Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it any way. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale. Also, I did not create or own the idea of Jeryy from D. Grayman. But, the following is my own creation, using the amazing characters created in these stories. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Salamander

Smoke writhed through the empty office building, coiling and erupting out of the open windows, shrouding the roof in a deathly veil. Glass shattered as a closed window on the third floor gave way to the fire tempest's overwhelming pressure. Red flames licked out of the destruction, tasting the dry wall, scathing its tan surface with black tendrils.

"Whooooeee! She's an angry bitch."

"Yeah, she is." The captain tugged on a headset over his sleeked back purple hair. His mustache wiggled as his brow dropped, the scowl lines etching his face like a worn sandstone, drained and whipped by the wind. He glanced back at the two rookies in the back seat. Scanning over the young fresh faces, he was satisfied to see the readiness shining in their eyes. Seeing a full scale fire with the knowledge that you would soon be fighting it head to head had left many unraveled. To be honest, he had expected the blond girl to be staring wide eyed, and yet she was sitting there calmly prepared, readying herself toward the rapidly approaching building.

The pink haired boy next to her shook with excitement, his knees bouncing. That boy . . . it was safe to say that he wouldn't be frozen in abject terror. In fact, if anything, the captain was more worried about the boy's unbounded ambition and what the captain could only describe as pure joy. That type of attitude could be just as – more than – dangerous than fear. "Natsu! Settle down right now!" Next to the pink haired boy, his old friend chuckled, chomping on the bit of his pipe.

The driver laughed as well, his shoulders bouncing slightly as he guided the behemoth of the fire truck screaming into the blocked off parking lot of the long-abandoned tech building. "Come on, Macao, he's just happy."

"Hmph," the captain settled back into his seat. "Yeah, he is, and that'll get us all killed in there." His door opened with a click. Turning back to look at the black-haired driver, Macao drilled into his expressionless face. "He's on you, Zeref. Make sure your fool brother doesn't get anyone hurt."

"Like I can control that pyro," Zeref mumbled as the captain jumped out of the truck. His younger brother had already shoved his way out of the backseat and was staring up at the engulfed building with an awed reverence. Slamming the metal door shut behind him, Zeref jogged over to his brother who was trembling with excitement. Laying a hand on his shoulder, he offered the jubilant kid a warm smile. "This is it, Natsu. This is what you've been waiting for." He smacked the back of Natsu's helmet, "go kick that bitch's ass!"

Macao shot him a glare as the rookies, led by the stalwart lieutenant, his old wooden pipe's butt sticking out from his coat pocket, sprang into action. Zeref just shrugged as he made his way to the pumps, grinning as his back turned to the captain.

Natsu grinned ferally, slapping old Wakaba on the back as he shouldered on the emergency pack over his bulky jacket. He glanced at Lucy, inclining his head. She immediately turned away and looked to the inferno devouring the four-floor office building.

The pink haired firefighter sighed, but when he returned his gaze to the fire, his soul ignited again, burning everything else away.

"Nothing fancy kids," the captain gruffly called into their headsets, "just a straight douse and drown her."

"Yeah, ye-"

A shrilling shriek split the air. Every one of the group's eyes snapped to the building.

"Sh—anyone got eyes on—"

"Fourth floor, far right!"

"Shi-Dragneel!"

Natsu, in a full sprint, swung and latched an oxygen mask over his face, two steps before body slamming into the front door. He disappeared into the doomed building, falling with the door broken free from its hinges.

"Wakaba!"

"I'm on it," came a swift reply from the senior officer as the black clasp of his oxygen mask snapped in the headset. "Damn rook."

After yanking an axe free from the truck, Wakaba took off in a jog toward the building, the long wooden handle bobbing with each step over his shoulder. "That guy really has no brain," the blond trainee mumbled. Turning with a huff, she hoisted the massive weight of hose onto her shoulder and trudged to the sidewalk corner.

Flicking off his headset, Zeref glanced to the blond retreating to the street. "She knows that was over the COM, right?"

"Hmph." Macao adjusted his hard hat, turning to help the older Dragneel adjust the pumps.

"Poor bastard. The guy has been hooked on her since they started training." Sighing, Zeref turned some dials, regulating the pressure as the connection was made with the hydrant.

There were many things that one could say about the Dragneel brothers, their nature to be polar opposites, Zeref a cool minded genius who enjoyed nothing more than to play the game he found life to be, Natsu, hot blooded, rash, ready-for-action, but the bravest and truest friend. Their yin-yang when it came to others. The older black-haired boy loved nothing more than seclusion, observing, and playing a hand from afar, whereas his younger counterpart would dive straight into any social situation. While it was never clear what Zeref was thinking, Natsu only took one look to see his thoughts, plain upon his face as a realist painting. But, the one thing that stood out more than any else was their deep love for each other.

Sure, Zeref would goad Natsu on, but that was because he knew the fiery heart of his younger brother and he would do nothing if not to help him get what it burned for. Sighing again, Zeref raked his fingers through his hair, taking in each of the spinning numbers off of the dial and instantly shifting the pumps accordingly. At least, Zeref figured, Natsu wouldn't have heard her. As soon as his brother had heard that scream there would be nothing anyone could do to shake his single-minded determination. Say what they would about his brother's intelligence, he's a genuine born hero.

In the staircase at the third floor landing, Natsu stared at the fallen wooden beams from the floor above. They effectively blocked off his access to the higher floors. If it wasn't for his bulky gear, Natsu could have slid through, but he at least had enough sense to know that wasn't an option.

"Having trouble, kid?" Wakaba shrugged the axe off his shoulder and dropped the handle into energetic youth's shaking palms. "Caught up with the rook, clearing an obstruction at third, fourth in ten," the lieutenant informed the captain while Natsu swung the axe with a fury into the wood.

In three minutes, the fire-weakened beams gave way, splintering and splitting to Natsu's wrath as sure as a mythological dragon's unbidden rage. "We're through," Wakaba continued to inform the captain as he ducked through the small opening behind Natsu.

The rooky seemed to Wakaba to be as pure in energy as the fire, but a nagging thought buzzed in the back of his skull. There was so much that could go wrong, and even being an experienced fighter didn't mean they would get out unscathed. And while Natsu's energy and determination were inspiring, there was an irritation clawing at him that Natsu's leap first and then leap again mindset was not going to pan out well for the two of them.

But his fears were quickly cooled within the burning building, the heat within his suit climbing above Death Valley in midday summer. The fresh rook crouched next to the furthest door of the corridor, pounding his gloved fist against the wood so he could be heard. And when there was a sobbing reply, Natsu's voice was icy cold, rattling a list of details into the COM.

"Ambient heat normal, door cool, no smoke, high chance fire hasn't reached, smoke down hall black, not darkest, chance of flash as low as it gets. Waiting on the go."

"That's a go, rook, get her and get out, third floor getting dicier each minute."

"Aye." Slamming his thickly coated shoulder into the heavy door, Natsu stumbled for a few steps into the room until he was able to right himself against the massive weight of the large oxygen tank strapped to his back.

A shrilling scream pierced their ears, but allowed them to immediately narrow in on a pre-teen girl, packed into the corner of the room, her small arms shaking, wrapped around her legs.

Natsu crouched down, offering the small girl a large gloved palm. "It's okay, I'm a firefighter, we are going to get out of here." The girl jumped at Natsu, nearly toppling him over. She grabbed onto his chest for dear life, burying her face into his ash-strewn jacket.

Wakaba sighed. This was something about that pink-haired rook, his wear-everything-on-the-surface attitude made him so easy to believe in and love. At least that meant they wouldn't be dealing with an hysterical child on the way back down – the flame-brain had his uses. Wakaba chuckled to himself as he grabbed Natsu's shoulder and jerked his head back to the door.

Natsu just nodded back, wrapping his arms around the small, frightened girl. "Everything's going to be okay." Patting the back of her head, Natsu held her close and calmly whispered, "just stay with me, you'll be fine." With that, he hefted her into the air, keeping her sheltered close to his chest as they walked back into the hallway.

"Getting thick," Wakaba let out a choked cough into the headset.

Natsu just grunted, squeezing the girl tighter. He cold barely see a foot in front of his face. The air itself seemed ready to catch fire, surrendering to the oppressive weight of the deathly smoke. Together, the two firefighters fell into a crouch, the wall of rolling blackness skimming just above their helmets. Natsu took a slow light breath of the pure fresh oxygen from his mask.

The small girl coughed into his jacket. The pink haired fighter rubbed her back reassuringly as they walked in a rough crouched gait, slowly progressing to the stairwell. The girl's coughs grew even more ragged as they moved. Cursing silently in his head, Natsu fought desperately against the instinct pounding in his blood, the burning desire to rip the oxygen mask from his face and give it to the panicked girl. His training stabbed in his mind while his heart burned. He couldn't compromise his own breathing. It was like on a plane – if the capable do not secure their own ability to stay conscious, then everyone is doomed. She coughed, quaking in his arms. Damn it all. Natsu redoubled his pace, extending his legs at the stairs and flying down the floors.

Bursting out into the open air, Natsu immediately set on the ambulance parked just next to the bold red defiant fire truck, its back doors strewn open. On its edge sat two EMT's, who immediately jumped off the bumper and tugged out a collapsed stretcher. Its shining metal legs sprang down as it fell from the height of the ambulance, locking into place atop wheels which squeaked noisily in protest as they jogged toward Natsu. He tenderly laid her down on the uncomfortably stiff white top.

"Smoke inhalation, moderate, conscious. How you doing, kid?" The slightly older paramedic with hair as white as snow offered her a warm smile as he gently laid his fingertips around her thin wrist. The girl shivered at the touch of his skin, as cold and foreign as ice. He smiled warmer, glancing to his colleague, "heartbeat's strong, she'll be fine." Pulling a stethoscope from his pocket he laid the circular metal end to the girl's chest. He performed his entire inspection, walking beside the stretcher at a quick clip with his partner back to the ambulance's open breath.

Natsu grabbed the other EMT's arm as he pushed the back end of the stretcher into the ambulance, before he could hop in behind it. His cold blue eyes darted back under raven bangs. "Cool that fire-for-brains you have, Natsu. She'll be fine. We are just going to take her to the hospital for some minor treatment. We'll make sure she doesn't develop any lung problems." With that, he tugged his arm away and slammed the ambulance doors shut.

Natsu's fist curled to his side. Damn droopy-eyed bastard! Of all the paramedics on call of course it had to be him. Staring at the ambulance as it retreated the parking lot, Natsu cursed that blue-eyed demon. At least, that was the way he always thought of him. Something about that man drove him nuts, ever since they first met in the FT. It was like they were complete opposites, two opposing forces of nature who couldn't stand the presence of the other. But, he was loath to admit that the girl would be fine in his hands. Damn bastard was good at what he did – if only he wasn't such a frigid icy idiot. Natsu turned to stalk back to the truck. Never mind that stripping habit.

Yet again, that burned out of his mind when he turned to see the fire and the battle being waged between its single-minded desire to burn and thrive and five warriors set to defend the world from its wrath. "How's it going?"

"She's on the run," Zeref replied, flipping switches just as quickly as the pump dials changed. "Macao and Wakaba are fighting it back on the inside, and carrying out a search for anyone else as they advance. Lucy's dousing her. Natsu," the older brother glanced up from his dials only for a second and smiled, "good work."

Natsu nodded with a grin, jogging back into the building and diving right back into the fray.

It was well into the afternoon before the fire laid down to die. The five fighters sat back on the rough blacktop, three of them bathed in black ash. The white skin protected by the oxygen masks and helmets stood in utter contrast against the dark. Natsu and Lucy, leaned back on their hands, laughing hysterically, the relief of making it through their first burner evident on their faces.

The captain smiled at them. That first fire was an experience, one that changed everything you were. It was the moment where you found out what lay within your heart, balanced on a knife's edge, if you could do what you always dreamed and stand up to slay a dragon or collapse, running in fear. It was the same as in war. There was no learning. You either were born a smokeeater or you weren't. "Good job, rooks. Congratulations. Oh, and Natsu," Macao slammed his fist down on the now black-haired boy's thick skull, "don't you ever go rushing in head-first again!"

"Ow," Natsu pouted, rubbing his head gingerly. A grumbling groan from Natsu's stomach filled the air. Instantly forgetting the dull pain in his head, he grinned broadly, patting his stomach and freeing a small cloud of dusty ash from his jacket. "Let's go home, and eaaat!" Next to him, Zeref stifled a chuckle, hiding a smile behind the back of his hand.

And eat they did. Natsu tore into the food on the table that night with a furor even he hadn't managed until then. Everyone stared at him silently, awkwardly watching as food flew into his mouth, and just as often in the chaotic hurricane he called eating, flew past his face and splattered on the plain wall behind him.

"Oh, man, tell me there's some food left."

"Hey, Gray."

"Gray-sama!" Juvia jumped up onto the bench, her head darting back and forth causing her long springy blue bangs to sway as she tried in vain to find a clear path around everyone to her beloved beau. Huffing, she sat back down at the table with a thump. She would have to remember next time to never let herself get pressed into a corner.

Gray smiled uneasily, thanking the lords that she was trapped. Walking over to the kitchen, he was greeted with a wide toothy smile and the ever boisterously happy Jeryy. The cook's long pink hair was split into two strips, wrapped tightly in cords, and rigidly framing his back. He flipped a massive wok in his hand over a scorching fire kissing the cast-iron, sending a mountain of fried rice, teriyaki chicken, and something green tumbling into the air. Without breaking eye contact with Gray, he twirled around, picking up a plate from the granite counter as he spun, and caught the mountain squarely in the center of the white enameled plate. "Here you are!"

"Thanks Jeryy. Crazy night?"

"Whooo boy! You have no idea! That pink-haired boy sure knows how to make my heart sing!" Holding a large ladle to his chest, the cook looked skyward, stars twinkling in his black eyes.

Gray decided to just let it slide. He never could figure out Jeryy's love of that flame-brain. But, he guessed that's what a cook lives for, to see others enjoying the result of their skill and labor. And no one enjoyed that better than the bottomless pit that was Natsu. Carefully balancing his mountain wobbling atop his plate, Gray slid back into the dining hall and sidled onto an empty seat next to a beast of a man.

That man's arm was thicker – Gray was pretty sure – than his entire body. He never really left the gym, except for when he got called. Imposing as he was, this man was as nice as he was simple to understand. Long white side burns cut down to his sharp jaw lending an even more beastly appearance. With such a look, Gray was sure when he had first met him that he was undoubtedly nicknamed hulk or wolverine, or something to that effect, so it came as quite a shock when he had first heard Fire Chief Gildarts call him Elfman. Apparently, the bulking man had rushed into a nativity scene on Christmas Eve. A fire had broken out from some faulty electrical wires in good ol' Rudolph's nose and had lit up the entire sleigh. Well, as the story was told to him, Elfman single-handedly managed to save everyone but somehow managed in the confusion to get covered with the torn clothes of Santa's helpers.

Gray sighed over his mountain before digging in. At least it was better than his own nickname. Stripper. Gods, he should have seen that one coming too, and he still had a grudge to settle with the Fire Chief's daughter for starting it.

Captain Macao nodded to him as he took a hill-sized chomp off of the stir-fry mountain. "Everything go smooth?"

"Yeah," Gray waved his fork around in the air, "girl should be just fine. Parents are with her. Going to be staying overnight just to make sure she's breathing normally, but Lyon and I didn't find anything wrong." Gray glanced to the pink-haired boy wildly devouring his food. "She said there was a group of them playing in the abandoned building – older brother brought her along. They were playing with sparklers. Not a very nice group of kids, scared the poor thing with the fireworks until she ran and hid." Rolling his tongue along the inside of his cheek, he added, "she said to say thank you to the firefighter who saved her. You're the bravest," Gray growled internally, though he promised to deliver the message, "most amazing, strong, awesome hero she had ever met." Successfully avoiding choking on his tongue and to dart Natsu's burning green eyes, Gray dived back into his food without another second missed.

"Who's a hero?" Old man Gildarts with all the presence of a king and a notorious rogue rolled into one stepped through the hall, his prosthetic leg he had lost in the infamous red night thunked oddly on the concrete floor with every other step.

"That would be our little rook here. Natsu, rushed straight in, four flights, and rescued a small girl."

"Ha!" Gildarts smacked the boy's back, sending a painfully loud slap ringing through the hall. Everyone winced in sympathy. Natsu just looked up and beamed a toothy grin to his mentor – a man who was the closest thing he had to a father. "That's showin' um, good job, kid!" His deep laugh boomed.

Wakaba leaned back against the wall, lighting his old wooden pipe, sucking in three light puffs from its long stem. "Should have seen the kid in action, chief. Cool as a mountain lake. That fire was afraid of him, wouldn't even come close. Damn near like a god among its element. Like a fire drake."

"Fire drake, huh?" Macao scratched his chin, nodding as his fist slammed the wooden table sending plates, glasses, and forks clattering. "Sounds good to me. Good job, Salamander!"

"To Salamander!" Everyone agreed, raising their glasses.

Gray just groaned. Salamander. Helluvalot better than stripper. He'd just come into training when Gray was finishing, and now he had joined their family. But, Gray didn't let his own irritation play for long. The kid had acted amazing. He really was a hero. And he had very well saved that little girl's life. No, he deserved this. "To Salamander!" Gray raised his own glass smiling at the pink haired boy. He blinked a few times. Natsu's eyes were dropped down to the table, a smile playing upon his lips, though his face burned a mottled pink from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Gray blinked again. Damn, he was fucking cute. Shoveling the last of his food into his mouth, Gray shoved off from the table and bade everyone a goodnight.

It wasn't long before everyone started to turn in. Cana had very effectively drank half of the firehouse under the table and sat happily buzzed, her face a bright red, atop a barrel in the corner of room. Everyone had either passed out or left to get what sleep they could – especially those high up on the on-call list. Zeref patted his brother's shoulder congratulating him one more time on his first fire.

Natsu smiled in return, though his eyes lingered on Lucy. The blond had just cleaned her plate and was walking out the door. Beside him, Zeref chuckled, digging his elbow into his younger brother. "Jeez, could you want her more?"

"Mmmm." Natsu turned back to his glass of beer, running his thumbs over the rim of its clear lip. "She didn't even say anything. I was kinda hoping . . ."

"Hmmm," the older and very entertained brother leaned back against the wall, thinking. "What about dancing?"

Natsu about choked on his beer. "What the heck are you talking about?"

Zeref just shrugged, his face as calm and void of emotion as always. "You've shown her you're a badass hero, have to also show her you are a fine-classed respectable gentleman." Zeref barely managed to get those words out without choking from his internal laughter. Just picturing Natsu trying to act like a gentleman, in a tux, gently dancing with a girl was too much. Though, he managed to keep it below the surface. "There is that celebration coming up. Really the only time we ever get dressed up. Gildarts becoming chief and on top of that, the recruits officially becoming firefighters. What better night could you ask for?"

Sure, everyone already called Gildarts the chief, but he would not assume the mantle until the new year. Though, it was only October, in reality he was already the chief, the tiny old former chief Makarov advancing to commissioner. But hell if they weren't going to celebrate it. They were family.

"Dance, huh?" Natsu bit his lip, staring at the golden brown liquid in his glass. Turning to Zeref, his eyes begged as he asked, "can you teach me how to dance?"

Zeref's inner laughter died on a beat. He frowned. So much for that amusement. "Natsu, I don't dance."

Letting out a huff of air, Natsu shook his head. Of course his older brother didn't dance. That would involve being close and intimate with another. And that definitely wasn't the brother he knew and loved. He sighed, "I don't know how to dance."

"You could ask the stripper."

"What!?"

"Yeah, I hear from his bunk-mate – you know, Cance . . . the guy with the afro – he told me that he saw Gray dance once. Apparently he's unbelievable, the best."

Natsu scowled at his drink. The damn droopy-eyed bastard? But, if it meant he could get a chance with Lucy, he'd do it. And if he was going to do it, he was going to do it right and learn from the best then. "Alright." Pushing himself from the table, Natsu made for the door.

Zeref sat back, the only person really conscious in the room. He grinned, laughing to himself. Natsu dancing – this was going to get good.

A/N: There are very few people I consider to be heroes, but firefighters truly are. I respect and am awed by how amazing they are, and are so underappreciated.

If anyone has worked as or volunteered for the fire department, I would love a chance to talk to you. I want to get the details right and sometimes research just isn't enough. Let me know if anything is wrong or if you would just like to talk. And thank you for all that you do.

Side note: The only non-Fairy Tail character in this story is the cook, Jeryy. Always thought that if he loved the way Allen Walker eats, he would be in bliss with Natsu too. Unfortunately, can't have both of them, so I thought it'd be fun to have him cook for Natsu for a change.