Bad Boys and Leather Jackets

Chapter 22: Lucy and Anna

~Lucy's POV~
"If you don't mind me asking, what was Natsu's father like?" I questioned as I set down my cup of tea. The herbal aromas were filling every crevice of the room, creating a peaceful scent.

Miss Dragneel's eyes flickered to my face, a glint of sadness in her pupils. I thought, maybe I had crossed the line.

She set her tea down as well, taking a few moments of silence to settle herself.

"His name was Igneel," she stated with a solemn smile. "We were freshmen in college when we met, year of 1985." She clasped her hands together and placed them in her lap.

"He was such a charming man. As soon as I saw him I was madly in love." She smiled towards the ground, her earring hitting her face.

"Love at first sight." I repeated to myself, feeling guilty for her sorrow.

"Some say it's a myth, but it's definitely true." I noticed that she was always fiddling with something. I'm guessing it was a distraction to keep her tears from falling.

"Anyway," she shook her head. "We were both majoring in mythology and philosophy, so we already had a lot in common." I shook my head in response.

"His pink hair attracted a lot of attention."

"Just like Natsu's." I said through a little chuckle. She lightly giggled while nodding her head. "I'll admit, I did wonder if it was fake." I added to lighten the mood.

"Igneel would get those questions all of the time." She rolled her eyes in a playful matter.

"Miss Dragneel?" I had another question to ask.

"Please call me Anna."

"Anna, if you don't mind of course, how did you cope with his death?" I felt a ping of guilt playing at my heart stings, but my curiously was dying to know.

"Well, I didn't really. Days passed in a blink of an eye. I refused to sleep, it wouldn't have helped anyway. I was force fed so I wouldn't die, but I struggled to hold anything down. I just couldn't bring myself to the conclusion that he was gone." I awkwardly shifted in my seat.

"Even though I tried to block it out, I still remember the last words we ever spoke to each other. We were driving to my parents house near Christmas time. I remember singing along to the jolly Christmas tunes, laughing at each other because we didn't know the words." She let out a sorrow sigh. "He grabbed my hand and said, 'I love you.' I obviously said I loved him back."

"I'm very sorry, you two must have loved each other a lot." She stared at the floor, but showed a pained smile.

"Oh we did." She let out a small laugh that was hardly audible.

"How did Natsu find out about all of this?" I tilted my head curiously, taking another sip of my tea.

"He was staying at my parents house for the day so Igneel and I could do some Christmas shopping. I remember waking up with doctors all around me. Their latex gloves prodding all over my body. I asked the doctors about my husband, but he just shook his head. I had left the accident with a minor concussion, but Igneel was in critical condition." A single tear slid down Anna's face. I don't know if I should stop her from entering this broken place in her heart.

"He was dead. Gone. Ripped away from me. I didn't even know how to react, how to breathe. Igneel was my other half, I couldn't possibly live without him. I remember seeing Natsu run down the hallway nearest Igneel's on a nearby monitor. My parents followed quickly behind him. I had to tear myself away from the screen. He was banging against the glass, screaming for his father to come back. Tears and spit we're going everywhere. I just couldn't deal with the thought of Natsu losing his father. He was closer to him than I."

"I knew I wouldn't be able to take care of him, so I pleaded that the doctors would tell him that I had died too. I was so selfish." She balled up her fists, straining her pale hands.

"I didn't even realize how much emotional trauma I caused him. I couldn't bear to see him receive more bad news, so I just left. I enrolled myself in a mental hospital and didn't get out until about 6 months ago." She wiped the tears from her tired eyes, a slight grin appearing on her lips.

"I actually saw you two one day, but hesitated from saying anything."

"Really?" I questioned. "When did that happen?"

"You two were walking around the park down by your school. I was also taking a nice stroll by the pond when Natsu's hair caught my attention. At first I had thought it was Igneel, but then I saw you. You were holding his hand, laughing and smiling, and he was smiling back, something I had never imagined would ever happen again." A deep shade of red instantly cast upon my cheeks.

"Thank you for being there to make him smile when I couldn't." She said happily, showing me a genuine smile. I was shocked to hear those words.

"Thank you. We had both hit a rough patch in our lives, so we depended on each other." I thought that my response was quite appropriate and mature.

"After that I was contemplating whether I should see him or not. I was afraid that it would cause him too much pain."

"I don't think he's in pain, confused maybe." I looked at the door to his room, wondering if he was still asleep.

"Yes I would think so." We both nodded and kept drinking our tea.

"Thank you for opening up to me Anna." I said politely.

"It was no trouble, I can see that you're the one."

"Huh?" I question, confused by her comment.

"Oh come on Lucy. The way you and Natsu look at each other is like something I have never seen before. I would be honored to be your mother in law one day!" Her comment took me by surprise, making me smile.

"It would be an honor to be your daughter in law one day."