A/N: Here is the third and final chapter for my "one-shot"… Pfft. Like I could do a one-shot. Hope you enjoy! Random drabbles while Lucy is pregnant, and so on.

"I'm hungry again," she said with a giggle.

He was only too happy to oblige.

~.~

"You're kidding me, right? This has to be a joke…"

Lucy rolled her eyes at her best friend. "No, Natsu. It's not a joke. Now hand me back that plate before I have Erza beat you to a pulp for denying a pregnant woman her food!"

"This isn't food, Luce!" Natsu shouted, staring in horror at the mound of metal that Lucy was trying to eat. "It's one thing to be his mate, it's completely different when you start eating like him!"

"Give. Me. The. Plate. Natsu," Lucy hissed through gritted teeth. She was already three months along, but had stayed away from the guild for a while so she could rest… and because Gajeel was insane. Gajeel had gone in to tell Makarov the news the day after they found out, saying that he could tell the guild but they had to stay away from the house until Gajeel felt it was safe. Apparently, the addition of a baby had pushed his overprotective instincts into overdrive. Needless to say, the first day she had been able to come back, being carried by Gajeel because he said she didn't need the extra stress of walking, everyone had crowded around them to congratulate the happy couple.

"No! This is just weird…" Natsu said, holding the plate as far away from her as he could.

"GODDAMNIT NATSU! GIVE ME BACK THAT MOTHERFUCKING PLATE!" Lucy shouted, gaining the attention of the whole guild.

Wendy quickly rushed over, telling Lucy she needed to relax and then glaring at Natsu. "Give it to her, Natsu. It's what she needs."

He gave her a confused look, then grinned. "Very funny! Wendy's in on the joke too!"

Lucy rubbed her stomach, trying to relax as Wendy had said. I'm sorry, little one… You'll get to eat in a minute, I promise. She was starving. All she wanted to do was have a little snack until it was time for lunch. Gajeel was outside training with Pantherlily, so he had made her a plate of small nuggets just in case she got hungry before he came back. Then, Natsu came over and took the plate and the nugget she was about to eat. "Please," Lucy whispered. "I'm hungry, Natsu… Just give me the plate…"

Salt. Natsu sniffed the air again. "Luce, why are you crying?" he asked, never letting the plate get too close to the table where she could reach it.

"She's crying because you won't give her the plate back. I told you, Natsu. She needs it," Wendy said sternly. She had no clue that Natsu could be this dense. Didn't Igneel explain this to him?

"Wendy," Lucy whispered. "Please go get Gajeel…" She sniffled, trying to hold her hormones back.

Just as Wendy turned to get the other Slayer, he stormed through the door from the training area. He was sweating, shirtless, and snarling as his eyes locked on Lucy. Gajeel's red eyes quickly took in the scenario, and he growled at Natsu. "Give her the damn plate, Flamehead. It's for the baby."

"No way!" Natsu shouted. He wasn't going to let them play a joke on him. He saw right through it this time.

Gajeel clenched his fist, letting his magic flow through him, and opened his hand to reveal another small iron nugget. He stalked over to Lucy, rage filling each of his steps. Once he was next to her, his body relaxed and he placed the metal up to her lips, running his other hand through her hair. "Open up, Bunny," he whispered gently.

Lucy's eyes lit up, and she immediately opened her mouth. As soon as the metal touched her tongue, Lucy's eyes closed and she moaned at the taste of it.

CRUNCH!

Everyone's jaws dropped. Their favorite Celestial mage was chewing through Gajeel's iron—which was much stronger than normal metal—like it was nothing. And she was happy about it.

After Lucy had finished, she glared at Natsu. "Do you believe me now? Can I have the plate back so I can eat?"

Natsu nodded slowly and lowered his hand. He carefully pushed the plate across the table to Lucy as if she was a wild beast. Before he could get an apology out, he was being dragged out of the hall by his scarf. "What the—" Natsu turned to see that it was Gajeel. I'm so dead…

Lucy rolled over for the hundredth time as she tried to find a comfortable position to lie in. The baby was growing at an alarming rate, but Wendy said that it was to be expected since Gajeel was a Dragon Slayer. Ugh, only five months?! Lucy sat up slowly, pale moonlight cascading over her through the window by the bed, and glared at her belly. She loved the little one growing inside of her, but she already looked as if she was around seven or eight months pregnant. The worst part was that she was having a hard time sleeping because Gajeel had gone on another mission. He was due back in a couple of days, but she needed his warmth right then. Apparently, the baby felt the same way because she could never sleep when he was away.

Lucy looked longingly at her keys, the only vestiges of her spirit friends that she could see aside from their constellations in the sky. She was immediately informed that she couldn't use her magic while she was pregnant because she was a Celestial mage. Instead of short bursts of her magic being used, keeping a gate open while her spirits were out was a constant drain on her magic. Meaning, they couldn't even come to see her if they opened their own gate, because even that used some of her magic.

Lucy heard the front door open quietly, then close, and her heart instantly started pounding in her chest. Any time Gajeel was gone, someone from the guild would stay at the house with her so that she could be protected in an emergency. Usually it was Wendy, since the small girl was like a sister to both Lucy and Gajeel, but tonight it was Mira. Maybe Mira was just going out for a late walk? Lucy tried to reason with herself. She heard slow and heavy footsteps coming down the hallway towards the bedroom. Definitely not Mira! Her heart continued to pound as she stared at the bedroom door, and her mind raced through all of the possibilities of what she could use to defend herself. After shooting down every possibility, whether it was because she was pregnant and couldn't move fast enough or just because the idea was insane, Lucy's breaths came in short bursts as the bedroom door creaked open.

A large shadow filled the doorway, blocking out any ambient light that may have been coming from the living room. Lucy pushed herself flush against the headboard as it walked closer. Please don't hurt us… She let out a small whimper in fear and put her hands protectively over her stomach, her eyes screwing themselves shut and her head turning to the side so she wouldn't have to see whoever it was.

"Bunny? What's wrong?" Gajeel asked softly as he sat down on the bed. He had heard her heartbeat pick up, then smelled her fear as he got closer to the room.

Lucy's eyes shot open and she stared at the shadow sitting in front of her. "G-Gajeel?" she whispered, hoping this wasn't some twisted dream she was having. She still didn't trust the mysterious figure in front of her, and pushed herself further away from it.

Gajeel went to put his hand on her stomach, knowing that it helped to calm her down, but she flinched and moved away from him. "Bunny, it's me…" he whispered, the pain in his voice evident. He slowly leaned over and turned on the lamp on her nightstand, and frowned at the tears that had begun to well in her eyes.

"Oh Gajeel!" Lucy said, the tears finally spilling from her. She wanted to lunge at him, pull herself into his embrace and cry, but all she could manage was a small scoot closer to him and a watery smile.

Gajeel quickly kicked his boots off and pulled Lucy gently into his lap. As he wiped her tears away, he said, "Why are you crying?"

"Because you scared the hell out of me!" she sobbed. "I heard the door open, then someone walking down the hall… and I couldn't see anything… I didn't know what to expect, and there was no way for me to do anything about it if it wasn't you!"

"Shit," he whispered. "I just didn't wanna wake you… Lily and I finished early, and we hopped on the first train we could to get back home." His one arm was wrapped around her back, while the other hand rubbed soft circles over her stomach. "We missed you two…"

Lucy sniffled and gave him a soft smile. "We missed you guys, too. Draco and I can't sleep without you…"

Gajeel stiffened. "Draco?" They hadn't spent much time discussing names, but he didn't think that Lucy would want anything closely related to a dragon for their child's name.

Lucy nodded happily, then she turned a timid face up to look at him. "Do you not like it?"

"I just thought you would want something less…" he said, not knowing how to finish or what he could possibly say.

"Dragon-ey?" Lucy finished with a soft giggle. "It's the best of both. Draco is the name of one of the strongest celestial spirits. The Dragon."

Gajeel gave her a smirk and said, "What if the baby's a girl?" He wanted a boy. He wouldn't deny it. He wanted a son that he could train in his own magic and make the kid just as strong as he was. If they had a girl, it would kill Gajeel… Only because of the amount of heart attacks he would have and fights he would get into trying to protect her from everyone else.

Lucy blushed. "Wendy came by yesterday."

"And? How's the baby?" Gajeel asked. Sure, he cared about the little Slayer, but Lucy only really brought her up if there was big news or if it concerned their young.

"The baby's a boy," Lucy said with a grin. "Hence, Draco."

"A… boy." Gajeel's eyes widened. "A boy?"

Lucy giggled at him. "Yes, a boy. Which apparently explains why I'm huge. Wendy says boys sit differently and they tend to be bigger than girls, especially when their Slayer offspring. So, thanks for that…"

Gajeel's stupor was immediately broken when he heard her. Instantly, his cocky grin spread across his face and he said, "Damn right."

Lucy playfully smacked his chest and said, "I think this calls for a midnight snack."

Gajeel gently laid her back on the bed, kissed her forehead and grinned. "What would you like this time?"

Rubbing her belly while she thought, Lucy said, "Peanut butter."

Gajeel chuckled and shook his head as he walked into the kitchen. Iron and peanut butter… Some weird ass cravings…

"Where do you want it?" he asked softly.

"Right there," she said. "Will it hurt?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Wendy said this was alright?"

She nodded at him with a soft smile in her eyes.

He sighed. "Okay, if you're sure."

Lucy's eyes squeezed shut as she waited for the pain. There was a small pinch, then a warming sensation, then nothing. The same pinch, warmth, then nothing on the other side. Her eyes shot open and she lifted the mirror to see how she looked, already noticing that there wasn't any residual pain. She grinned at her reflection, then looked at her mate. "What do you think?"

Gajeel didn't know what to think. His brain shut down once he had finished and saw her face. Her plump lower lip was adorned by two small iron piercings, one on each side. His mouth had gone dry. His pants tightened, and he couldn't bring himself to even shift from the uncomfortable position.

Lucy giggled at her mate's reaction. "I'll take that as a good sign, then?"

He nodded, his mouth still hanging open. Never in a million years had he pictured Lucy with snakebites. Even if he had pictured it, his mind wouldn't have been able to conjure the image he was faced with. She was lying in their bed, his shirt the only stitch of clothing on her body, rubbing her ever-growing belly, with some of the sexiest piercings he had ever seen. Made from his own iron. "You have… no idea…"

Lucy blushed, but any arousal she may have felt was instantly overshadowed when she felt a pressure on her hand from her stomach. Then another. "Ow!" she shouted with a smile on her face as she stared at her stomach.

"Ow…?" he asked absently. Gajeel's mind quickly caught up, though. His eyes flew to her stomach, then to her face. "Ow?! What is it? Are you alright? Is—"

Lucy giggled and whispered, "Give me your hand." When he didn't move, but just stared at her as if she had grown a pair of wings and a tail, she reached over and grabbed his hand herself. Very carefully, she placed it where her own hand had been then whispered, "Show Daddy what you learned, Draco."

Gajeel's gaze followed his hand, and rested on her stomach. It felt like something flicked him. Then a constant pressure. A series of stronger hits. A pause. Then the strangest and most magical thing he ever felt in his life, a large pressure rolled from his palm to his fingertips. "Is that…"

"That's our little fighter," Lucy whispered happily. "He's been kicking my ass all day. I believe that was a hand, then his head, a bunch of kicks, then him rolling over."

He couldn't even put on a cocky grin. Gajeel was so amazed by what he was feeling from his mate's stomach that he laid his head on her lap and just smiled.

"Why don't you tell him about your last mission, Gajeel?" Lucy said with a yawn. "I'm sure he'd love to hear about how strong his Daddy is."

Gajeel moved so that Lucy could lay down and get comfortable. Once she gave him a small nod and a smile, he let her fall asleep while he curled around her legs, his nose nuzzling her stomach. Deciding to get some bonding time with his son, Gajeel smiled again and started to whisper. "So, here's what happened…"

"Hey Luce! How's it going?" Natsu asked with his normal grin. Happy waved from his perch on Natsu's head while he ate a fish.

Lucy smiled at Natsu and Happy and said, "Great! How have you guys been?" She missed coming to the guild every day. She usually didn't have the energy for it, and ended up staying at home and working on her novel or figuring out how to decorate the nursery.

Happy smiled and said, "We went fishing with Juvia! She gave me the biggest fish to give to Carla!"

Lucy giggled and said, "Well, Carla's right over there, Happy. Why don't you give it to her now?"

Happy smiled widely and flew over to Wendy and Carla's table, a huge bass in his paws.

Turning back to Natsu, Lucy said, "So, you and Juvia went fishing?" There was a knowing glint in her eyes and a small smirk on her face.

Natsu blushed. Really and truly blushed. His hand flew behind his head and he tried to hide embarrassed he was. "Y-Yeah! It was great!"

Lucy sighed and placed her hand on Natsu's. "Have you told her yet?"

Natsu's face fell, and he lowered his head. "No…"

"I've heard you guys spend tons of time together. Just like you and I used to."

Natsu smiled reminiscently. He loved spending so much time with his best friend, and he really missed having her around. "Yeah, but it's different with her."

Lucy laughed. "Well, I should hope so! I mean, you and I are friends. And you two are…"

He sighed again. "Friends…"

"Doesn't she want more?" Lucy asked, concerned for her friend. "I thought you two were really hitting it off."

"I don't know what she wants. I'm too scared to tell her about that, and—"

"Natsu Dragneel, you listen to me," Lucy said sternly, "You had better march yourself over to her table right now and tell her how you feel. Do you hear me, young man?"

Natsu paled at Lucy's change in mood. She was sweet and kind, then instantly started acting like a… well, like a mom. He smiled softly at her and said, "You're gonna be a great mom, Luce."

"Wh-What?" Lucy asked, her question barely more than a whisper, taken aback by her best friend's words.

"I said you're gonna be a great mom. I'm gonna go talk to Juvia." With that, Natsu stood up and gave Lucy a small hug around her shoulders, then walked off to finally tell the Water mage that she was his mate.

"Lucy?" Pantherlily asked softly as he flew to sit with the pregnant woman after sparring with Gajeel.

Tears slowly poured down Lucy's face, her mind still in shock at what Natsu told her.

"Lucy, why are you crying?" Pantherlily said earnestly. "Tell me who upset you…"

Lucy could only shake her head, then dropped her face to her hands as she broke down.

"Shit. Bunny, what's wrong?" Gajeel asked softly, kneeling down in front of his mate.

Lucy couldn't form any words. She was so happy that Natsu thought she would be a good mom, and wished she could thank him. She knew that her letting out heart-shattering sobs was all from her hormones, but she didn't care. It was so sweet, and she knew that Natsu had finally started to grow up. Lucy shook her head, then felt Gajeel pull her into his arms.

"Why's Lucy crying?" Happy asked sadly, landing on the table next to Pantherlily.

"We don't know. Gajeel and I just came back and she was like this," Lily explained, eyeing the blonde with concern.

"Well, Natsu was just sitting here. Maybe he knows why she's sad," Happy said. His own eyes were filled with tears as he watched Lucy cry. He hated it when she was upset, because her smile seemed to make everything better.

Gajeel growled as the small blue Exceed said who was last with his mate. "Bunny, did Natsu say something to you?"

Lucy didn't hear the menace in Gajeel's voice, only the question. She nodded, then gripped Gajeel's shirt tighter.

After a swift nod from Gajeel, Pantherlily switched into his Battle Form and tackled the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"Hey, what gives?!" Natsu shouted. He was just about to get the nerve up to talk to Juvia about their relationship, and then Pantherlily grabbed his scarf and hauled him up into the air.

"Were you the last one to talk to Lucy?" the black Exceed questioned, the unspoken threat sitting thick in the air.

"Yeah! She told me to come talk to Juvia!" Natsu shouted, kicking and writhing in an attempt at breaking the Exceed's grip on him.

"What did you say to her to make her cry?" Lily said through gritted teeth. Just like Gajeel, he had grown very protective over the blonde in the time she and Gajeel had been together. She had brought so much light and happiness into their home that he never wanted to see it disappear. Not like it had when she left Gajeel for those two months.

Natsu stopped fighting instantly. "She's crying? Why's Luce crying?" he asked sadly.

"That's what we'd like to know. What did you say to her?" Pantherlily's patience was wearing very thin. He could still hear Lucy's sobs even though they were muffled by her face being against Gajeel's chest.

"I-I…" Natsu looked over at his friend, and he was filled with hurt and confusion. "I told her she's gonna be a great mom… She scolded me for not talking to Juvia… She made it seem like she was my own mom and… I didn't mean to make her cry."

"That's all you said to her? Nothing else," Pantherlily pushed. He didn't want to let Natsu go if there was something he was hiding.

"That's it…" Natsu said sadly. He looked back at Pantherlily and said, "Is she mad at me?"

The black Exceed quickly put the pieces together and smiled. As he set Natsu down he said, "No. She's not mad at you. I believe you've made her very happy."

"But why is she crying so much?" Natsu asked, his eyes filled with worry.

Juvia placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder and said, "Lucy is going through a lot of changes right now. Her emotions are very intense, and she can't seem to express herself properly. When the baby is born, she'll eventually go back to normal." She gave him a soft smile, then said, "Would you like to go get some food?"

Pantherlily smirked as he watched Natsu and Juvia run happily out of the guild. He returned to his smaller size and flew back over to Gajeel.

"Natsu's gonna die, Lily. Making my mate cry like this…" Gajeel said with a low growl. He was only happy that Lucy had finally calmed down.

"Natsu didn't upset her. He said something genuinely nice." Pantherlily couldn't help the proud smile that crossed his face.

"Huh?"

"N-Natsu said…" Lucy whispered, "That I'm gonna be a great m-mom…" She sniffled, then said, "It was so sweet!" Lucy started crying again, but not nearly as badly as before.

Gajeel stared down at her, then up at Lily, then back to her. "Well, he's right, you know." He placed a soft kiss on her head before lifting her chin so he could look into her eyes. "I don't think there's another person out there that's capable of being a better mom than you'll be to our son." Even though they were in the guild, Gajeel still gave her a genuine smile. The smile that only she got to see.

"Bunny, I'm ba—"

Lucy smirked at Gajeel as he walked into the room. He had stopped dead in his tracks in the doorway, and stared at her. "I missed you," she purred seductively.

"Wh-What are you wearing?" Gajeel asked when his mind finally started functioning again. His mate, his beautiful goddess of a mate was sitting in their bed in lingerie. Of course, he'd seen her in lingerie before, and loved it every time he got to rip it off of her, but this was something else. Her breasts were covered in small triangles of gleaming chainmail, with sheer swathes of fabric attached to the bottom and parting around her swollen stomach. His eyes raked down her body, and he licked his lips when he saw that the underwear—if it could even be called that—matched the top.

Lucy's eyes travelled over Gajeel's body as he stood frozen. She had missed him so much while he was away. It was the last mission he was going to take before the baby was born, and it seemed like he had been gone for months. After that night when he had come home early and scared the daylights out of her, they had agreed that he would call before he got home so she would know he was safe and on his way back. Lucy bit her lower lip, her tongue flicking across the inside of her mouth to taste the piercings he had given her. "A welcome home present," she whispered as she looking hungrily into his piercing red eyes.

Gajeel felt himself twitch in excitement. "… Present?"

Lucy smiled at him and nodded. She let her fingers trail slowly across her chest and down to her already moistening center. "I thought you might be hungry."

Gajeel was broken from his trance at her statement, and he growled as he eyed her travelling fingers. He was hungry in more ways than one and the grin that he gave her as he walked towards the bed showed just how hungry he was. As he knelt on the bed between her legs, he pulled Lucy in for a searing kiss. As they broke away, he trailed kisses down her throat, nipping at her collar bones. He paused for a moment, and asked, "Are you sure it's okay?" He didn't want to stop, but she was due in less than a week and he didn't want to do anything to hurt the baby. "I can wait if…"

"Gajeel, it's fine. I asked Porlyusica, and she said we just have to take it slow. If anything, sex will help the baby…" Lucy whispered as she started to undo his pants. She could tell he was going to argue, wanting to know more about what the pink-haired healer had said, but Lucy cut him off. "I'll explain it all later, but right now I need you."

Gajeel was still willing to put it off, until Lucy's hand shot down his pants and firmly grasped his already hardened member. He grunted as she stroked him, and he lowered his mouth to one of the metal straps that was holding her top up. With a quick bite, and a moan at the taste of the metal on his tongue, her breast was freed. He lowered his head further to capture the pert nipple in his mouth, dragging his sharp teeth across it just to hear her moan his name.

Lucy's free hand tangled in Gajeel's mane of black hair and she pulled him closer to her chest, moaning loudly when his tongue flicked across her sensitive skin. She let out a whimper of disappointment when he pulled away, but was rewarded when he switched to her other breast.

Gajeel closed his mouth over the still covered nipple, sucking and nibbling the metal and her breast at the same time. It was intoxicating, and soon his teeth bit through the barrier. He heard a shocked squeal from Lucy, then a low moan as he continued his torture on her. He slowly lowered her to the bed, then began kissing down every inch of her body until he reached her core.

Lucy squirmed when Gajeel pressed his nose firmly against her, and felt her body clench in response.

"Mmm, I could get used to this," he whispered, closing his mouth over the chainmail that covered her sex.

Lucy's legs instantly spread further to accommodate Gajeel's broad shoulders, and she moaned again when lifted her legs up and over his back. She wanted to buck against him when he bit a couple of the links out of her panties and thrust his fingers inside of her, but she had to be careful.

Gajeel smirked at her, nibbling on her leg while he pushed slowly into her with his fingers. Her scent was so strong, mixing with the metal pressed up against her so perfectly that he wanted to stay like this forever. He took his time as he ate every remnant of the metal that covered her center, keeping the slow and torturous pace he'd set with his fingers. He moaned against her damp curls as he savored her taste along with the metal in his mouth. Never in his life had he eaten anything so delectable.

"Gajeel," Lucy panted. She had gone far too long without him, and her climax was quickly building. It didn't take long for her to finally fall over the edge, and she screamed his name while her body tightened around his fingers.

Gajeel smirked at her when she looked down to see his face still firmly planted between her legs. He knew that she was expecting him to crawl up her body and ravage her, but tonight he had different plans. "Hope you're ready, Bunny Girl. I'm nowhere near done with you."

"ARGGHHHH!"

The guild collectively flinched as they heard another pained scream from the infirmary. Lucy and Gajeel had been sitting at their table, having lunch, when her water broke. She was immediately rushed upstairs in Gajeel's arms, followed closely by Wendy and Porlyusica. The pink-haired, human-hating, healer had been hanging around while they waited for Lucy to go into labor. Because this pregnancy was so different from a normal pregnancy—with the child being from a Dragon Slayer—she had been adamant about helping and teaching Wendy, and even more adamant that no human doctors (she had said with a sneer) be allowed near them.

No men were allowed in the room aside from Gajeel. When Makarov had tried to enter to be of assistance, at Porlyusica's request, it took Gildarts and Laxus pulling Gajeel away from the old man before they realized what was wrong. Gajeel's mate was going to be mostly naked, completely exposed for anyone in the room to see, while she gave birth. His instincts refused to allow another male near her. Add to that the fact that his child, his new and innocent child, was being brought into the world. Makarov had been lucky that he was only thrown across the room. In the wild, dragons took care of their own births, mainly because they laid eggs and watched over them. Gajeel's human side and inner dragon were warring with how to handle this situation, but he knew that people had to be there to help Lucy. So, he allowed Wendy, Porlyusica, Juvia, and Erza into the room with Pantherlily keeping guard just outside.

"AHHHHH! MOTHERFUCKER!"

Again, they all flinched. Natsu and Gray looked the worst for the wear with every scream that came from their friend.

"We can't just sit here…" Natsu said softly. "There has to be something we can do…"

"Like what? You gonna go up there and push the baby out for her?" Gray shot back. He was fully aware that his clothes were gone. They had disappeared within the first few minutes of her screaming.

Natsu looked up at the clock. "They've been in there for eight hours!"

"Natsu," Bisca said softly, holding a sleeping Asuka in her arms, "These things take time."

"How long did it take you?" he asked as he smiled at the sleeping girl in the green-haired woman's arms.

"Three hours, but Draco is much bigger than Asuka was. And Lucy is smaller than me. Her body is probably having a hard time getting him out." Bisca remembered all too well how painful it had been for her, and she had no idea how Lucy was still able to scream after so long. She looked up to the balcony and sent a silent prayer for things to go smoothly.

~.~

Tears and sweat poured down Lucy's face as another contraction tightened her body. It moved from her ribs all the way down to her toes, and over the course of however long they had been in that hellhole of an infirmary, the contractions were only getting worse.

"You're doing great, Lucy," Wendy said with confidence. She stood off to the side of Porlyusica who was staring intently between Lucy's legs.

"Fuck," Gajeel whispered as another contraction caused Lucy to squeeze his hand. She had broken his left hand within the first hour, and when he gave her the other to squeeze, he had covered it in his metal scales to protect it a little better. Even with the extra armor, she was still squeezing and he could feel the bones shifting in his hand.

"Okay, relax for a moment, Lucy," Porlyusica said sternly. "I'm going to check the baby's position. This might hurt a little." She waited for Lucy to nod and then placed one hand on top of her belly and then pushed two fingers into her womanhood. She gave an encouraging smile to the young blonde when she winced in pain, and then removed her fingers. "Very good, dear. He's in the right position for you to start pushing."

"Lucy," Wendy said softly. "Have a sip of water. You're sweating a lot and I'm sure you could use it."

Lucy nodded, and took a sip of the offered cup, then laid her head back and panted. Her eyes gazed across the room and she smiled at the women who were surrounding her. Juvia had become Wendy's assistant, giving her water whenever she needed it, and anything else the young girl asked for. Erza had continuously stroked Lucy's hair and given her soft words of encouragement. Wendy's demeanor changed from sweet and innocent to the skilled healer they all knew. Even though she was mostly observing what Porlyusica was doing, she still had an air of confidence that gave Lucy a great peace of mind. The biggest surprise, however, was Porlyusica. Since they had started, the grumpy woman had given her soft smiles and encouraging words. She still had a rough exterior, and was stern and serious when she talked to everyone, but Lucy felt safe knowing that Porlyusica was here because of how experienced she was.

"How you doing, Bunny?" Gajeel whispered to her. He placed a soft kiss on her sweaty forehead and then wiped away her sweat. The last eight hours had been torture for him. Disregarding her breaking his hand, which Wendy promptly healed, there wasn't anything he could do to take her pain away. He could only sit there and let her break every bone in his body if she needed to.

Lucy gave him a weak smile. "I'll be better when Draco's he—ARGGH!" She gritted her teeth and squeezed his hand again, feeling the metal scales covering it shift unnaturally under her touch.

"Okay, Lucy. It's time to push. Remember what I told you," Porlyusica said.

Juvia and Erza quickly moved into position, each lifting one of Lucy's legs. Gajeel put a hand behind her back and helped her lift herself up while she pushed, reminding Lucy to breathe slowly.

The pain she was experiencing was beyond anything she could have imagined. If the contractions were bad, this was hell. "GAJEEL! I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU FOR THIS!"

"I know, Bunny. I'm sorry… Just keep breathing," he said softly. He'd been warned by every woman in the guild that Lucy was going to threaten him. Bisca said that Alzack nearly fainted from the threats she threw out. Makarov had patted him consolingly, and said he would be lucky if she let him live; however, Lucy would most likely be so happy when it was over with that she wouldn't be upset with him anymore.

"Okay, give it a few seconds, then push again," Porlyusica said softly, still loud enough to be heard over Lucy's screams. "And, push!"

"MMMPH!" Tears were pouring down Lucy's cheeks as she gave it everything she had. She felt as if she was being split in half, her entire lower half on fire with the pain she felt.

"You're doing great, Bunny."

"You're goddamn right I am!" She punched him in the face, just so he could feel some pain like she was.

~.~

Twenty minutes had gone by, and the entire guild was staring at the balcony in horror. Well, all the men were staring in horror. The women had huddled around the bar and were laughing at the insults that Lucy was screaming out.

"IF YOU TELL ME TO BREATHE ONE MORE TIME, I'M GONNA RIP YOUR STOMACH OUT THROUGH YOUR ASSHOLE, GAJEEL!"

"Fucking hell!" Laxus said with a shudder.

"Seriously," Bickslow whispered.

"Man, I feel bad for Lucy," Cana whispered as she took another swig from her barrel.

"You feel bad for Blondie?! She just threatened to—" Laxus tried to say, hoping that he could defend Gajeel at least a little. The guy was getting a serious tongue-lashing from the feisty blonde.

"YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH! YOU DID THIS TO ME!"

Laxus' head dropped. "Well, she's got a point…"

"How do you think it's going up there?" Mira asked, growing concerned with how long Lucy had been screaming.

~.~

"Lucy, you need to relax," Wendy said softly. "You're pushing yourself too hard."

"I just want him out…" Lucy cried, pulling Gajeel closer to her so she could nuzzle into his chest. "It hurts so much."

Gajeel pressed a soft kiss to her drenched blonde hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back. He looked pleadingly at Wendy and Porlyusica, hoping they could say it would be over soon. When they only stared back at him worriedly, his heart dropped. He had to do something to help his mate. "Bunny," he whispered. "Do you want to know something? It might make you feel a little better."

Lucy continued to cry, but nodded.

He gave her a sweet smile and said, "I finished the crib last night while you were asleep. All iron, just like you wanted."

"Y-You did?" she asked, her voice cracking with the emotions crashing through her. She looked up into his piercing red eyes and smiled back at him.

"Yep. Sorry you didn't get to see it yet. But, when we go back home…" He gave her a sweet smile, the one he saved only for her.

Lucy softly kissed his lips, then turned back to the healers. "I'm ready."

Porlyusica frowned as she checked the baby's position again.

"Oi! What's with the frowning?!" Gajeel said gruffly.

She looked up at Lucy sadly and said, "I'm going to have you push a little more, but if nothing changes then we'll have to do a C-Section. It seems the baby has acquired his father's broad shoulders." She pinned Gajeel with an accusatory glare before finishing. "If you can't get his shoulders past your hips, then we'll have to change the plan, alright Lucy?"

Lucy nodded numbly, looking up at Gajeel and hoping he could comfort her.

Gajeel frowned. He didn't want his mate to have to endure anything more. She had been suffering enough, and he wanted it to be over. As he looked down into her big brown eyes, shining with unshed tears, he gave her a toothy grin. "You've got this. You're my mate for a reason, Bunny Girl. You're tough as nails."

She gave him a small smile. "Tougher," she whispered.

~.~

The guild went silent. Lucy's screaming had finally stopped. She hadn't cursed Gajeel for the last few minutes, and they had only heard pained screams or random curses from her.

"Guess he did something right," Alzack said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked.

"Bisca threatened me in more ways than I care to remember," Alzack said with a shudder at the memories. "Towards the end, I said something that made her happy… I don't know what Gajeel said to Lucy, but it seems to have worked. At least, I hope that's what happened…" He looked back up to the second floor worriedly.

Happy flew over to sit next to Natsu and Alzack and said, "They've been pretty quiet for a while. Do you think everything's okay?"

Natsu looked back up at the balcony, listening for any noise that would let him know what was happening up there.

~.~

"He's crowning!" Wendy said happily.

Gajeel's eyes widened and he looked down at Lucy. She was drenched completely in sweat, panting like she'd run a mile, and crying.

"One more push, child. That's all you need to do. Just one more," Porlyusica said solemnly. She was surprised by the blonde's determination and endurance. She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened marginally. The poor young thing had been in labor for nine hours, and refused all forms of medication to help dull the pain.

"I… I can't…" Lucy panted. "It's too much… I can't do it anymore…" She looked up at Gajeel, her source of strength through the whole thing. She knew that she had hurt him, ripped into him while she was in excruciating pain, and belittled him in more than one way during this time, but she needed his help. "Gajeel… Make it stop… I can't do it anymore!" She started sobbing again.

He felt helpless in this situation. If it was a fight, he knew exactly what he had to do. He could beat people to a bloody pulp left and right, and enjoy doing it. But, his mate was giving up before their son was with them. He couldn't blame her, he'd seen how much pain she was in, felt it when she crushed his hand, heard it in every derogatory word she screamed at him. "Bunny, listen to me," he whispered as he smoothed her hair from her forehead again. "I know you're tired, and I promise you can rest when you're done. No one can help you with this—if I could, I'd be lying on that bed right now so you didn't have to go through it—but I promise you… You can do it."

She shook her head, her tears slowing down at his words. "What if… I can't…"

"You can. Just one more push and you get to hold him. I'm right here, and you can squeeze as hard as you need to. You can yell at me, or do whatever it takes, but you've gotta push. Draco needs his momma right now." He kissed her head, then moved her hand to the iron scales covering his forearm.

"Are you ready, Lucy?" Wendy asked softly.

Lucy took a few deep breaths, then nodded. She was absolutely exhausted, her body slowly trying to give out on her, but she refused to give up. He's right. Draco needs me to do this.

"Alright, with everything you've got, child. Push!" Porlyusica said, her hands readied to catch the baby's head as he was born.

Lucy did give it everything she had. Instead of screaming out in pain, she channeled everything she felt into that one last push. She felt a horrible searing pain as his shoulders finally broke free of her body, and squeezed Gajeel's arm until his scales crumbled. As soon as she felt Draco's feet leaving her, Lucy collapsed back on the bed shedding new and joyful tears.

"Gajeel, quickly now," Porlyusica muttered.

Gajeel looked over at the older woman who held his son. Son…

"Gajeel, you have to do it…" Wendy said softly.

He shook himself from his happy thoughts and leaned over. He'd explained to Lucy that there were plenty of things that were different about her pregnancy from a normal one. One of which was what he was about to do. It had grossed her out, but Wendy had affirmed that it was a rite of passage. He looked lovingly Draco, and quickly snapped his jaws closed on the umbilical cord, severing his son from his mate. Before he let go, he sent a small amount of his magic through the cord into his son, then pulled away with a proud smile on his face.

Juvia and Erza gasped at Gajeel's actions. No one had warned them beforehand what would happen, but they could tell it was important that he did it. They lowered Lucy's legs and backed away silently from the couple, watching everything unfold in awe.

Wendy and Porlyusica worked as one, cleaning Draco off and making sure he was breathing properly. After what felt like an eternity, he let out a small cry and everyone in the room sighed in relief.

That sound. The most beautiful sound Lucy had ever heard. Her son's first breath followed by a tiny and heartwarming cry. She smiled and cried as he was placed in her arms, and looked up at Gajeel with more love than she could ever have imagined being capable of feeling.

Wendy and Porlyusica quickly finished what they needed to, and then Wendy used her magic to help heal Lucy. She looked at the shattered armor on Gajeel and gasped. "Gajeel, your arm… Are you alright?"

Gajeel looked down at his arm, the metal scales still crumbling with every move he made, and smiled back at Wendy. "I'm fine. Small price to pay."

Once everything was handled, Porlyusica placed a hand gently on Gajeel's shoulder and said, "Make sure she feeds him once every hour. She needs to rest soon. We'll go tell everyone the news, and you can come out when it's safe for visitors."

He couldn't help but smile at the grumpy woman, and nodded. "Thank you… All of you…"

Once everyone had walked out, Gajeel brushed his fingers through Lucy's matted hair. She smiled up at him and shifted so he could get a better view of their son. "Draco," she said softly, "Meet your daddy."

~.~

He heard it. Natsu heard the small sound that he needed to hear to tell him what was happening. His eyes widened, and he sat in shock still staring at the balcony. Is that… Draco? It was barely there, just a small cry that he would have missed if he hadn't been listening.

"Natsu, is everything alright?" Happy asked, placing his paw on his foster father's arm.

Tears began to pour down Natsu's face, though his shocked expression stayed plastered there. His best friend had really brought a new life into the world. A new little Dragon Slayer was here.

"Shit, Natsu! Is something wrong?" Gray asked, leaning in. His concern for Lucy's well-being was evident in his voice.

"Is Lucy okay?"

"Is it the baby?"

"Natsu, what do you hear?"

He was bombarded with question after question from his concerned guildmates, but he hardly heard them. Natsu kept his focus on the noises of everyone in that room. They were cleaning up, and leaving. He slowly stood up and walked to the foot of the stairs, stopping because he knew better than to get too close. Even though he was still too far from Gajeel for it to make a difference, he wouldn't dare disrespect them by barging in.

"Natsu! What is it?" Mira shrieked. Tears were pouring from her. He was known for not being quiet, not having tact. Natsu and serious in the same sentence was almost unheard of, unless he was in a fight. She didn't know what to do with herself as he just stood there.

They all heard the door to the infirmary slowly open, then close. Four sets of footsteps made their way down the stairs, and Natsu moved to let Erza, Wendy, and Porlyusica by. Juvia stopped by his side, and nestled her nose in the crook of his neck, shaking with her joyous tears. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair and letting his tears freely fall.

"How are they?" Makarov asked solemnly. He had no idea what to think, especially since Natsu was acting so strangely. He eyed the three women standing before the guild and waited for them to respond. Each of them, even the human-hating Porlyusica, had tears falling down their cheeks.

"Your newest guildmember, Draco Redfox, is here and healthy," Porlyusica said, her voice loud enough to carry through the hall. She immediately put her hands up before anyone could cheer and said, "Everyone will need to keep the noise down. Lucy is exhausted, and both she and Draco need their rest."

They collectively let out a sigh of relief, containing their joy to a hushed murmur.

"When can we go see them?" Gray asked.

Wendy stepped forward, allowing Porlyusica to tend to whatever she needed to, and said, "Gajeel will decide when they can have visitors."

"Why not now?" Mira asked quietly, voicing everyone's unasked question.

Wendy sighed. "His instincts will refuse to let anyone near them. Pantherlily is the only one he has let in, but that's because Gajeel trusts him, and he's a part of their family. If anyone else tries to go in there right now, Gajeel is likely to kill them in the attempt of protecting his mate and his young." She let the news sink in before she added, "It shouldn't be more than a day, but he'll come out and tell us when and who can come and visit. Lucy and Draco will be allowed to go home in a couple of days."

Cana grinned at the small Dragon Slayer's words and said, "Which means we can throw a proper Fairy Tail party when she's home safe and sound with the little one."

Bickslow and Elfman laughed at their drunken Card mage, nodding in agreement.

It had been two days, and Gajeel finally felt relaxed. He could feel his instincts finally dying down, and knew that his mate wanted more than anything for the guild to meet their son. "Lily," he whispered, not wanting to wake up Lucy or Draco who was being rocked in his arms. "Go and get her team. Tell them to come up in fifteen minutes, but make sure they stay quiet."

Lily's eyes widened. He smiled as he looked at Gajeel holding the small bundle of blankets with a tiny pink face nestled inside. He gave a quick nod, then flew over to the baby and pressed a paw to the blanket, and finally left the room as silently as possible.

Gajeel looked down at his sleeping son. The grandson of a great dragon. "I hope Metallicana gets to meet you one day," he whispered sadly. He thought back over his childhood, growing up and fending for himself before he met that dragon. He never had a family, and Metallicana wasn't going to win any parent of the year awards for how he raised Gajeel. He looked up to that metallic dragon as the only role model in his life, as a father, and was abandoned. "I'll never abandon you, Draco…"

He continued to rock back and forth, and started to hum a soft tune to the sleeping baby. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… It was the sappiest song he knew, but every word of it rang true for him. His life had changed so much in such a short amount of time. He'd spent a year and a half with Lucy, afraid to make her his mate because he never wanted to hurt her again. He'd spent two long months without her because he was too afraid to apologize. When he finally did apologize, and resigned himself to a life of misery, she forgave him and made him see that they were meant to be together. In nine short months, she gave him a son.

Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy watched the scene before them from the doorway to the infirmary with smiles on their faces. They had learned a lot about Gajeel in the last year, and finally started to see what Lucy saw in him. His red eyes were filled with love as he looked down at the bundle in his arms, and they could hear him humming softly as he rocked back and forth.

Erza requiped into normal clothing, not wanting her armor to wake Draco or Lucy, and walked into the room. She made just enough noise to let Gajeel know that they were there, and cleared her throat when that didn't seem to work.

Happy flew into the room, and landed on Gajeel's shoulder. It was the only time he knew he could get away with it, so he took the opportunity. "He's so small," Happy whispered to Gajeel as he looked at the tiny face that peeked out from the blankets.

"He was big enough to give Lucy a hard time," Erza said with a smile. She looked over at her sleeping friend and pride filled her.

Gray sat down in a chair that was arranged near Gajeel, and whispered, "You did good, man." He gave Gajeel a smile when their eyes met, a silent message that Gray approved and was immensely proud of the new family.

"Natsu," Lucy whispered as her eyes opened fully. She sat herself up in the bed and saw that her dearest friends were all surrounding the baby and Gajeel—who didn't seem to mind one bit—except for Natsu. "Come over here, Natsu. It's okay."

He looked longingly at Lucy, then he cast a quick glance at the baby and Gajeel.

"It's fine, Natsu," Gajeel said quietly. "Go sit with Bunny Girl."

Natsu's eyes widened. Gajeel hardly ever called him by his name. He was even more surprised that Gajeel would let him anywhere near Lucy or the baby. He slowly walked across the room, and sat down next to Lucy in the bed. "How are you feeling, Luce?" he whispered.

She smiled and nudged him with her elbow. "Tired, but happy. How about you?"

He glanced back at the baby who had started to stir and said, "I don't know."

"Here, go see your momma, Draco," Gajeel whispered just as his son woke up. He placed a small kiss on the boy's forehead before laying him in Lucy's arms.

"Draco, we have visitors today. Your Aunt Erza is here, and your Uncles Natsu and Gray, and your cousin Happy." She smiled down at her son's sleepy face, then looked to Natsu. "Do you want to hold him?"

"What? N-No… I'm okay…" Natsu said, his face marred with worry.

"Natsu, you won't hurt him."

"What if I make him too warm? He's so small… And… I'm not the most careful person…" he said looking down at his new nephew.

Lucy giggled and then looked at Gajeel. "Help me take his blanket off so Natsu can hold him?"

Gajeel nodded and unwrapped his son. He gave Natsu a smirk as Lucy laid Draco in his arms. "You're doing fine, Natsu," Gajeel said.

Natsu looked down at the little boy. He had a thick head of blonde hair and red eyes. "He's…" He looked from Draco to Gajeel to Lucy. "Perfect." A single tear fell down his cheek, and he did everything in his power to keep his hands from shaking as Erza walked over and picked up the baby.

Once Erza had Draco in her arms, cooing and smiling down at him, Lucy wrapped an arm around Natsu's shoulders. "See? You did great. Pretty soon, you and Gajeel and everyone else will get to play and fight and do whatever it is you crazy boys do. He won't be so tiny forever, Natsu."

Natsu smiled and laid his head on his best friend's shoulder. "You really will be a great mom, Luce."

Gajeel looked over at his radiant mate while she beamed at Natsu's words. Lucy had a way with her words, and knew just what people needed to hear to make them feel better. Gajeel knew that Natsu was right: she would be a great mother. She had done everything a mother could do while she was in labor. This beautiful woman had given Gajeel the most precious gift he could have ever asked for. The one thing he never had, but always wanted. She gave him a family.

The End.

And that's it. Happy ending!

I'm so glad that you all enjoyed this story, and thanks for all of your support! My only issue is the one smutty section. I would have made it longer and steamier, but I know that there are people out there that really don't like reading about pregnant sex. Meh. I gave you some of it, and your imaginations can do the rest!

Also, whoa childbirth! Poor Gajeel, getting his ass handed to him like that. Oh well, it all worked out in the end.

So, Review. Follow. Favorite. Whatever you'd like. This story is complete!