(Ok, so part of my chapter got deleted cause the fuckin school decided that it wanted to be a dick and delete it! Like oh my gosh!!!! >.< it's fuckin retarded! So I'm going to try to make it as good and close as possible to what it was. I'm so mad right now, as you can tell. I curse a lot when I'm mad. So yah, enjoy what parts that are actually good.)
"She is so cute!" Wendy complemented on Crystal, who was on my lap looking at everyone. She didn't seem to irritated but was still a little over whelmed by all the people surrounding her.
"Hi there!" Lucy said with a big smile on her face.
Everyone was surrounding Crystal and I like a lion surrounding his kill. After a minute Crystal began to weep with irritation and everyone backed up a little. I picked her up and fell from a sitting position to lying on my back. As Crystal was being held in the air she stopped her tears and started to laugh. I brought her to my face and nuzzled her face with my nose.
"So cute!" Lucy piped. I looked over to see her in Natsu's arms. He had his arms around her waist and nodded for his response.
From the corner of my eye I saw Reedus painting a picture. It was most likely of Crystal and I, surrounded by a few people in the guild.
"Stop dad!" I smiled as I heard Cana's voice. I looked over and saw her in Guildart's arms.
"I wish I was with you to do that!" He said.
I laughed and put crystal on my chest and closed my eyes listening to the noise of everyone's conversation.
•••
A few weeks have past and I have been so busy with taking care of Raine, Crystal, and house chores that needed to be done. I was so exhausted that I just had to sleep. Then the unthinkable happened; Crystal was crying. I moaned irritably and walked to her room. She was reaching over the crib trying to grab something from the floor. Looking around to see if I could find anything, a mouse appeared and Crystal screamed. I jumped back from shock and Raine came busting in. Her tongue lolled as she chased the small rodent around the room before catching and killing the pest.
"Good job Raine, you are now partially a cat." I joked. Raine barked and dropped the mouse to her paws and sat, watching me walk to the little girl's crib and pick up to calm her down.
Once she stopped crying I placed her back down. "No more noise. Momma is going to bed. Raine, watch after her."
I walked to my bed and collapsed on top of it and putting my hand over my face. Gray came into my mind and I smiled slightly, "why did you have to leave so soon?"
*knock knock knock*
"I can't get a moments rest can I?"
Opening the door I looked to see it was Erza and Lucy. They looked at me for a moment before they realized how tired I was.
"Wow, are you okay?" Lucy asked worriedly.
I nodded leaning against the doorway. "Just tired. I haven't gotten any sleep lately."
"Need any help with anything?" Erza asked.
I looked back inside my fairly messy house and shrugged, "I kinda just want to sleep."
Erza ran past me and smiled, "you sleep and we will work."
"Are you sure?"
This time it was Lucy who spoke, "of coarse! If you are that tired ten you need to sleep. Don't worry, we will take care of your housework."
"Thanks you two." I nodded and walked up my stairs tiredly. As I made it to my room I fell onto my bed, closing my eyes to fall asleep.
•••
A few hours later I woke up to a clean room. I guess Erza organized it while I was asleep. Getting to my feet I decided to see how much they had accomplished. As I walked through the hallway I stopped in front of the door to Crystal's room. There I saw Erza on the floor and Crystal in the air, laughing. As Erza noticed me leaning against the doorway, she sat up.
"Hello." She greeted in a good tone. I nodded once in return with a small smile on my face.
"Where is Lucy at?" I asked Erza.
"She is finishing on the kitchen." Erza didn't look at me as she continued, "it's been hard since Gray died, hasn't it?"
I looked down at my crossed arms as I nodded slowly and whispered, "yah." I walked next to Erza against the wall and sat down. "Everyone has to experience pain sometime in their life. Mine happened sooner than it should of." My eyes began to tear up and I put my face into my knees. I felt Erza hug me, I could only imagine what her face was like. She knew how I felt, which comforted me. She had to experience major pain younger than I did.
"You will be okay. I will be here if you ever need me for anything." Erza said softly.
"Thanks Erza. You have always been such a good friend to me."
As I sat there, I thought to myself. I realized that even if there is pain in life, there will always be joy around the corner waiting for you. Life's path is just a maze; if you make a wrong turn, you have to go back and try again. It's a mistake that you have to either fix or move on from. That's just how everyone has to live. Like they have to find the end of the maze of life. I'm not going to give up just cause there was a wrong turn. I went back and there I found joy. The reason to keep living. I turned to look at baby Crystal playing with a stuffed pig. I smiled and spoke in my mind as if Gray was listening, "you would be so proud."
