It's hours later that Makarov finally bursts into the waiting room with shaky knees and a red face, yelling, "Is the baby brat here yet?!"

Several people jump from their seats to either greet him or usher him into a comfortable chair, Natsu isn't sure which, and while he would usually join them, he's far too preoccupied at the moment. His mind keeps wandering to the expression Lucy made when she returned from taking her phone call. Sure, she was smiling, but the welcoming light to her eyes just wasn't there, and it still isn't. She's only said a few short words since then.

He's wanted to ask what's wrong since he first saw her re-enter the room, but he hasn't wanted to raise the suspicion of the other members, just in case they aren't aware of how weird Lucy's acting. He doesn't know why he's aware of Lucy's little tells, but he is. That's all that matters and there isn't anything to be gained by searching deeper into that. All he needs is an opportunity to talk to her without anyone else overhearing.

Someone somewhere must be looking out for him, as Juvia vacates the seat next to Lucy to talk to Gray. Lisanna, who'd been at Lucy's feet a moment ago, has slid over to where her siblings are sitting. He quickly stands from his place on the cold floor and plonks himself into the chair beside her. His gaze is unintentionally drawn to her phone, and he's able to see that she's been googling something, but he isn't able to see what as she locks her phone the moment she realises he's there.

"Hey, Natsu," she says with that forced smile she's been wearing for the past few hours. Even when she was acting for the movie, her happiness was more genuine. Right now she looks defeated.

He cuts right to the chase. "Are you feeling alright? You've been kinda off the past few hours."

Something in Lucy's smiles wavers and, for a moment, Natsu thinks she's going to tell him what's wrong. Then she shakes her head and says, "No, I'm fine, I think I'm just tired. Once we're back at the resort, I'll probably sleep for hours."

Natsu doesn't think it's a lie, per say. Lucy does seem exhausted, though he can tell there's more to it than just how packed their schedule has been for the past month. He wants to help her, but he can't force her to open up to him, especially since she seems so set on keeping this from all of them. He'll have to think of a way to lift her spirits without knowing all the details.

Before he can proceed with his first plan (funny cat videos), a nurse who has been keeping them updated for the past few hours walks into the waiting room. Everyone's eyes turn to her, and at first she'd seemed intimidated by delivering news to so many people at once, but now she doesn't even flinch. She even has a bright grin on her face. A good sign, indeed.

"Bisca's starting to push! It might be a little while yet, we think it might take another half hour, but this means we're almost done!"

And just like that, the light returns to Lucy's eyes and she's smiling along with everyone else, no longer having to force herself to be energetic. Her legs begin bouncing and she turns to him with such an excited expression that he can't help but mirror it. Whatever she's worried about has been momentarily forgotten, and perhaps that's what she's wanted this entire time: a distraction.

She unlocks her phone again, thumb tapping her passcode so fast that it becomes a blur. "I've been giving small updates," she says once he gives her a questioning look.

He opens his mouth slightly and takes out his own phone. Live updates weren't something he thought of earlier, and he wishes he had. "I totally forgot about that," he admits.

She laughs and taps out her tweet. Sure enough, it appears in his timeline a moment later. All it says is, 'SHE'S PUSHING', but he thinks it gets the point across. Poking his tongue out between his teeth, he writes out a reply that is just as quick.

salamandeeer: at lucknlucy: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Another laugh slips through Lucy's lips, a fit of giggles that grows loud enough that she has to cover her mouth. Her reaction is completely worth it.

It's another forty-five minutes before the nurse reappears, telling them that Bisca wants them all to come and meet the baby, but they have to go in small groups of two or three so they don't overwhelm her. Makarov is the first to go, and he takes Romeo with him. Everyone else is left waiting, wondering about the baby's gender and what its name is.

Lucy has taken to twitter again for yet another update, and despite it being past midnight at this point, he's sure that there are plenty of fans online, hanging onto every word. It hasn't just been them who's waited for this baby, after all. The fans have been there every step of the way, to the first time Alzack and Bisca met, to when they announced their relationship, to their wedding, and now to the birth of their child. It was - and still is - a love story happening in real time, and one of the many reasons Natsu loves the channel so much.

Once she's slid her phone back into her pocket, Lucy leans against the back of the chair, stifling a yawn. "Okay, now that we're not on the edge of our seats anymore, I'm really getting tired."

"You wanna sleep?" Natsu asks. He thinks he'll be able to handle another hour or two before he starts drooping.

Lucy shakes her head. "Not until I've met the baby. I'm determined." She says it while struggling to keep her eyes open and, in all honesty, it's one of the most adorable things he's ever seen.

During the time it takes for several other groups to visit Bisca and Alzack, Lucy almost falls asleep several times, but he manages to keep her awake with some basic conversation. Her earlier demeanour is still a concern in the back of his mind, but he puts that aside for now. He won't question her about it while they're here.

Once it's their turn, Natsu nudges Lucy and whispers, "Let's go."

Wendy comes along with them, and despite it being such a late hour, there's a spring in her step. He hasn't seen his cousin this happy since they adopted Carla. He knows that she'll likely feel the need to crash after the excitement wears off and there isn't anything else to do but sleep, but he'll cross that bridge once he gets to it. It wouldn't be the first time he's had to carry her to the car after a late night, and it probably won't be the last.

The nurse stops in front of a room to their left, and Natsu is the first to peer his head inside. Warm light from a single lamp is all that illuminates the room aside from a few machines that are there to monitor both mother and child. The baby in Bisca's arms is swaddled in blankets, but it appears to be awake if the way it's reaching out for Alzack's finger is any indication. He slips into the room as quietly as he can and stands at the end of the bed.

Wendy gasps quietly once she sees the child, and it's only then that Natsu realises that Alzack has his vlogging camera. Of course he does. He points it at Wendy as Bisca speaks.

"This is Asuka. She keeps wanting to stay awake so she can see everything," she says.

"She's so small," Wendy whispers.

"You were that small once, too, you know," Natsu says. He was still fairly young when Wendy was born, but he remembers just how small she was, perhaps even smaller than Asuka. "The doctor was saying how she thought you were just full of air because you kept crying out nonstop."

Wendy pouts at him, but says nothing, instead opting to focus on Asuka instead. Lucy slips past them so she can sit in the extra chair in the room, right by the bedside. A small smile is fixed on her face, and there is an unmistakable glisten to her eyes, and Natsu can't help but cover his mouth to stop his laughter.

"Lucy, are you crying?"

Lucy glares at him half-heartedly, and it loses even more validity as she sniffles. "Shut up, Natsu, I've never seen a newborn baby before, okay? I'm just so happy for both of you."

The last part is directed at Bisca and Alzack, who share a sweet smile. Bisca bounces Asuka lightly in her arms and says, "Would you like to hold her?"

Lucy blinks. "Is that okay?" She stares at Asuka, her eyes wide. "I feel like I might break her, she's so tiny."

Bisca laughs lightly, already lifting the baby towards Lucy. "Don't worry, just make sure her head is in the nook of your arm and the rest will come easily."

Lucy doesn't seem so sure, but she takes Asuka into her arms anyway, bouncing her gently the way Bisca was only moments before. She brings her arms closer to her chest and a little gurgle escapes Asuka's mouth. The tiny child lifts her hand as much as she can when she's still only so small, almost testing the movement out, attempting to touch Lucy's face. Natsu shuffles closer so he can dangle his finger above the hand, something for her to latch onto.

It doesn't quite work, and Alzack laughs as he says, "She hasn't quite figured out how to grip things yet."

The sigh Lucy lets out is a contented one. "She's so cute."

Beside Natsu, Wendy giggles softly, covering her mouth with both hands. "I'm an auntie."

As their large group finally begins to file out of the hospital, Natsu insists on driving Lucy back in her car. She keeps blinking to keep herself awake, and he's concerned that she won't be able to keep her focus on the road, especially since she would be mostly alone otherwise. Romeo might be riding with her, but he's ready to pass out right in the middle of the parking lot. He wouldn't be any help.

"You don't mind?" Lucy asks, too tired to even protest.

"Of course I don't," Natsu says.

He heads over to Gray to hand him his keys with strict instructions not to damage his car (Cana is the only other option, and that's automatically out - no one trusts Cana to drive), earning an eye-roll, but not an all-out fight. Neither of them have the will to, though Natsu doesn't know whether that's because they're tired or because they're in a good mood from finally meeting the child Bisca has been carrying for nine months.

Lucy gives him her keys and slides into the passenger seat. Romeo manages to buckle himself into one of the back seats before slumping against the window, out like a light, and Natsu gives a low chuckle as he starts the ignition.

The ride back is quiet. Natsu prefers to have music while he's driving, but with Romeo asleep and Lucy on her way there, he doesn't want to disturb them. His thoughts make enough noise as it is. Now that the excitement of Asuka's birth has passed, he's back to thinking about what Lucy is so concerned about. She doesn't have to tell him if she doesn't want to, and he would never force her, but it's frustrating at the same time. He'll be there for her either way, but it'd be easier if he knows what he's being there for.

When they stop at a set of traffic lights, he turns to look at her. She's finally asleep now, curled up in the passenger seat with her body facing towards him, breathing deeply. Blonde strands are escaping her poinytail and falling in front of her face. The frown that was present a few hours ago isn't there anymore, washed away by the peace of sleep, and he decides he wants to keep it that way.

Lucy stirs as he pulls into the resort's parking lot, rubbing her eyes and looking around her, gaining her bearings. Once satisfied, she looks at him and gives him a small smile.

"Thanks for driving, Natsu," she says as he hands over her keys.

He only grins at her in response before exiting the car and opening the door to the backseat so he can nudge Romeo awake. He likes to think he's a strong guy, but after the day's events, he doesn't think he has the willpower or strength to carry a teenage boy all the way to his room. Romeo yawns as he wakes, an apology lost in there somewhere that Natsu shrugs off.

They, along with the rest of the exhausted channel members, trudge into the resort's foyer and file into the elevator. No one has the energy to use the stairs at this point. Natsu briefly wonders whether Happy and Plue have been fed, then remembers that Kinana mentioned taking care of it, and he's relieved that there's one less thing to do before going to bed.

When he and Lucy stumble into their room, Plue and Happy are curled up on one of the armchairs in the far corner of the room. Only Happy is disturbed by the noise, though all he does is lift his head a little and give a short flick of his tail before settling back down, tucking his face between his and Plue's bodies. Neither of them move when the bedside lamps are switched on or when the two of them fall onto their beds like sacks of potatoes. They lie there for goodness knows how long before Natsu finally speaks.

"I need to get up and brush my teeth, but nah," he half-mumbles into his pillow.

Lucy groans into hers. "Everything can wait 'til morning right now."

She switches her light off and he follows suit, readjusting himself so he can sleep better. It's only as his head hits the pillow a second time that he remembers just what he wanted to ask Lucy, and despite the two of them being completely exhausted, he can't help but open his mouth. He never can, really.

"Hey, Lucy?"

There is a small hum of acknowledgement from her side of the room. At least she's still awake.

"About earlier..." He stops, struggling to find proper words through his lethargy. "In the hospital, when I asked if you were okay and you said you were, were you really?"

Silence envelops the room aside from the summer breeze outside their window and the subsequent whoosh of the curtains. Natsu stares at where he knows Lucy is, aware of the faint outline of her silhouette and how still she's being. He's starting to think she's fallen asleep when he hears a shaky intake of breath, almost as if she's trembling, and his protective instincts are automatically on the rise, but he stays quiet. He wants to give her the chance to speak first.

"My dad has cancer."

The way she says it, he can tell she's trying to remain composed, but her voice breaks on the last word and gives her away. Natsu is kicking his bedcovers off immediately, drowsiness forgotten as he takes the two or so steps between their beds and puts a hand on her back. She's shaking and her hands are covering her face - a sure sign that she's crying. He doesn't hesitate to lift the covers on the opposite side of the bed and climb in next to her, facing her when she doesn't protest.

He gently takes her wrists, slowly pulling her hands from her face. Even in the darkness, he can see the way her tears are falling sideways down her face, her eyes showing him just how lost she really feels. It tugs at his heartstrings and he lets go of her wrists so he can wrap his arms around her and pull her close. She stains his shirt with tears, but couldn't care less. All he does is rest his head on top of Lucy's and let her cry it out. It's what she needs right now.

He doesn't know much time passes before Lucy resurfaces, her palms pressed against his chest, but he finds he doesn't care. She could have fallen asleep in his arms and not stirred for the next week and he wouldn't have cared. As long as it makes her feel better, she'll do it.

Finally able to speak again, she says, "It's terminal. He has - he has a few weeks, at least, but that's - it's not much."

It isn't, and Natsu won't tell her otherwise. He isn't about to lie to her. That would be even crueler than what she's going through right now.

"He could have a few months at best, the doctor says, and I hate not knowing, and then I feel guilty because I wasn't there when he needed me, and -" She cuts herself off to take another shuddering breath and Natsu runs his hands up and down her forearms in an attempt to soothe her. The shaking subsides, but she lets out a choked sob. "I'm going to lose my dad."

That hits close to home. He's been there before, crying into someone's arms and wondering how someone could be with you one day and gone the next. It doesn't matter how old you are; the loss of someone close to you, someone you grew up with, is never easy. Despite Fairy Tail's run-in with Lucy's father, the last thing he wants is for him to pass away.

"Natsu," Lucy says, the first time she's properly addressed him since the beginning of her explanation. The way her eyes water makes something within him ache. "What am I going to do?"

Natsu stares at her intently, then wraps his arms around her once more. It's for both their benefits - to comfort her and so he doesn't have to see her crying face. "Right now, we should sleep. We'll figure out what to do in the morning."

Lucy's hands clutch his shirt and he feels her nod against him. He pretends not to feel the new wave of tears against his shirt as he closes his eyes and slips into dreamland.

did i really just update quickly this is a miracle