"Fill these forms out, please, " The receptionist dully inquires, sliding a clipboard with a fill-out sheet and a ball-point pen my way from across the counter. "Once you're done, just hand it back in and whenever Dr. Nanagear is ready for you, she'll call you back. Who's next?"

Damn. Wasn't she a ray of dull sunshine? I take the clipboard and head to a couple of empty chairs lined up by a wall. Cobra and Midnight weren't with me. They didn't want to be stuck in a maternity clinic with me, knowing it'd take "all day". So, Yukino, Sting, Rogue, Lector, Frosch, and Happy are their guardians for the time being. After Yukino booked my appointment with Cora, I begin to feel...I guess regretful? Or nervous? I haven't been to see a medical practitioner besides Porlyusica, but she was an entirely different case of "medical".

I wanted Yukino to come with me, for a friend to support me, but my courage plummeted into the cold caverns of the mountains before I could even pop the question. I sit on the leather armchair and begin filling out my information. Name Lucy Heartfilia. Status; married, single, other. I obviously circled "single", and then "other", because I wasn't for sure about myself just yet.

Anyway, I fill the sheet out and turn it back in. I obviously don't know what to expect with this clinic. I don't feel comfortable here. I watch some very pregnant women sit down as their spouses talk to them or some women who don't look pregnant at all. Some women were alone, some were with family. I sigh helplessly, slumping my shoulders, twiddling my thumbs, becoming lost within my thoughts.

"Miss Heartfilia!"

The voice seeps into my ears, calling my name. My heart juggles itself as I slide from my seat, self-conscious that everyone in the waiting area was staring at me with judgment. The nurse stood at the door, holding it open as I slipped through.

"Good afternoon, Miss Heartfilia, " I recognized the woman immediately. "I'm glad to see you well." She stood there in her white doctor coat, holding a clipboard with a pen attached to it.

"Hi, Cora, " I smile politely at her. "So...um...how will I...um...?"

Cora laughs lightheartedly. "Come on, let's go to my office. We'll check the baby there." She gestures for me to follow her down the white hallway.

~

"The baby's heartbeat is very strong, Lucy, " Cora says, moving the wand-like equipment across my gelled abdomen. "Everything seems to be healthy and on a good growth track."

I smile, relieved to hear those words, watching the screen lacrima show a black and white moving picture of what was inside my belly. Until now, I never took the time to realize how I had the tiniest bump. It scared me when I first saw it.

"Your husband couldn't make it?"

I blink in confusion. "I don't have a husband."

"Fiancee, then?" I notice her eyes looking at the ring Lahar gave me.

I cover the ring with my other hand, blushing with embarrassment. "No. This was...it was a gift from a friend."

"Oh dear me..." She frowns, her forehead creasing as her eyebrows furiously knit together. "I'm sorry dear."

"It's okay, really." Please don't ask me anything, I don't want another breakdown, I thought pleadingly.

"Alrighty, then, " Cora skips the question I dreaded, which I'm grateful for. "I'll prescribe the prenatal vitamins and you can just take the slip to the front desk. They should give you a bottle or two. Also, another thing, your blood pressure seems a little bit high, but I think I have something that'll help. Too much stress can cause a whole lot of conflicts in pregnant women."

High blood pressure? I sigh heavily. I should've known. These last few days have been a little hectic. Those strange people after me, and then worrying about him. Yeah, I guess my blood pressure would be spiking these days.

"Also, do you have a regular doctor?" Cora asked, looking at me as I wipe the gel off my stomach.

"She's not really my regular doctor, but I've been seeing a woman named Porlyusica," I say, tugging my shirt down and sitting up. "She lives in the Magnolia forest."

"Yes, I've heard of her. Doesn't she practice in magical wounds, diseases, ectera?"

"Yes, that's her." I chuckle. "Oh, but I wouldn't try to visit her. She has this abnormal hate for humans. She's always equipped with her broom."

"But you've been seeing her?" Cora becomes confused and her face scrunches up.

"Well, that's because..." What's my excuse lagging for? "She's my grandmother." Lucy, what the hell?! I scold myself for openly saying the lie. I mean, Porlyusica was the grandmother I never really had growing up. Aquarius was a second mother to me, although she was a mean bitch (please don't tell her I said that). They're both mean and kind of spiteful, so it's okay. We're like an extended family! A weird and sadistically masochistic family.

"Oh, I never knew she had family..." Cora marvels, cleaning the wand-like equipment with a disinfectant wipe.

I chuckle, hopping off the bed and onto my feet.

"Here you are, dear. You're all set." Cora signs a slip of paper saying I have permission for the vitamins and blood pressure meds. It suddenly occurred to me. I think I still had some of that potion to help my symptoms.

"Thank you, Cora, I really appreciate you seeing me."

"You're welcome, deary. I'm happy to help!"

~

~

Despite how his inwards wrenched and clenched, Natsu allowed himself to suffer through the train ride. It took everything to not vomit. And that was a lot. He was straining himself to not chunk it out on the passengers across from him (Erza and Gray, and obviously next to him was Lisanna).

It wasn't just him. The rest of his team, excluding Happy because, for some reason, he disappeared. Didn't leave a note or didn't tell someone to tell him he'd be gone.

"You okay, sweetie? Do you need a paper bag or anything?" Lisanna softly asked her pink-haired fiancee.

"I'd leave him be, Lisa, he's in a mood this evening," Gray says, coldly glancing at the dragon slayer. "I wouldn't even bother coughing his way."

"Shudda up, Stripper---blegh..." Natsu growled just before turning a sickening shade of green. He slaps his hands over his mouth.

"Just hang in there, Sweetie, we only have an hour left until we get to Crocus." Lisanna rubs Natsu's arm in comfort.

"Indeed. We can stop by a pharmacist once we get there, " Erza nodded in agreement. "And then we must be off to our hotel. Our client is said to be an impatient woman. She won't wait very long for us tomorrow if we are run down and tired."

"Erza's right, Natsu. Maybe we can some Scopolamine patches while we're at it. My poor baby, " Lisanna cooed, frowning in sympathy. "Erza could you do something to help him?" The youngest Strauss looks at the armor-clad woman with hope shining in her blue eyes.

Erza smiles confidently, "Of course I can! Mind if we exchange seats?"

"N-not at all..."

The two women switched seats quickly. Erza slides her left arm around Natsu's shoulder.

"Now, just relax, Natsu, everything is going to be, " Erza suddenly thrusts her right fist at Natsu's abdomen, gutting him (my term of punching harshly). "Okay." She finished as the dragon slayer slumps over onto Erza's legs, unconscious.

"Not what I had in mind, but it'll do for now", Gray smirked with pure amusement. It was always so funny to him when Natsu was the one who got punched instead of him.

"This way he'll be able to rest peacefully until we arrive at our destination." Erza bluntly said with a sly grin.

"...uhehehe..." Lisanna chuckles nervously, unsure of what she thrust upon her fiancee.

"Well, at least we get some peace and quiet and no idiot puking on us."

It was quiet for a minute before they heard Natsu' stomach gurgle. Even unconscious, Natsu's whole face became green again.

"BLEERRRGGGHHH!!"

"FUCK!"

"OH MY GOODNESS!"

"EWE!!!"