Despite the heat wave there were quite a few people congregated around and inside the little house owned by the Dragneels. Several members of Fairy Tail were battling the heat outside. Someone must have even talked to some local merchants about setting up temporary food stands. There was a variety of vendors selling their wares. Mostly vendors had concentrated on things to help cope with the heat wave. There were magical vendors selling charms that could be placed on the body to cool people down. But most of the vendors were food vendors. There were stands for lemonade, snow cones, and ice cream.

While the members outside turned their loitering into a rambunctious party inside was a bustle of activity. Most everything was going on in the bedroom of Lucy and Natsu but a few members were allowed to wait patiently in the living room beyond. Among them were: Master Makarov, Erza, Mirajane, Freed, Meredy, Oric, Laxus, and Rory. Beatrice's husband Berengar also sat in the living room. He knew that his wife would call him from inside if she needed anything.

Master Makarov had of course been through this before but every scream that sounded from Lucy's lips made him cringe. He began to grind his teeth together as he worried for the girl. To calm himself down he considered for a moment how Natsu was doing. He nearly bit off his own tongue as he forced the chuckles that tried to emerge as he imagined Natsu's current reactions.

Meredy waited patiently on the back of one of the couches. Oric held her hand and stroked the back of it gingerly. "They will all be okay." Meredy simply nodded. She was tempted to Sensory Link with Natsu to see how things were really progressing. But she threw that consideration away mentally as soon as it was brought to the forefront of her mind. Natsu could handle the strong grip that Lucy had on his hand. Meredy probably wouldn't be able to and using sensory link would only cause herself unnecessary pain because of it. She knew the babies would be alright. She knew in the near future there would be quite a few questions. So she just had to wait until they needed her.

Rory and Laxus were there to get an idea of what to expect. "I'm totally going for some anti-pain charms or something." Rory announced. Laxus didn't argue. Instead he silently nodded his head in agreement.

The rest of the guild mates in the living room were trying to hold up a normal conversation. Despite the screams heard from the door of the bedroom.

Inside the bedroom Lucy was drenched with sweat. The sweat and humidity were causing the utilitarian night gown she wore to stick to her uncomfortably, plastering itself to her body like a second skin. Beatrice was holding her right hand and dotting a cold, wet wash cloth to her head periodically. Natsu was holding her left hand. He kept verbally encouraging her while trying to hide his nerves in the process.

While fighting so much pain Lucy was having an exceptionally difficult time dealing with her out of control emotions. One minute she wanted to slug him. The next minute she wanted to hold his hand tighter. She knew if she tried to hold his hand tighter however she would break it.

Wendy was attempting to assist Porlyusica as much as possible. But the whole scene had her exceptionally nervous. "Wendy, I know this is not something you are used to. But anytime I ask you for something I want you to be there no questions asked. Anytime I tell you I need you to do something same goes. Once that first baby arrives I want you to do all the cleaning and measurements I told you about while I attend to Lucy for the next baby." Wendy knew not to argue and merely nodded her assessment.

The labor lasted hours and everyone in that bedroom was exceptionally exhausted. "Okay, Lucy, it's time for you to lean up and push."

Beatrice and Natsu supported her back. They encouraged her with words and soothing circles massaging her lower back. Lucy grunted in pain as she pushed downward to help deliver her first baby into the world outside. It took 5 minutes of pushing before a piercing cry broke into the room. Lucy fell back and breathed a deep refreshing breath. She knew the contractions would start up again in less then a minute but still she took that moment to relax.

Beatrice turned to Lucy and smiled down at her. "I'm happy to announce the first baby is a boy." She ducked her head out to repeat the news to the people waiting outside in the next room.

Master Makarov then delivered the message to everyone waiting outside the house.

Back in the bedroom: "Okay, Lucy, time to push for baby number two."

Lucy weakly nodded as Natsu and Beatrice helped her up again. The second baby was not quite as stubborn as the first. It took only two good pushes until they heard a louder cry then the previous one before.

"Another boy," Beatrice smiled down at Lucy. Beatrice quickly relayed the message to the room next door again.

Lucy relaxed momentarily. But she knew that she wasn't necessarily done quite yet. "Wendy, I need your help here."

Lucy became startled suddenly. "What's wrong?"

"Lucy, I need you to take some soothing breaths. We have at least one more baby on the way. But I need you to fight your urge to push. I am going to guide the baby slightly out with Wendy's help. It appears the umbilical chord is wrapped around this baby's neck and I need to act fast to help this little one out."

Lucy tried to stay calm but she was freaking out. One of her babies was in trouble and there was nothing she could do. Natsu was just as worried but he knew he had to sooth his wife. "Luce, they are going to do everything they can okay."

Lucy nodded at him while fighting the tears that were springing to her eyes.

Porlyusica quickly instructed Wendy on what she needed to do. Wendy despite her nerves quickly responded. She would do anything to help this poor little one enter the world.

They quickly snipped at the umbilical chord and guided the baby through the birth canal. "Okay, Lucy, the baby is out of danger at this point. I think we need one big push to get the baby out."

Lucy didn't hesitate. She sat up quickly and pushed with all her might. But when a cry didn't pierce the walls of the bedroom she became frantic. "What's wrong with my baby?"

"Shhh, Lucy. Nothing is wrong we just have to help this little girl breathe her first breath. Wendy, while I am taking care of this little one why don't you introduce these two to their sons?"

Beatrice left for a moment to relay the news regarding the third baby. The little girl had a fight on her hands.

Wendy handed each proud parent a swaddled bundle. Looking into her sons' faces didn't take away the worry for Lucy but it did help. They both began to study the little ones in their arms. The one Lucy held had a shock of blonde hair much like her own. He was the longer of the two babies but not by much. "What's this on his face?" She asked aloud. Natsu and Beatrice leaned closer to investigate. Just below the far corner of his right eye there was what appeared to be a mole or a freckle at first glance.

"I think that's a star," Beatrice exclaimed.

Lucy leaned closer enveloping herself in the new baby smell. "It is a star. Hmm, it's not big now but I bet over time it will grow bigger and more noticeable."

"Could it be that he was the one that called out Loke that battle with the big snow cat?" Natsu asked.

Lucy shrugged. "I don't know. But it makes me want to give him a celestial or star based name." She pondered over so many things. She didn't want to name him after a constellation because one day he would probably be able to call said celestial spirit to his side and that just seemed weird. As she was thinking the baby opened up his eyes. She was surprised at how golden brown they were. They were much lighter in contrast to her own. They reminded her of an eagle. "What do you think of Altair?"

"Altair?"

Lucy nodded. "It's the 12th brightest star in the sky, and the brightest star that makes up the constellation Aquila the Eagle."

Natsu nodded. "I think it suits him." They were both drawn attention to the other bundle in Natsu's arms when he began to fuss. "Little man, don't think we forgot about you."

The baby in Natsu's arms while not as long as his brother he was a bit on the weightier side. He wasn't a chubby baby per say but he definitely had a tad more meat on his bones. The shock of hair that fell across his forehead surprised Lucy a lot. She expected blonde or salmon hair but the baby had bright red locks on top of his head. "Wonder where he got that hair color from?"

Beatrice tried to cover up a giggle. "I'm sure one of you two have a dormant trait from previous generations that spawned that hair color."

The baby grabbed his father's finger. It may have been a naturally reflex to curl that tiny hand around Natsu's finger but it didn't stop Natsu from commenting on his strength. Natsu had attempted to read the baby books Lucy had bought but of course he didn't have much attention span to read himself. So he didn't understand that it was a natural baby reflex to grasp anything that touched the center of their palm. Natsu leaned in a kissed the little hand that held his finger and gasped. "Luce, Altair isn't the only one with a unique birth mark."

"Hmm?"

Natsu gingerly turned over the baby's wrist to show Lucy his discovery. There on the baby's wrist was a flame. "Are our babies going displaying the magic they inherited?"

Natsu shrugged. "Don't know. Don't really care. This boy is going to take after me."

"I think the name Keegan or Hadyn might suit this baby well," Beatrice stated.

"Why's that?" Lucy asked.

"They both mean little fire." Beatrice smiled broadly at the proud parents.

"I like Keegan," Natsu stated.

"Keegan it is then."

Not long after the two babies were taken from their arms and laid in the nearby bassinets, Lucy looked toward the station where Porlyusica and Wendy were tending to their daughter. "Is she going to be okay?"

Porlyusica who rarely showed any like for humans for a moment brilliantly smiled. "Why don't I bring her to you and you can see for yourselves?"

The first thing that Lucy noticed right away was how light their daughter was compared to Altair. "She's like a feather. I...that...is she an okay weight?"

Porlyusica nodded. "I think it's her magic that makes her appear light. She actually weighed more then Keegan when I put her on the scale."

Lucy and Natsu both arched their eyebrows. Neither one could deny that their little girl had them captivated. Her hair was a lighter blonde shade then Altair's with pink streaks scattered here and there. "I wonder if she also has a birthmark like the other two."

Wendy smiled and piped in. "She does. Pull down the blanket slightly."

There on the right hand part of her chest was a small pink heart. "What kind of magic does she have I wonder?" Beatrice pondered aloud.

"I bet she is the reason Meredy said she needed to stay close. I don't know why or for what reasons though," Lucy stated.

"We'll get those answers." Natsu announced. "So, what should we name her?"

"I...I don't know. I did consider Layla after my own mother. But it doesn't seem to fit. Plus I think children shouldn't try to live up to expectations just because of their name... Beatrice? Do you have a middle name?"

"Yes, it's Carine. It means pure, little darling."

"How about we name her Carine Layla Dragneel?" Natsu responded.

"But the boys don't have middle names!"

Natsu shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I think the name fits."

Lucy actually agreed with him.

"You really didn't have to name the baby after me," Beatrice responded quickly.

"I don't really see it that way. I mean yeah her first name is your middle name. But she's still going to be her own person."

The heat wave quickly subsided, and the news about the babies was shared rapidly. Erza was sent to go get an extra bassinet since they only planned on two babies. Everyone outside slowly began to stride away. The merchants at their booths began to pack up and head out. The group inside lingered until they were allowed in two at a time at most.

Master Makarov was the first to gaze at the new babies faces. His eyes watered rapidly. He quickly tried to claim he had something in his eye. But of course everyone knew better.

Lisanna came in with him. She smiled at the babies. "Now, you really are the daddy."

Natsu laughed wholeheartedly at her silly joke.

Then Mirajane and Freed came into the room. Freed looked exceptionally nervous. He hadn't been around babies often so he didn't know how to act exactly.

"Don't worry, Freed. You will know exactly what to do when we have our own."

Freed visibly gulped. They all laughed at his retreating figure as he left the room.

Laxus and Rory both tried to hide their nerves. But Lucy and Natsu encouraged them both to hold a baby. "Sooner then you realize it you will be holding your own. You will need practice." The couple shyly smiled at each other and began to naturally rock the bundle they held in their arms.

Once Erza came back with the bassinet she was quickly allowed in the room. "Oh, they are so precious! I can't wait until they get older. I will help them with all their lessons."

Natsu physically shook at the memory. He would not let his children suffer at the hand of Erza's study regiment.

The last to enter were Meredy and Oric. "Where is she?!" Meredy asked quickly.

Lucy didn't have to ask who she meant. She was pretty sure she knew. "Carine, is in that far bassinet. Are you going to let us in on the secrets you've been hiding all this time? Why do you need to stick around? The babies are here, so explain."

Meredy cooed at the baby for a minutes before she stood tall and took a deep breath. "All of your babies are extraordinarily special." She looked at both Lucy and Natsu. "It's not often a baby is passed down magic genetically. Of course it happens, like with your specifically Lucy. You may be a mage through holder magic but Celestial mages magic is always passed through the bloodlines."

"Yes, but what about Carine? She is extra special isn't she?"

Meredy nodded. "Yeah, you told me all about that battle with the snow cat when you went to find Jaspar. It was Carine that was doing that."

"What do you mean?"

"Carine's magic lies through the power of touch. She can harness any magic she can physically get her hands on. In turn she can channel that magic to another person she touches. It will start out where she has to keep touching that person but eventually she will be able to touch a mage and channel their magic for set durations of time. I am the only one I know with the closest magic to hers. I don't know of anyone else that may be able to train her."

Both Lucy's and Natsu's eyes became as round as saucers. "Yeah...uh, I definitely think you need to stick around."

With the exception of the two flabbergasted parents the others in the room began to laugh loudly. The melodic notes of their happiness reverberated off the walls. The two baby boys who had both been asleep woke up to the sound. Keegan began to cry loudly. Altair whimpered.

No one caught the small smile that lit up Carine's little face. Not until a melodic chiming of bells joined their laughter. "Did she just laugh?"

"Mm hm, perhaps she also can channel emotions like I can." Meredy shrugged. "Trust me, this is all still new to me also."

Hearts, Flames, Stars...we come full circle to the title of the story.  When I was originally writing this story I couldn't wait to get to this chapter.  It by far is probably my favorite just because I kept the secret of the babies close to my vest.  I had a lot of people on fanfiction . net asking me about the babies wanting to know more but I wouldn't spoil it for anyone.  I haven't been paying too much attention to how many people are following this story on wattpad.  But please if you have been following along this whole time and this chapter has made you exceptionally happy then please don't hesitate to comment on it.  I would love to hear what you think.  :)