I am SO sorry this took so long to be updated. Life got super busy, and it finally just settled down in the last few days.

I know this isn't what I said it would be, but it's something. It's been killing me to know that I still haven't completed this and I had to just post something for my own sanity (what's left of it lol).

Anyway, without further ado, I give you all my last post for Laxus and Lucy Ship Week 2017!

Day 7: Father.

Laxus sighed into his whiskey before taking a rather large sip.

The Raijinshu had just finished a week long mission and were leaving on the first train in the morning. He knew he should be getting some rest in preparation for the hours he'd be spending suffering from motion sickness, but he just couldn't sleep.

He had too much on his mind.

This would be the last job he would be taking for quite a while.

At thirty-three weeks pregnant, his wife was growing closer and closer to her due date.

The doctor had informed them that they wanted to deliver the twins a bit earlier to prevent any possible complications, so in reality there was only three weeks left. If they didn't come sooner. Which they could. Lucy had been in and out of the hospital because she had gone into preterm labor at twenty-eight weeks, and had been placed on bedrest ever since. They had even given her steroid injections to speed up the twin's lung development in case they came too early. The hope was, that they would 'keep cooking' for at least another week.

In all, Laxus hated being away from Lucy for so long. He wanted to be home, making sure she was comfortable, helping her to the bathroom, and over-all just being with her.

He loved just being near her, and now that she was giving him children to call his own he loved her even more.

But he was scared, no terrified.

What if they came while he was gone? What if their lungs still weren't developed enough? What if they lost one of them?

The questions were endless, and being so far away was only making it worse.

Just as Laxus nodded his thanks to the bartender for his refreshed drink, he caught a scent that made his entire body tense in anticipation and disbelief.

Moments later, the person attached to the scent sat down in the stool next to him with a heavy sigh and called out to the bartender for a mug of ale.

The tension in the air was so thick, one could almost taste it. Other patrons seemed to sense it and gave the two a wide berth in case things went wrong.

The two men sat in silence for what felt like hours, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Laxus studied the man as best as he could from the corner of his eye, and he knew the other man was doing the same.

He looked only a little different from the last time Laxus had seen him all those years ago. His hairline had receded a bit more, and the signs of aging had become more apparent.

Finally, the other man broke the silence.

"Son."

The Dragon Slayer turned stiffly in his seat to face him. "Why the fuck are you here?"

The man scoffed, placing a hand on his chest in mock hurt. "Ouch. Is that any way to greet your father after all this time?"

"You are no father of mine, Ivan." Laxus sneered.

Ivan was quiet after that, simply studying his son. His black eyes focused on his hand, and his bushy brows rose.

"Don't tell me, you tied the knot?" He leaned closer with a teasing smile, as if there was no tension at all and they were old pals. "So, who was it that snagged your heart? Do I know of her?"

Gritting his teeth, Laxus leaned away from him, taking a generous swig of his whiskey. "That's none of your business."

Really, all Laxus wanted to do was beat the man beside him into a bloody unrecognizable mess. But he didn't exactly need that kind of a battle the night before he was to return home to his wife. He may have beaten his father and his guild once before, but that didn't mean that Ivan hadn't come prepared this time. There was too much of a risk, as there was no way of knowing what tricks Ivan had up his sleeve.

So he would try to remain somewhat civil, see what the hell the bastard wanted, and be on his merry way. Gramps would want to hear about this, know his son's latest location, and he made a mental note to call him in the morning.

"Lucy Heartfilia, am I correct?" Ivan suddenly said, and every muscle inside of his large body tensed almost to the point of pain.

"How…"

Ivan waved him off, his posture relaxed as he nursed his drink. "Oh stop that, this is a casual visit. Relax and have a drink with your old man."

Neither of them said anything for a while after that, Ivan smiling at him in a way that made his teeth grit together.

"Now, from what I've heard from my source, I'm going to become a grandfather soon. So tell me, is it a boy or a girl?"

Laxus didn't respond, glaring at him and internally daring him to threaten his family.

Ivan sighed, shoulders slumping and demeanor changing in a way that made Laxus pause in his rage, albeit hesitantly.

"Look, so-Laxus. My only intentions here tonight were to simply talk to you and learn about what is happening in your life." He took a long sip of his ale before turning to look Laxus in the eye, his gaze filled with a sadness and longing that the Dragon Slayer didn't understand.

The blonde's shoulders relaxed without his permission, and he was suddenly brought back to when he was a child. When he wanted nothing more than to see his father's love. To see his father actually give two shits about him. It seemed now that he was finally getting what he wanted, but he knew it had to be too good to be true.

"Pretend what you're saying is true, why now? After everything you put Gramps through? After what you've done to me? To Fairy Tail? Why do miraculously care now, and most importantly why should I care?" The blonde demanded, his eyes hard and angry.

"I'm dying, son."

Perhaps he should feel concerned over the fact that he didn't feel saddened by this news. He hardly knew this man, other than the pain he had inflicted on himself and his family. Only a small part of him felt any sort of sympathy.

They sat in silence once again, the words hanging heavy in the air around them, before Laxus slapped the Jewel he owed down on the bar, stood, and made his way out of the establishment.

Before he got too far however, he glanced over his shoulder at the man slumped dejectedly at the bar and sighed. He really had become softer after being with Lucy for so long.

"Twins." He grunted.

Ivan's head whipped around to look at his grown boy, stunned. "What?"

"Lucy and I are having twins. Boys, due at any time now."

Without waiting for his father's response, Laxus left the bar and walked to his room, deep in thought. It wasn't that he felt as though his deadbeat old man deserved to know about the twins, only that something deep inside him told him it was the right thing to do. And he left it at that, not wanting to add the stress of trying to figure that one out, on top of everything else that was going on in his life.

He didn't see the sad smile that spread a crossed Ivan's face, or the tears that streamed down his cheeks.

Nor did he hear the words his father whispered hours later as he laid in his own bed.

"Thank you, son. You'll be a far greater father than I could have ever hoped to be…"

Aaaaaaand it's done. Super late, kind of short, but it's done.

Fun fact: Lucy's pregnancy issues with her twins were actually my issues when I was pregnant with my twin boys. The pregnancy was hell, I was constantly in pain, and ended up having a cesarean section at 34 weeks. They spent 3 weeks in the NICU with breathing and feeding tubes.

I had to share this, because they just turned 3 years old on April 8th! I love my redheaded blue-eyed boys, and all that pain was worth it.

This concludes Laxus and Lucy Ship Week 2017! It was my first time participating in a ship week, and I loved it. Let's just hope that the next time I try it, I don't wait so long to finish it, eh?

A big thank you (and hugs) to all of you who fav/followed/reviewed this, and supported and encouraged me throughout the whole thing. I can guarantee you that I would not be the writer that I am, if I didn't have all of you rooting for me!

*****Announcement*****

Updates on all of my other stories should resume shortly! Thank you all for waiting patiently, and I'll see you then.

Much love, Lovely.