glanced down at her daughter who was staring up at her. Her eyes were glazed with unshed tears. Lucy took an uneasy gulp and placed the torch on the altar. The wood on the golden pedestal burst into flames. The guild watched the fire consume it. The flames flickered vigorously, almost like they were trying to reach out to the crowd.

Nashi stared at the fire longingly. It was so much like her father. So limitless, powerful, and free, but in the end, it too had to die. Sooner than is wanted.

The small child thought about this as the smoke and embers lifted up into the sky, slipping farther and farther away out of her reach.

Just like her daddy.

FAIRY TAIL

One week.

That's how long it had been since her father's funeral. Nashi sat in the middle of her bedroom, her stuffed dragon Igneel in her arms. She wore a white sundress with a salmon belt. She also wore maroon socks with brown flats. Around her neck was her precious scarf. Her hair was tied into two little pigtails.

The pink haired girl stared out her window blankly. Her normally vibrant brown eyes were dull and lifeless. She watched the birds fly passed the window and out of sight. She didn't have the initiative to do anything better than that. Most of her time had been spent this way, sitting and staring at nothing.

Nashi's sharp ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps in the hallway. She didn't move when the door creaked open.

"Nashi?" Lucy called out quietly. Nashi could see her reflection on the window. She looked a lot different than usual. The long strands of hair that were usually down in front of her were pulled pack and tied in a dark green ribbon. The rest of her mother's hair was lightly curled, sitting on her shoulders or against her back. She wore green shirt with sleeves that went up to her elbow. It had a dainty floral pattern, and lace on the sleeves. She also had on jeans and brown sandals.

Nashi didn't say anything about her mother's new outfit. A lot of things had changed recently so she didn't mind; it actually looked nice on her. The pinkette remained quiet, flapping Igneel's little wing.

"Nashi, are you ready to go?" Nashi didn't respond. Lucy looked down on the floor. Scattered across the room were a bunch of drawing Nashi had made. Some she recognized from the past, others were new, and all of them were of Nashi and her parents. It pained Lucy's heart to see her daughter still heartbroken. She was still heartbroken too, but she had to stay strong for the both of them. Some one had too.

"Let's go Nashi, before it gets late," she said. She left the door open and started walking to the stairs. She heard Nashi up in her bedroom getting ready. As she approached the front door, she grabbed her husband's scarf and wrapped it around her neck. She had worn it constantly since the discovery, but now it was time to take it to it's new home.

Lucy glanced up at the stairs when she saw her daughter walking down. She was staring at the steps emotionlessly. Lucy wished she could see her daughter smile again. It would make things at least a little easier for her. Lucy held her hand out for her daughter to take and Nashi took it. The blonde opened the front door and the two started pushing into the woods near their house.

They walked in silence for most of the trip. Nashi looked up into the green trees that were slowly turning pink as they entered the part of the forest where the sakura trees were.

"Mommy, why did you put another grave for Daddy out here?" the pinkette asked. She watched Lucy head into the forest for the last week carrying a bunch of different stones. She later found out from Happy that it was because she was building Natsu a second grave in the sakura tree grove. She thought it was weird building another one when there was already one in the graveyard.

"Your father always loved the wilderness," her mother started, "He grew up in the wild. I thought he would like a grave here, away from the big city." She smiled down at her daughter. She got the idea from Natsu a long time ago when he made a second grave for Lisanna. She thought it was sweet of him and imagined that if the day came, then she would make one for him too. She just didn't think that day would come so soon.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Flower petals landed in Nashi and Lucy's hair, but it didn't bother them. They entered a field where there was only one tree. At the foot of the tree was a little pile of stones neatly arranged into a little grave. They approached the grave and Nashi noticed two things. There was a carving in the wood of the tree that read

Hanami Festival X784

To Lucy

From Natsu

The second thing she noticed was a plaque sitting on the grave for her father. It had her father's name on it and a picture. The picture was of him from their most recent family photo. He was wearing a light pink dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Of course he was wearing his precious scarf. His grin wasn't too extravagent, but the kindness of his smile was still there. Nashi blinked away the tears that were trying to form. Lucy kneeled down in front of the grave with a sad smile.

"Hello Natsu," she said tenderly. Nashi decided it would be best if she did the same and took a seat next to her mother. She waited for her mother to continue speaking.

"I hope you liked the grave I made. I put it under our special tree. I hope that's okay. Nashi and I just wanted to talk to you before we head home to make dinner." Lucy turned to her daughter, "Would you like to talk to him."

Nashi sat still for a moment before she hesitantly opened her mouth, "H-Hi Daddy?" she started, not quite sure what to say to him. She tried smiling, but it was harder than she thought it would be, "how are you?" She glanced up at her mother, still not positive about what to say. Lucy giggled softly.

"Try telling him what's new with you." Nashi nodded and turned back to the grave, staring at the picture on the plaque.

"I showed all the kids at school my roar. All of them think it's super cool, but I got in trouble for burning part of my desk," she giggled. Lucy smiled. She hoped that taking her here would bring back the old Nashi, at least a little bit. Nashi continued.

"Oh, I'm starting training again soon. Uncle Gajeel said I could practice with him and Gale now that we know she's a Dragon Slayer. It's going to be hard at first because the techniques aren't all the same, but I'll do whatever it takes to complete the training." Nashi's smiled dropped. She gazed at the picture as if she was speaking to the real Natsu, "It's... It's not going to be the same as training with you. I really wish it was you I was training with."

Lucy watched Nashi's lip tremble, unshed tears gathering in her eyes, "I miss you Daddy. I really want you back. I don't know if you can really hear me, wherever you are, but I just wish you would come back. Even if only for a little while, I just want to say goodbye one l-last t-time." Nashi rubbed her eyes. She tried speaking again, but couldn't stop herself long enough to say anything. Lucy decided it was her turn to speak to give Nashi a breather.

"She loves you very much Natsu," she said, "I love you too. You were the greatest thing that ever happened to me. Without you, I never would have discovered the strength I truly had. I never would have found someone else to love me after my parents died." Lucy gazed into Natsu's dark eyes. She found herself mesmerized by the picture of her husband. She almost forgot that it wasn't really him. Her eyes drifted to her flat stomach. She mustered up a smile and looked at the picture again.

"I had something I really wanted to tell you when you got home," she started. She placed a hand on her stomach, rubbing it with her thumb, "I'm pregnant Natsu. We're going to have another baby."

She heard Nashi gasp beside her but continued speaking, "I really wanted to see the look on your face when you found out. You always wanted a family, since you only had Igneel when you were young. Well ours is about to get bigger."

Lucy's lower lip trembled. She blinked back the tears, but some fell anyway, "I-I'm scared Natsu. I know you'd want me to be strong, but I don't know if I can do this without you Natsu. You said, I raised Nashi all alone in the alternate future, and you promised I wouldn't have to do it alone this time, but look at us Natsu. I don't want to do it alone, I n-need you here. I-I n-need-"

Nashi lunged onto her mother, holding her as tightly as possible. Lucy was taken by surprise and couldn't find the strength to move. Nashi tightened her grip on her mother's sleeve.

"But you're not alone Mommy."

Lucy looked down at the girl clinging to her. Nashi raised her head and she could see the tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"You're not alone. It's like you and Daddy always say. He'll be in your heart and memories. Always."

Lucy sniffled a little, reflecting on her daughter's words.

"I think we both forgot that Mommy," admitted Nashi, "but just because we forgot, it doesn't mean it isn't true. Daddy will never leave us. He may not be here physically, but he will in be our hearts. So please Mommy," whispered the pinkette, taking her mother's hand in hers, "please hold on, for me. For Daddy."

Lucy stared at her small child. Suddenly, she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her heart. Crystal tears poured down Lucy's cheeks. She pulled Nashi into another hug. Lucy sniffled, rubbing her daughter's hair tenderly. A warm sensation came over the girls and they knew everything was going to be okay.

They sat in peace for a couple more minutes before they needed to go home. They looked down on the grave before them. Lucy unwrapped the scarf around her neck and tied it to one of the stones. Natsu had his scarf in life, and he would have it in death as well.

"Don't worry Daddy," Nashi whispered, a genuine smile on her face, "I'll be with Mommy and the baby. I'll be with them till the very end. And I'll become the strongest Dragon Slayer in the world so I can protect them like you would. You'll see." Looking at the grave for one last time, Nashi walked up to her mother and took her hand.

"Nashi,"Lucy said, glancing down at her, "thank you."

Nashi smiled, hugging her mother's waist. The two strolled slowly back to their house. Nashi tightened her grip on her mother's hand.

"Mommy, is it true what you said back there. Are you really having another baby?"

Lucy smiled nodding her head. Nashi's face split into a large grin. The sadness that had overpowered them back at the grave slowly disappeared and Nashi started asking Lucy questions about the baby excitedly. This occupied their minds all the way to the house. Lucy could see their small home down the path from where they were. Nashi was listing a bunch of possible names for the baby.

"If it's a boy can we name it Ryuu? I think that would be a super cool name for a boy to have."

Lucy thought about it for a second, "That might be okay. I'm sure your daddy would have liked that name."

Nashi nodded, "Maybe we can make his middle name Natsu after Daddy. Or we could always use Igneel, but then it would get confusing because my stuffy's name..." Nashi slowly drifted off. The girl's hand slowly slipped out of Lucy's as she stopped in the center of the path. Lucy looked back at her daughter. She noticed her brown eyes were extremely wide and her nose was twitching which meant she smelt something.

"Nashi, are you okay?" Lucy asked. Nashi didn't respond. Her eyes were locked on the house. Lucy turned back to the house and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Before she knew what was happening, Nashi started sprinting toward the house. Lucy chased after her, wondering what could have possibly happened.

"Nashi wait!" Lucy yelled, but Nashi kept running. She threw the front door open and ran into the house. Lucy skidded to a stop and walked into the building, searching for Nashi. Just like the outside, nothing looked different.

"Nashi!" Lucy yelled desperately. She was starting to get freaked out by her daughter's behavior. She ran into the kitchen and saw the back door wide open. She could see Nashi standing frozen in the back yard, staring at the forest. Lucy ran out to her. She kneeled down in front of Nashi.

"Nashi, baby, is everything okay?" she asked, placing a porcelain hand on her cheek. Nashi's eyes were still wide and she noticed something else. They looked extremely watery, like she was going to cry.

Lucy stood up to see whatever Nashi could possibly be looking at. Her eyes landed in the middle of a field right next to the forest. Lucy's breath stopped.

In the middle of the field stood a man. He was breathing heavily, his chest puffing in and out. His pants were torn and so was his coat and dark gray shirt. Dried dirt covered his boots and was on his hands. His dark eyes were wide as he stared at the two people at the top of the hill where the house was. His pink hair flew against his face as the wind blew. Lucy's heart stopped entirely.

Natsu

Nashi was the first person to act. She ran down the hill, tripping over her shoes, but she wouldn't let it stop her. Tears flew off her face as she crashed into Natsu. He threw his arms around her and toppled to the ground. He stuffed his face in the crook of her neck, gasping for breath as he cried along with her.

"Y-You're here," Nashi shuddered out. Natsu nodded his head. He couldn't find any words to say to the young child. He sat up, rubbing her back. He looked over her shoulder at Lucy who was slowly making her way down the hill.

She was in a complete trance, drifting over to the two pinkettes. Natsu pulled away from Nashi, rising to his feet. Lucy stopped about a foot in front of him. She took note of the small scratches on his arms and face, other than that, he was perfectly healthy.

Lucy took her right hand and reached out for the man. He saw her hand shaking as she tried to lift it and took her hand in his. She stiffened when he made contact but relaxed in his grasp. He brought her hand up to his cheek and covered it with his. She rubbed his skin softly. It felt so warm under her touch. So real, and so alive.

With a shuddering breath, Lucy threw herself at her husband. Natsu wrapped his arms around her instinctively. Lucy brought her arms around his neck, holding him as close as possible. One hand went up into his rosy hair and the other to his back. She fingered with the soft locks, missing the way they felt. As she rubbed his back she noticed two tears in his shirt and coat. They were right next to each other in the middle of his back, ripping through both the fabrics. Lucy had no idea how he managed to do that, but that didn't matter. He was there.

Natsu pulled away and quickly brought his lips to Lucy's. Lucy kissed back as hard yet softly as she could. She just had to make sure he was really there. Natsu felt the very same way. They stood there for what felt like an eternity before Natsu felt a tug on his pants. He pulled away from Lucy and looked down at his daughter. Her tears had dried and she was holding her arms up so he could pick her up. Natsu bent down and lifted the girl up onto his hip. She hugged his neck, rubbing her head against his shoulder. Natsu looked back at his wife who watched with fondness. She had tears in her beautiful eyes so he wiped away a bit.

"I'm back," he said smiling softly. There was so much Lucy wanted to say to him. She wanted to praise him for saving their daughter. She wanted to scream at him for scaring them half to death. She wanted to tell him about the second child that would soon be joining them, however she settled for two simple words.

"Welcome home."