Lucy's POV

I woke up to find a pair of arms wrapped protectively around my waist. Though there had been a time when I would have flipped and shoved him out of the bed, I merely smiled and snuggled closer into the fire dragon slayer's chest. His arms tightened and I heard him chuckle while burying his face in my hair.

"Morning, Beautiful." He mumbled softly.

"Mmm, morning." I whispered back, opening my eyes. I found his onyx orbs gazing back at me lovingly and in that moment I couldn't have been happier. I leaned up and kissed him gently.

We were interrupted by what sounded like a war cry before something landed on top of the two of us. I screamed in mock terror and covered my face with my hands. When I pulled them away I saw a four-year-old box of giggles. "Morning, Mama! Morning, Daddy!" She shouted happily.

Natsu laughed. "Good morning, Suki."

He sat up and kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pouted. "Daddy, do you have to go?"

That's right. I had almost forgotten. Natsu had been chosen for the S-Class exams, along with a few others. He and Happy had been training for weeks. They were intent on winning. Cana had asked me to be her partner, but I had to stay here and take care of Natsuki. But I had wished her luck in building up the courage to tell Gildarts her true identity, which she had explained to me a few days before. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't go, but knew that they would be back before I knew it.

We sent Natsuki off to get ready for school and got out of bed, getting dressed.

Natsu turned to me. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" His eyebrows furrowed in worry, but I waved him off and hugged him.

"It's only for a few weeks, Natsu. You've been gone on missions for longer. We will be fine, and I'll be here when you get back." I assured him.

He leaned his head against mine and stared into my eyes. "You'd better be." He seemed to be debating something while he searched my face. When he made his decision, he pulled back ever so slightly. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled something out. "I was planning on doing this when I get back, but…"

He held out a small gold ring. "…I think it's already long overdue."

I watched in awe as he slipped the gold band around my right ring finger. I looked up at him, uncertain if this was really happening. He grinned at me and continued. "Just so that you remember your mine. Marry me, Luce?"

I beamed back and kissed him. He deepened the kiss instinctively and I felt him smile against my mouth. The kiss lasted for eternity, but it wasn't long enough. When we finally broke for air, he laughed delightedly. "I'll take that as a yes?"

I nodded. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

He lifted me by the waist and spun me around in the air, still laughing. Suki came in, her blond hair up in pigtails. "What's going on?"

The pinkette put me down and knelt, holding out his arms. She rushed into them, sensing the good mood. He picked her up and looked back and forth between us. "Suki…Mama and Daddy are getting married."

She froze for a moment. Then, slowly, her chocolate brown eyes widened and she squealed. "Hurray!"

I held Suki on my shoulders and waved as Natsu and the others boarded the ship to Tenrojima. She was grinning, her fangs clearly visible. "By Daddy! By Auntie Erza! By Auntie Lisanna! Bye Auntie Mira! By Gramps! By Auntie Levy! By Gajeel! By Gray! By Wendy-chan! By Gildarts! By Cana! By Happy!"

Natsu turned as waved, mouthing I love you, before continuing on to the ship.

I love you too, I mouthed back, smiling. Once the boat had set sail, Suki jumped down and ran off to play with Romeo, who was only two years older than her.

I was happy for them. They had finally got the chance to become S-Class. But no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that was growing in the pit of my stomach.

1 week later

The guild sat in a stunned silence as the man in the magic council uniform gave us his condolences. "We are terribly sorry for your loss." He turned and walked out of the guild hall. I watched him with dead eyes.

All I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sob. They were gone. All of them. Erza and Gray and Happy and Wendy and Carla and Master and Lisanna and Mira and Elfman and everyone else. Even Natsu. The world seemed to dull and I was reminded of the years that I had spent with my father. I tried to convince myself that the world was still colorful, but all I could see was black and white. He was gone. What was I supposed to do?

"Mama?" I heard a small voice ask. My gaze drifted to Natsuki. Tears filled her wide, milky brown eyes and she gazed at me, unsure of what she was supposed to do.

That's right. Suki. I have to go on for Suki. However much I loved my daughter, she had always been much closer to her father than she was too me. He was always the one who dried her tears and made her smile. I didn't know what to do. So I did the only thing I could. Get it together Lucy. You are all she has left. No more tears. Not now, not ever.

Tears are for those who can afford to cry.

I opened my arms and she rushed into them, sobbing into my shoulder. "I-I want Daddy."

I rubbed her back and stared lifelessly at nothing. "Me too, sweetheart. Me too."

She wasn't the only one crying. Throughout the guild you could hear weeping from all directions. Romeo was hugging his father, Bisca and Alzack were staring at the ground. Laki seemed to be trying not to break down, and similar reaction were found with everyone else.

"Who will be guild master?" Wakaba asked, refusing to let recent events stop Fairy Tail from living.

"I will." Macao stood and searched the faces of his family. No one objected. Macao sighed. "Listen, I am just as shocked as you are. We just lost all of our main members. But we mustn't give up hope. Think about those who were on that island. Do you truly believe that they would let something like a dragon attack stop them?"

Max spoke up. "What are you trying to say, Macao?"

The new guild master continued. "I am trying to say that- no matter what those council guys think- our nakama will return. I know that the chances are slim, but I refuse to believe that they are gone. It may take months. Maybe even years. But I just know that they are alive. And somehow they will get back to us. No matter what it takes. So what do you say we get off of our asses and run this guild so that they have a home to return to? We are Fairy Tail, and we are not going to drop out of this race we call life. We may crumble and fall, but if we cannot walk then we will crawl to the finish line. Who's with me?!" He cried.

We cheered and raised our pointer finger and thumbs into the air. The corner of my mouth peeked up. How could I be so silly? As long as I believe in him, Natsu will return to me.