Time's Twist (Sequel to A Demon's Kid)

Ch. 3

Erza wasn't sure how to feel as she and the others raced down roads, barely paying attention to the route she had taken repeatedly years ago. What was she supposed to do? A lot had happened in the fourteen years that Ashley had been missing. All the Dragon Slayers learned their pasts, Zeref had been defeated, she'd discovered her own past, the world had been nearly destroyed, and that wasn't even counting what had happened in the past year! Laxus was now Master, with Mira being both his assistant and wife a lot had changed. Makarov, after being returned from death via First, had passed on happily in his sleep after learning of his grandson's daughter and future children. 

Her own emotions were muted, which was why her thoughts ran through the events of the past twelve odd years. She knew it was probably a mix of shock and disbelief, but...

"Hey," Mira whispered, resting a hand on her friend's arm while Lucy and Gray argued about the driving. "You okay?" She asked, a knowing look on her calm features as Erza sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. 

"I don't know. I..." Erza stopped herself, how could she explain? "I don't feel anything. I know I should be worried, or angry, and I am! But mostly it's aimed at Elizabeth. I never expected her to do this." She explained, getting a nod from Mira just as the cart slowed just enough for Gray to switch places with Lucy while Levy adjusted their map. 

"What about...Ashley?" Mira asked, frowning when the scarlet woman didn't respond and wouldn't meet her eyes. "Erza?" She beckoned, trying to get her best friend to answer. 

"...Ashley died years ago. I...I can't let myself be-believe..." The woman stopped, her emotions evident in her voice as she covered her face. Mira offered her support, knowing she was needed, but wanting so badly to tell Erza to hope at the possibility. Hope that the missing little Fairy had beaten the odds and returned. 

'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...' With the Girls  '...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'...'

"Natsu." Ashley said after a long time; time that Natsu felt weighed on him as he watched the gears turn in the child's head. 

"It's hard to explain." He said weakly, turning away from the hard green eyes as Ashley gripped the blankets to cover her shaking hands. "That...You see...First! This is hard." He muttered, trying to smile at the girl as she watched him. 

"Natsu. That girl looked a lot like Erza. Why?" Ashley all but demanded as Natsu took a deep breath and sat back down. 

"Okay...That was, is, Erza's girl." Natsu said, wincing at the confusion and fear in those green depths. "You...You've been missing for about fourteen years." He told her and watched as the news settled over the child. 

"I...but I, we." She stumbled over her words, trying to catch up to the words and floundering. Natsu caught her, wrapping his arms around her as she began to panic. Slowly, he talked, about the Guild, what had changed, about her Team, about the new generation of kids. He talked till his throat went dry and then he talked some more. 

"Dad?" A voice said followed by a knock. Natsu pulled away from Ashley, a hand lingering on her back as she wiped her face and tried to take deep breaths. "Mom's here, along with the others." Layla said through the door and Natsu had all of two seconds before it opened and Mira rushed in with Lucy and Levy.