Camp Fairy: Beginnings

No tears left

{LUCY'S POV}
Things were too perfect, I guess I should have known that tragedy would strike.

First off, we have to tell Natsu's parents. I wring my hands as Igneel picks up the phone. Natsu doesn't beat around the bush, so the conversation starts off with a lot of yelling.

Igneel is so loud that I can hear his voice clearly and the phone isn't even on speaker. All of his scathing words are directed solely at Natsu, who takes the scolding like a champ.

Finally, it's my turn.

"Put me on speaker." I hear Igneel say, and I swallow the bile in my throat. Natsu obliges.

"Dad—" He warns.

"Lucy? Are you there?" Igneel's voice is stern.

"Yes... sir?"

"How are you and the baby? Are you doing well?" Igneel asks. His voice is a touch softer now. Natsu squeezes my hand encouragingly.

I squeeze back. "Aside from the morning sickness. Which is a very misleading term. It should be called all-effing-day sickness."

"Ha!" Igneel barks. I flinch.

A woman scoffs on the other end of the line. "Darling, stop trying to scare her. If you smile any wider, you're going to break your face."

Wendy's voice chimes in the background. "I'm gonna be an aunt! Huzzah!"

Natsu grins. "Mom! Wendy! You're there too?"

"Congratulations, you two." The woman, who I only assume to be Grandeeney Dragneel, says. I can hear the warm smile in her voice.

"You aren't upset?" I ask timidly.

"At you? Not at all!" Igneel laughs. "Natsu has some explaining to do, but we can't change the past. We can only look to the future."

Relief saturates every pore of my body. Natsu chose to stay with me and I love him, but I never would've forgiven myself if he destroyed his relationship with his family for my sake.

Next on the pregnancy to-do list is telling my dad, which proves more difficult since he doesn't have a cellphone. Mr. Makarov, who was cheerfully informed by Mira, sends a letter to the Heartfilia residence regarding my behavior and invites Dad down this Saturday to discuss matters.

I'm antsy all day, waiting for him to arrive. Natsu and I sit on the steps under the Camp Fairy sign, where it seems like ages ago that we got our picture taken. Natsu now carries around a printed copy which Igneel sent in the mail.

"Where is he?" I ask worriedly for the bazillionth time. Natsu shrugs.

Then Mira runs down the steps, face ashy pale, eyes glistening with tears. I recoil, never having seen her so distraught before.

"What's wrong?" Natsu is immediately on his feet.

Mira, however, doesn't spare him a glance. "Oh, oh Lucy, we just got a call from St. Mary's."

"The hospital?" My throat constricts. The muggy summer heat feels slightly colder on my exposed arms. "What happened?"

I can only think of one reason. Dad.

Mira swallows a sob. "The car was too old. Gasoline leaked into the engine and it exploded. By the time firefighters got to the scene, it was too late. There wasn't much left to save."

My ears are ringing. My vision swims dangerously, and suddenly Natsu is there, arms wrapped around me wordlessly. I cling to him as the ground crumbles around my feet. He's my only rock in this sea of despair, barely keeping me from drowning.

My mom when I was a child, and now my dad too? Why is the world so cruel?

"It's my fault!" I wail.

"It's not your fault." Natsu contradicts softly.

"He was only in the car because of me! He was coming here!" We always joked about when Spare Parts would finally give up. I never imagined it would be like this.

"You couldn't have predicted this."

"I should have!" I berate myself. "I should've known that the trip was too rough on Spare Parts. I thought the engine sounded weird last time, I should've said something, then maybe—"

Natsu lets me sob into his chest for hours, arms never leaving my waist. I appreciate him not apologizing for my loss or any of that contrite bullshit.

I heard those words a lot at my mom's funeral from people who barely knew her, and it irritated young me more than it consoled me. Would your condolences bring her back?

Finally, my eyes are dry. I have no family and no tears left to cry.

Natsu stares at me, pained. He isn't pitying me. He's angry, frustrated because he sees my pain and isn't able to do anything about it.

I get the feeling that Natsu would take all my suffering upon himself in a heartbeat if he could. Him simply being here is a reminder that I'm not alone. It's enough.

We skip dinner together. Mr. Makarov excuses me from camp activities for as long as I need.

I grieve for a long time. Longer than I care to admit. Natsu stays with me the whole time, always a supportive presence.

Dad wouldn't want me to mope. He lived a good life and he'd want me to do to same. I'm not alone. I have Natsu and his family, plus our unborn child. That's right. My appointment for the ultrasound is soon. I need to think about my baby and his or her health. It's what Dad would've wanted.

"I'll be a good parent, just like you." I whisper.

"Did you say something?" Natsu asks.

He's standing by the door of Cabin Friendship, staring at me inquisitively. I genuinely smile for the first time in forever.

"Nothing." I say. "Just that I've fallen in love with you all over again."

Natsu flashes his toothy grin. We walk hand in hand around the lake for breakfast.
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Is anyone else listening to Hey Jude right now? 😭😭😭