Hey there friends! We're starting again! I hope this doesn't disappoint, I realize that such a long pause might have made you all expect something explosive and this is still the same old silly regular joes being ridiculous! I was going to wait a bit but I'm not very patient so it's done and now it's up XD It feels a little strange starting at Christmas when it's summertime here but that's how the cookie crumbled . . .I guess (sorry terrible jokes I'll stop)

Thank you so much to everyone who left me nice reviews especially those I wasn't able to thank personally. You all make this really enjoyable!

So here it is, the start of a year of wedding planning! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own fairy tail or any of its characters

Lucy gently pulled the ornament towards her, running her fingers over the detailed image burned into the wood. She would love to stay in this moment, warm tea in her hand, the scent of fir in the air, her beautiful tree with its beautiful ornaments. Natsu wrapped himself around her, gently kissing her throat and then nuzzling into her hair. She smiled and touched his cheek.

It was all so perfect and peaceful, until Natsu opened his mouth. "We're gonna set fire to this tonight, right?"

Lucy pulled out of his arms and put a hand on her hip. She exclaimed,"What? No!"

Natsu raised his arms in a questioning gesture. "Why not? Christmas is over now. Besides that tree is slowly dying Lucy, wouldn't it be better if I just put it out of its misery?"

Lucy pouted, "I don't want to get rid of it yet, and we're not setting it on fire!"

Natsu snorted, "yeah, right . . . we're gonna put a tree in the trashcan instead, that's a much better idea." He crossed his arms and grinned. "Just face it Lucy, sooner or later, this tree is gonna burn."

Lucy turned back to the tree and frowned. "Well it hasn't been all twelve days of Christmas yet."

Natsu tilted his head and smiled. "Seriously Lucy? Does anyone actually celebrate Christmas like that anymore?"

"Some do," Lucy answered.

Natsu chuckled, "Okay, let me rephrase that, have you ever celebrated Christmas like that?"

"Well no." Lucy turned slowly towards him and pouted at the floor. Then with a deep breath, she lifted her head to look him in the eye, determination written across her face. "But I want to! It can be our tradition, twelve days of Christmas so I can keep up my pretty tree!"

Natsu grinned and pulled her into a big hug. "Alright Luce, we can do that."

She kissed him lightly and smiled. "Thank you Natsu."

"But when twelve days are over, I'm dragging it outside and it's gonna become a giant pine scented inferno." He grinned.

Lucy rolled her eyes and walked away, "You are hopeless."

Natsu skipped after her. "Hey, if we're celebrating twelve days of Christmas, doesn't that mean that I'm gonna get a certain number of ladies dancing?"

"Natsu . . ." Lucy huffed.

"Can I pick what kind of dance they do?" Natsu teased.

"No dancing ladies!" Lacy shouted. She pointed to the bathroom. "Go take a shower already, we've got to get over to dad's soon."

"Aww, do I have to?" Natsu whined.

"Yes! You smell like pipe smoke and bourbon still."

"That's the scent of Christmas Lucy-" Natsu grinned, "-well, at least Christmas with Makarov."

"I'm just going to get a look at that pie I made for dad." Lucy turned towards the kitchen.

Natsu grabbed ahold of her arm and started pulling her in the direction of the bathroom. "You know, I'm gonna hop in the shower right now. You sure you don't want to join me?" Natsu asked.

Lucy raised a brow. "Natsu I already showered, I don't need to shower again."

"You sure about that?" Natsu said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Lucy sighed, then she grinned. "Fine, but let me pack up that pie first. Who knows how long you'll keep us in there, and I don't want to be late!"

"Lucy!" Natsu protested, holding a little bit tighter to her arm.

Lucy eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you trying to keep me away from the pie?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Natsu released her and shrugged. "Maybe I just want to have a good time in a nice, hot shower. Where is the trust Lucy?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "Natsu, what did you do to my pie?"

Natsu scratched the back of his neck. "Nothing . . .really. Well, not much . . ."

Lucy hurried over to the oven where the pie sat inside. Lo and behold, there was a large wedge missing. Lucy snapped her eyes to Natsu. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Natsu grinned nervously and fidgeted with his hands. "Well it was late when we got home and I was just so hungry Lucy! I thought that was leftovers, so I had just one little piece."

"One little piece? A quarter of the pie is missing!" Lucy exclaimed.

"You know Lucy, I really need to shower, I'm pretty dirty." He started taking a slow step back. "So . . .I'll . . .just . . ." and he ran away, locking the door to the bathroom behind him.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, but it was all just for effect. She chuckled to herself as she went over and found the other pie she hid in the cabinet the day before. Natsu was just so predictable sometimes.

Gray scratched his head and glanced around his barren apartment. "You know Juvia, maybe instead of dealing with boxing all this stuff up, we should just toss it all in the back of the truck and drive it to the dump."

"What? No!" Juvia protested. She hurried forward and picked up a slip of paper from the floor. "These are all your things, your memories! Juvia wouldn't want to put Gray-sama's memories in the trash!"

Gray tilted his head and grinned, "Juvia, that's a convenience store receipt."

Juvia looked down at the paper in her hands and frowned, then she shoved it into his face. "It might be, but doesn't it hold memories for you? What happened on this day for Gray-sama!"

Gray rolled his eyes. "I got a coke and a bag of chips."

Juvia turned the paper so she could get a better look. " Oh . . . but that could be interesting. Gray-sama had a hard day doing something and needed a snack."

"Or it was just a regular boring day and I was hungry."

"Okay, Juvia admits, the receipt was not the best example." Juvia hurried over to his kitchen and pulled out a wooden spoon. "This! This is very useful!"

Gray chuckled. "Juvia, you have better stuff in your kitchen. Mine's all hand-me-down junk from the old man and Erza."

Juvia frantically began searching through all the drawers, "but there has to be . . .surely something in here . . .we can't just throw it all . . ."

Gray strolled over next to her and laid a hand on her forearm. He dipped his head to look her in the eye. "Juvia, this stuff isn't important to me, but if it means that much to you we can go through it. I just wasn't excited about the idea of spending our day off cleaning an old apartment.

She grinned and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. "Thank you Gray-sama! Juvia will feel so much better if we do." She pulled away slightly to look up at his face. "You know, Juvia can think of lots of ways to make it up to Gray-sama when we are finished."

"Oh yeah?" he grinned down at her, slowly lowering his face closer to hers.

Completely clueless, Juvia pulled out of his arms and clapped her hands. "Yes! We will get Gray-sama's favorite food, and Juvia can give Gray-sama a massage. Ooohh and why don't we get one of those movies that you like that Juvia isn't so big on, like one with ninjas or lots of fast cars . . ." she rambled on while she pulled out a box and started sorting through a stack of papers on his desk.

Gray put his hands on hips and shook his head with a grin. She was so adorably crazy.

"You know you don't have to pout the whole time you're here, it's a little distracting," Rogue teased, not bothering to look away from the game on the TV.

Sting cut his eyes over to his friend and frowned deeper. "You're not the boss of me."

"You are kinda being a crybaby today," Rogue chuckled.

"Yeah, get your shit together man, it's embarrassing," Orga grinned. He smashed hard on the buttons of his controller then fell back with a groan. "Rogue where the hell are you! I'm dying over here!"

Rogue glanced up at his friend's section of the screen and frowned. "That's because you're going in the wrong direction." He sighed, "I'll come get you," then turned to Sting. "You sure you're not up for playing? It isn't like you to pass up a chance to make Orga look bad." Rogue ignored Orga's sound of protest and looked back to the screen with an eye-roll. "Don't tell me you're still bummed about going to Crocus."

"Of course I'm still bummed! I'm not gonna stop being bummed until we're done with the job!" Sting exclaimed.

"Lucky me, really looking forward to working with you," quipped Rogue sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, just Yukino was working so much before Christmas that I never got to see her, and now her parents are in so it's gonna be another day before we can do anything. Then it's like a day left and we're gone forever!" Sting cried.

Orga smirked, "Too scared to meet the parents?"

Sting didn't miss a beat, "Hell yes. You guys met Sorano, apparently Yukino's parents are just like that, except older, crankier, and even more disapproving." He leaned forward into his hands with an exasperated sigh. "I'd like to at least enjoy New Year's with her before they forbid her from ever seeing me again."

Orga roared in laughter, "You weren't kidding Rogue, he really has become a crybaby."

Rogue shrugged, "I guess he's just never been a man in love before," grinning when Sting hit him with a pillow.

Natsu straightened his collar with wide grin after Spetto's enthusiastic greeting. Lucy's home was finally starting to not feel so imposing. Nothing like a week of work to desensitize himself to a place. Sure, it was large, but it was just like any other house, just with a few more rooms, and studies, and a pool in the basement; those things were completely normal now. Sort of.

He whistled a carol as he followed Lucy to the dining room. On entering the room he froze, what he saw there made his mouth drop. There was goose and prime rib, fingerling potatoes and stuffing, rolls and sweet potato souffle. Hell even the vegetable sides looked good. This was a meal fit for a king and he was going to be able to eat his fill. Thank god there was some elastic in the waist band of his pants.

Lucy sighed, "Aed really outdid himself. I know we have more people this year, but this is too much."

Natsu covered her mouth, and scolded, "Don't talk like that in front of the food." Lucy scowled at him and he grinned like a kid on Christmas. "It looks just right to me!"

Lucy laughed and shook her head, "I forgot, it won't be just the staff with us this year, we invited a monster to eat as well."

Her father walked in and they all exchanged greetings. Natsu barely heard a word of anything, smile and nod and I get the food, smile and nod and I get the food. He took a seat next to Lucy at the table, his foot shaking frantically as he struggled to keep himself from loading his plate. This was civilized, the food would be passed around. After years of eating at a table where it was every man for himself, the struggle was real.

Lucy's father said a prayer then took a moment to thank all the staff for all their hard work that year. Natsu swallowed deeply to keep the drool from coming out of his mouth. Lucy squeezed his thigh and winked at him. That was code for you're acting like a crazy person, stop or I'll kick you. Natsu took a deep breath and tried to focus on counting the number of petals in the floral centerpiece.

Finally, finally! Jude shut up, and the food started making its way around. Natsu piled mountains of everything on his plate, then to his dismay, he had no more room and they were only halfway through the dishes.

Lucy chuckled in his ear, "You know you can have seconds here right." Natsu scowled at her and took a large bite of his roll.

The food was so distracting, and so good, that he almost missed when the conversation turned to planning the wedding.

"I spoke with the manager and there is a last minute cancellation for next November if you want the club," Jude said as he put a dainty bite of roast beef in his mouth.

"Oh the club would be so pretty! It's just that it's so expensive, I don't know if we could afford that," Lucy said.

"Please Lucy, let me pay for this. Consider it my gift," Jude pleaded.

"The clau, wha tha clau?" Natsu asked with a mouth full of goose. Lucy smashed his toes with her heel. He grunted and swallowed his food. "Sorry, what's the club?"

"The Magnolia Country Club of course," answered Jude.

Spetto gave him a big smile. "Don't worry Mister Nastu, they have very good food there." Spetto was really starting to gain a special place in Natsu's heart, such a thoughtful lady.

Aed nodded, "Yes, very good chef. Great technique." And Natsu was lost again.

Jude made a dismissive gesture. "Natsu, you won't have to worry about a thing. They do a lot of events there and they are always well done. All you'll have to do is show up."

Natsu nodded, "Well that sounds easy enough."

Lucy grinned, "Okay dad, let's book it. That should be great."

"You'll be interested to know that one of your old high school friends is the event planner there," Jude started.

"Really?" Lucy asked.

The more they discussed the club, the less comfortable Natsu became. When the conversation turned to types of champagne and caviar, he really started to worry. This wedding was sounding more and more like Jude's version of Lucy and less like the Lucy who sat next to him at the table. Would this wedding be him at all? Should he even care about that?

He looked up to Spetto who passed him the yam souffle with sympathy in her eyes. He smiled and nodded, taking the ornate serving dish from her hands. Since he was going to eat his feelings at least he could do it like a king.

An entire apartment cleaned and emptied, a quarter of a century packed in two boxes. Just as Gray had assumed, there wasn't much to save. He had never been one to cling to material possessions, as long as he had his father's cross on his neck, he'd happily walk away naked from everything else. Still, he was glad Juvia had insisted, there were a few pictures from his younger days, a scarf from his time with Ur, and a few odds and ends that he knew would be useful. Overall it was a productive day.

"Gray-sama it's just so sad," whimpered Juvia as she leaned into him.

Gray smiled and kissed her head, "Why are you crying now?"

Juvia swept her arms out, gesturing to the room around them, "Your apartment, it's all empty."

Gray rubbed her back. "That sounds like a job well done to me, now we can finally go home."

Juvia turned to him, a happy smile breaking through the dampness on her cheeks. "You are right, we get to go home."

Levy plopped down on the bed, startling Gajeel from his half-asleep state. She gave him the biggest grin he had seen in months. "Oh my god!"

Gajeel propped up on his elbow and raised a brow. "What is it?"

She fell back onto her pillow so fast that the bed sent her head back up again. She sighed happily. "Gajeel, they are both asleep in their beds!"

Gajeel chuckled, "That's great Levy."

She turned her head to look at him. "We finally have time to ourselves."

Now this was something Gajeel could get excited about. He pulled himself closer and murmured, "Oh yea?"

Levy popped back up quickly and turned away from him to mess with the tiny white device on her end table. "Yes! Just let me get this monitor on . . ."

"Alright then." Gajeel frowned at her back, he was so close.

Levy looked at him with a frown. "You know, do you think they are okay? I just can't believe they are both asleep for once, it feels like something is wrong." She sighed unhappily. "I know we said we would try having them in their room so we could get some sleep, but doesn't this feel like too soon? I'm just so worried."

Gajeel just barely restrained a groan. Three months of this shit so far. No sleep and no play were making Gajeel go crazy. He smiled patiently at her, not wanting to rock the boat. "Levy, I'm sure they are fine," he tried.

Levy turned back to the monitor and chewed nervously on her thumbnail. "Maybe I should go down and make sure they are breathing."

Gajeel pulled her over next to him, wrapping his arms around her tiny form. He kissed her head. "Shorty, you're worrying too much."

She rolled over towards him so that they were nose to nose. "Are you sure?" she asked, brows tight with worry.

"Yeah, our kids are tough! Now, 'bout that time alone . . ." Gajeel pulled his body over hers, a slow grin growing on his lips.

Levy bit her lip. "If you're sure they are okay . . ."

Gajeel sighed, but instead of responding, he lowered himself to kiss her lightly on the lips, determined to be able to take his time and enjoy it. She smiled and returned the kiss, hands getting lost in his hair, sweet little hums escaping her chest.

Then there was a sound from the monitor.

Levy popped up quickly, accidentally banging her forehead into Gajeel's. He rolled over and rubbed his head. "Damn it shrimp! What the hell are you doing?"

Much to his dismay, Levy was back to looking at the monitor. "Did you hear that? Maybe I should go check on them."

Gajeel ran a hand down his frustrated face, trying hard to remove the scowl. "You're kidding me," he huffed.

"Well, just to be sure." She turned back to him and gave him an apologetic smile. "I just can't focus on you when I'm worried about them."

Gajeel pulled himself out of bed. "You know what, I'll go check on 'em."

"Really? You will!" Her smile warmed his heart. This whole not sleeping thing was getting old, but going through it with her made it feel worth it. Though he'd be the first to admit, he would not be sad when this time was over.

He stretched his arms. Unable to help himself, he teased, "Yeah, if I let you go down, you'll wake them by doing something ridiculous like touching them to make sure they're breathing."

"Hey!" Levy protested.

Gajeel raised a questioning brow. "Am I wrong?"

Levy slumped down with a pout. "Maybe not."

He kissed her a little more firmly this time and grinned at how eagerly she responded. He held up a finger as he slowly pulled away, "I'll be just one second, hold that thought." The way she looked up at him with flushed cheeks and her lip in her teeth, he was finding it hard make his legs move.

There was another strange sound on the monitor. Levy no longer had bedroom eyes, her expression was all motherly concern. Gajeel glared at the white device, he was going to throw the damn thing in the toilet.

Then he smiled at Levy. "Like I said, I'll be right back." She nodded and laid back down on the bed.

Gajeel muttered angrily to himself the whole way down the stairs and through the hall to the nursery. However, all his agitation melted away when he opened the door and Shutora made a soft little sigh in her sleep that squeezed his heart. Gajeel grinned, how these two adorable little things came from him he had no clue. It was a good thing they took after their mother so much.

Gajeel crept over to the crib and watched their little bellies rise and fall. When he was sure they were fine, he backed slowly out of the room. Of course they were okay, there was no reason for them not to be. Still, he knew if he hadn't come look, eventually Levy would have done it herself and she already did too much. He was almost to the door when, again, he heard the noise.

His head snapped in the direction of the dresser, on top were a few knickknacks and a couple stuffed animals. One of those stuffed animals was the one that Juvia had been so excited about because it made real kitty noises. He picked it up roughly and turned the switch to off, just barely preventing himself from tearing the head off. Yajeh loved the kitty, you can't kill the kitty when the kid likes the kitty. He set the stuffed animal down slowly and as he escaped down the hall, he muttered to himself about all the loud toys he would get Juvia when she popped out a few.

By the time he got to the stairs, Gajeel was practically dancing. He was so excited to finally have time alone with Levy. Yajeh and Shutora might be cute, but they were selfish, little, milk guzzling monsters when it came to his tiny wife. He should really talk to Belno about giving them another night out. It was so strange to miss someone who was right next to you, he needed time alone with his wife.

Gajeel threw open the bedroom door, grinning wide, and ready to leap on his prey. He made it two steps in when he heard her gentle snore, Levy was out. He sighed deeply and padded over to the bed, careful to avoid the places where the floor creaked.

Gajeel watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. Part of him, the selfish part, wanted to wake her. She wouldn't put up too much protest if he did it with a kiss. He climbed in under the covers next to her and slowly pulled his body as close to her as he could. Then, just as he was about to make his move, she rolled over into him, snuggled up against his chest, and made a grown up version of the noise he had just heard from Shutora. Gajeel made a breathy chuckle and relaxed back on his pillow, running his fingers lazily up and down her back. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. He might as well get some sleep himself, he sure as hell wasn't going to wake her up now.

"I don't know if this guy is gonna work out," Cana said the moment Mira sat in front of her at the bar.

"What? Why?" Mira asked, frowning down at the new employee to their left. Nab was staring at three kinds of vodka, trying to make a decision about which one to put in the customer's drink. He was somehow completely ignoring the customer's shouts of "anything will do!"

Mira sighed. "Yea, I'll have to let him go tomorrow. It's a shame, we really could have used the extra help."

Cana filled up a vodka and tonic and slid it over to the customer. The customer smiled wide and waved, then picked up the drink and walked away. Nab continued to stare at the vodka. Cana made a sound of disgust. "This guy is the opposite of extra help. If anything, he's making more work for me."

Nab looked up at Cana. "Hey Cana, which vodka makes the best vodka and tonic?"

Cana motioned to the empty spot in front of him. "Damnit Nab, you don't even have a customer anymore! Unless they ask for something specific, use the least expensive one!"

Nab slowly looked to the empty spot in front of him. "Oh, damn, he's gone. Oh well, guess he didn't want it that bad. Hey Cana, how do I know which one's the cheapest?"

Cana turned to Mira, her face flaming with anger. She spoke through tight lips, "Where. Did. You. Find. This. Guy!"

Mira smiled at Nab. "Hey Nab, why don't you go take a break? The dinner crowd is wearing thin and the bar traffic will start picking up soon, so this is probably the best time."

"Oh, okay Mira." Nab smiled and disappeared to the back.

Cana banged her head on the bar. Mira giggled and tousled her hair. "Don't worry Cana, I'll help you guys tonight. Tomorrow I'll be sure to put out another ad. It's just so hard to find good bartenders out this way."

Cana looked up and wrinkled her nose. "I know, I know. Seriously though, was he able to make you any drinks during the interview?"

"Well," Mira tapped her lip thoughtfully. "He just was so enthusiastic about all the things he could do . . .and he knew what ingredients went together . . .I just assumed he'd be able to do it in practice as well . . ." She grimaced.

"Mira!" Cana exclaimed. "What the hell? What happened? You never go that easy on new hires."

"I know!" Mira collapsed on the bar. "I'm so sorry Cana, everyone was just sooo terrible! And I knew Laxus would be at my house when I got there and I didn't want to leave him waiting."

"That's it, I'm doing all interviews from now on, you're going soft." Cana laughed. "Next thing I know you're going to be having babies, and deserting me here on my own with these idiots you hire who can't even tell the different between bottom and top shelf vodka."

"To be fair, they are all clear," Mira tried.

Cana didn't even crack a smile.

Mira squeezed her friend's arm. "I'm not having babies anytime soon anyway! Can you imagine? Laxus would have a heart attack! I was talking to Erza on the phone about centerpieces the other day, and when I came in the living room he was having a panic attack on the couch!"

Cana finally started to smile, "Oh my god, he was not!"

Mira leaned forward with a wide grin. "Yes! He was all sweaty and breathing heavy. He still insists he had just done a few push-ups, but he wasn't doing push ups, he was watching some stupid sports game."

Cana leaned back on the bar and sighed, "That guy is still a massive mess."

Mira waved her off. "Oh, he's not that bad. I think he's just nervous because Natsu jumped the gun. It doesn't help that Natsu keeps teasing him about it at work."

"Yeah, you're just gonna have to forget about the whole wedding thing, I don't think your guy can handle that, it'll make it all too big a deal for him." Cana nodded to a guy at the end of the bar and pulled out a mug.

Mira giggled, "I guess it takes one to know one."

Cana slid a full beer over to the man and pointed a finger at Mira. "Low blow lady. Just don't go doing anything crazy like poking holes in your diaphragm."

Mira's mouth went wide in shock. "Cana! Don't be silly, nobody uses a diaphragm anymore!"

"Well I don't know, you are super old after all," Cana teased.

"I'm not even thirty yet!" Mira exclaimed.

Cana just smirked, "Such an old hag, I think dating that grumpy old man has aged you."

"Cana! You are so silly, what am I gonna do with you?" Mira shook her head.

"How about you hire a better bartender and stop working Bacchus and me to the bone," Cana offered.

"I definitely have nothing to do with you and Bacchus and bones. That's your personal business." Mira grinned when Cana doubled over in laughter. She hopped down off of her seat. "I'm going to go check and see how Nab is holding up back there. He fell asleep last time he had a break, I'm starting to get the feeling he's not really a night person."

"Maybe just let him go home now, we can tend this on our own, for old times sake," Cana winked.

Mira grinned, "Okay girly. You know, I think I'd like that."

*thanks to kccb16 for the editing help :)