Ever, Ever, After

Chapter 10

At Lucy's apartment Natsu was talking to her tv and asking it questions only for the machine not to answer.

"Tell me magic mirror what is this awful place that has such wonderful food? Why is everything so difficult? Will I ever find my heart's duet?"

Natsu changed the channel to the news. They were giving a report about the supposed attack brought on by a cat in the Italian restaurant.

"Police found no trace of feline remains in the oven." A reporter said said. "Here we have a picture of the woman who was supposedly attacked by this cat."

A picture of Juvia then appeared on the TV screen. She was smiling and waving into the camera. Standing next to her in the picture was Gray who looked annoyed and appeared to be shooing the photographer away while pulling Juvia along.

"Juvia!" He gasped excitedly. "Magic mirror I beg you! Tell me where she is?"

"Reporting from 116th at Downtown Magnolia."

"116th at Downtown Magnolia! Thank you mirror!" He then kissed the TV screen and headed for the door.

"Whoa! Where are you off to?" Lucy asked him

"Lucy I have wonderful news! I have found my beloved Juvia at last!"

"That's great."

"It is! I must go to her as quick as I can!"

"She must really be something special."

"She is. She's beautiful, kind, loves animals and she can cook. I can hardly wait til the day we're married I just hope my stepmother approves of her."

"Stepmother? Are your parents separated?"

"No. My mother died the day I was born, I never knew her."

"Oh I'm so sorry."

"It's alright I don't remember her so it doesn't really upset me."

"I don't really remember my mother either. She died of cancer when I was only three."

"Huh...I'm very sorry for you."

"It's no big deal. I only remember her a little. So what was your father like? Did he become cold and distant after your mother died?"

"No of course not. He did just the opposite. Since I would have to grow up without a mother my father went out of his way to make sure that I never felt lonely. He devoted all his free time to being with me. He was a great father."

"That must be nice. I wish I knew what that was like."

"What do you mean?"

"Well my father wasn't exactly like yours. You see I looked a lot like my mother so after she passed he saw me as nothing more than a cruel reminder that his wife was never coming back. He basically ignored me, neglected me, and whenever he ever spoke to me it was either to tell me to go away and let him work or to just criticize me and tell me what's wrong with me. It was like...Like...Like...Like-"

"Like no matter what you did he always seemed disappointed and irritated with you. Like having you in his life was some kind of punishment."