This story is going to be sort of drabble-ish. The chapters won't be true drabbles, but they will be short and kind of meandering. Because each chapter is told by a different character and is about about a different event, each chapter could be rated anywhere from K to M. Each chapter gets its own warnings, summary, and rating. Things will be in roughly chronological order. There's also a likelihood of me playing around with the timeline of events during Lucy's childhood, since there are some things we don't know about, such as at what specific age she lost her mother.

Also, don't expect regular updates. This will be one of those stories that are updated whenever the inspiration hits me. Now, this chapter! *flourishes*

~Star Child~

Rating: K

Warnings: None

Summary: Lucy's future Celestial Spirits meet her for the first time. She's a little young, but they have a feeling she'll do just fine.

Word Count: 1452

~Star Child~

She is less than two hours old when they meet her for the first time.

When her mother, Layla, became pregnant, her Spirits had been overjoyed for her. Capricorn in particular was very happy. He had sworn to protect Layla and her descendants after all, and soon, the first one would be here! Cancer and Aquarius were pleased for Layla of course, but not as much as Capricorn. It didn't affect them as much.

That changed when Layla told them that she would teach her unborn daughter to be a Stellar Spirit Mage, and would eventually pass on her keys to her.

Now the Spirits were really interested. This wasn't just their summoner's child, this was their future master. Even Crux, who spent most of his time sleeping or thinking, was eager for the arrival of the child.

Capricorn flinches as another bloodcurdling scream comes from the hospital room. Layla had requested that her three Zodiac Spirits be there for the birth, but Capricorn is beginning to regret coming. Hearing Layla in such pain while he can do nothing is agonizing. He glances at Cancer. He looks just as worried, and his crab legs are doing a nervous kind of jig. Cancer voices both their thoughts.

"Is she supposed to be screaming this loudly, ebi?"

"Childbirth is painful," Aquarius says nonchalantly, hovering over the glass of water Layla had used to summon her. She is trying to look indifferent, but her tail is swishing a little instead of being in its usual elegant fold. Capricorn knows that she's unhappy here; she hadn't wanted to come in the first place, but after Layla begged for a week she had to give in. "It probably doesn't help that she's sustaining two Zodiac Spirits at the same time," she adds just a tad spitefully.

Cancer's crab legs quiver with worry. Capricorn was strong enough to come through the gate on his own (which he had done), but both Cancer and Aquarius had needed Layla to summon them so they could come. Normally, Layla could call all three of her Zodiacs at once without a problem, but how hard is it to hold them here while giving birth? He wonders for a moment if he should leave.

"Relax, you stupid crab," Aquarius says derisively, "Women weaker than Layla go through childbirth all the time and come out fine."

"Hush, both of you," Capricorn says, "I hear something." The murmurs that Capricorn's sensitive ears were picking up are getting louder. Suddenly Layla cries out louder then ever.

"I see the head!" the midwife cries out, "Push, Mrs Heartphilia, push!"

The three spirits perk up. Layla's cries become more and more agonized, and then suddenly the cries of a baby join the cacophony of noise.

"It's a girl!" the midwife exclaims. The baby seems to cry louder at this.

"Damn, but that thing can make some noise!" Aquarius complains. Capricorn doesn't reprimand her. He is too busy trembling with excitement.

Cancer obviously shares his sentiments, crab legs dancing around and an unusually large smile on his face. "I hope they let us in soon, ebi," he says.

Unfortunately, it isn't soon. In fact it is another hour before the nurse opens the door and calls for them. Capricorn picks up Aquarius' cup and the three Spirits file inside. The doctor jumps a little at the sight of them. The nurses, who had come and gone, had gotten used to them during Layla's nine hour labor, but the doctor hadn't seen them yet. Capricorn barely even notices the man. His gaze goes straight to his beloved Master. Layla looks positively exhausted, lying in a bed and propped up by pillows, but her face glows with happiness. Her husband, who Capricorn has never bothered to remember the name of (he's not important, not to Capricorn), is sitting across the room with his head between his knees as he tries to calm down. A nurse is bandaging one of his fingers. Evidently Layla had broken it.

"Hey, guys," Layla greets them, the exhaustion in her voice eclipsed by the overwhelming happiness on her face, "Come meet the newest member of the Heartphilias." The three Spirits crowd around her bed, looking curiously at the pink bundle she holds. Layla shifts the blankets, exposing the baby's face.

The infant has a thick head of blonde peach fuzz. Her nose is tiny, as are her lips, but already she is beautiful. At Cancer's gasp of awe, her lashless eyes open, showing eyes that are a murky blue.

"I didn't expect her to have blue eyes," Aquarius comments softly.

"She doesn't, necessarily," Layla says, "Almost all babies are born with blue eyes. They'll develop into their true color in a couple months."

"She's so little," Capricorn says. The baby looks at him with a surprising amount of focus for a newborn. In that moment, Capricorn remembers countless times of feeling kicks, of soothing the restless unborn baby with stories of the Spirit world. He wonders if the baby remembers too.

Layla holds the baby out to him. "Wanna hold her?" she says, a bit of mischief sparkling in her eye. Capricorn's own eyes widen, but he reaches out and takes the precious bundle. He holds her carefully, aware of how one of his hands is twice the size of her head. As he takes her, the pink blanket slips away, and her tiny arms and legs are free. She kicks in joy, and as soon as she's settled in his arms she swipes an arm through the air. He blinks in surprise. She does it again, and this time she hits his beard. Her tiny fingers twitch, and Capricorn realizes that she's trying to grab his beard. Something about it, some unknown feeling in his chest, makes him smile, and then it makes him laugh. It starts as a tiny chuckle, but soon develops into full blown laughter. The infant laughs along with him, tiny, high pitched giggles. It makes the new parents beam, to hear their baby laugh for the first time. Something in Capricorn is proud that her first smile, her first laugh, is because of him. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he registers that a part of him already loves this little future Master.

Cancer taps him on a shoulder with a crab leg. "Don't hog her, ebi," he scolds, "Let us have a turn, ebi!" Reluctantly, Capricorn hands the baby to the Crab Spirit.

Cancer holds the baby just as gently as Capricorn. He even removes his triangular sunglasses to get a better look at her. The six crab legs curl around them, lovingly, protectively, making a barrier between the baby and the dangers of the outside world. The doctor looks nervously at the appendages, but Layla smiles, knowing her newborn is safe in that cage, that she'll always be safe in that cage. Cancer smiles gently. Unlike Capricorn, he is not thinking of times past, but of the future this baby will have. He touches her blonde hair and wonders when it will be long enough to style for the first time. Then he turns and offers the baby to Aquarius.

"Ugh," the Water Bearer says, making a face. Nevertheless, she takes the baby, holding her correctly, if a little less gently than either of the others. The baby gives her a toothless smile, and Aquarius softens a little bit. She examines a tiny hand, looks at the perfect little nails. She jerks in surprise when the baby curls her hand around the Spirit's finger. Suddenly, Aquarius is no longer ice; she's melted butter instead. "A girl, huh?" Aquarius says, "Better than a boy. Got lucky there, Layla." Layla laughs, and Aquarius lightly bounces the baby in her arms. "You know, munchkin," she says conversationally, "I've got a boyfriend. A great boyfriend. And you know, one day you'll have one too." The new father chokes from where he sits, and the nurse makes him put his head back between his knees before he starts hyperventilating. "And if you don't have one, I'll make sure you get one. A good one, who's hot and has good abs and treats you nice." Aquarius nods to herself, evidently deciding that this is going to happen no matter what.

"S-She's a bit young for that, e-ebi..." Cancer says weakly. Capricorn and Layla's husband are in a similar state. Layla, on the other hand, seems absolutely delighted. Aquarius hands the infant back to Layla, and the baby settles into her mother's arms for a restful nap.

It occurs to Capricorn that there is one question that they haven't thought to ask yet.

"What's her name?" he asks.

"Her name is Lucy. Lucy Heartphilia."

~Star Child~

Maybe I should have put a warning for fluff or sickening sweetness.

Ah, I'm sure you're all fine.

Did you enjoy? I know I enjoyed writing it. I was a little iffy on the usage of present tense, since I normally write in past tense, but that's just the way it naturally flowed. Tell me how I did on that, please.

I haven't planned on doing a lot of the main events from the series. We already know how Lucy rescues Loke and gets Gemini, et cetera, et cetera. What I'm planning on focusing on his the behind the scenes stuff, the relationship building and the things that happened before Lucy joined Fairy Tail. I'm kinda on a roll right now, so the next chapter should be up today or tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

Vamp