***Real quick: Just wanted to thank everyone again for all the super-nice reviews. I'm updating so quickly right now (having already written a lot of this before deciding to put it up here) that I'm getting a lot of the reviews late, which is why I'm only just now seeing them. It really is heartwarming to read! Enjoy the new chapter!***

"You missed Master Makarov," Gray was saying over the jolly din of the guild hall, "He's at a Magic Council Meeting or something—probably he lied about that, and he's just at some beach resort, flashing people again." He shuddered.

I stared at him. "How can you frown upon people flashing? Also, what are you talking about?"

"Never mind, never mind." Before I could protest, he changed the subject. "You also missed Erza. She left a few days ago for a mission. My guess is she'll be back tomorrow or the next day, though."

We were both nursing pints, sitting next to each other at the bar. Mira was serving up beers before us, humming cheerfully to herself. Somewhere along the way Gray had lost his shirt, and now, it was not only his eyes on me; every single one of his muscles - and Juvia - was glaring at me as well.

Reminded me of the good old days.

I stretched on the barstool, reveling in the sense of relief I felt in my ribcage. Despite my protests, Wendy had insisted on healing me.

"But Wendy!" I'd spluttered, "You just healed Cobra! You saw how he looked—that must have drained a ton of your magic energy! I'll be fine...just rest."

She'd shaken her head, already pushing me back on the infirmary bed where Mirajane had shoved me, a cross-armed, no-if-ands-or-buts Natsu right behind her. They were followed in by almost everyone, who watched as the young Sky Dragon Slayer rose her glowing palms to my frame in much the same way as she had with Cobra. "I've gotten a lot stronger since you left, Lucy! Don't worry about me."

"The child is right," Carla had said from the end of my bed. Her voice had retained its haughty quality from a year previously. "She is quite capable of healing two people in a day, so do stop being difficult."

"Yes, Lucy." That was Pantherlily's stoic baritone, coming from where he stood next to Gajeel, behind Levy. "You don't need to act tough about your injuries. Let us help you."

I had blinked.

Really, it hadn't occurred to me that I was acting "tough." In the past year, I'd been injured many times. After a while, I stopped viewing the injuries as anything more than obstacles in whatever new challenge I faced. Injuries were scars. Scars were lessons, and stories. Besides, I'd been alone, dealing with my pain for so long—there'd been no one to complain to about it to. I mean, I guess I could have drawn my spirits for a rant session. That seemed a little absurd, though. So in loneliness, I'd stopped whining (as much). I'd learned to swallow my pain, how to just push it to the back of my mind, and move on.

Now, however, I wasn't alone. There was an entire crowd of concerned friends watching me, and—I had to admit—it was as uncomfortable as it was cute.

Grumbling and wincing, I'd allowed Wendy to heal me, while the majority of the Guild—including Laxus (Laxus!)—looked on. In complete silence. Why weren't they talking? This was so awkward...

At length, I'd turned a glare to them. "You don't all have to stand here, you know!"

Laughter had broken out at my hot tone. "We missed your incessant yelling, Lucy!" said Happy, crawling onto the bed beside Carla. "No one understands what you're so angry about, but it sure is hilarious!"

"Yeah, Lu," Levy had said. Her smile was small, but I could see the barely-contained joy beneath it. She was dwarfed by Gajeel's towering frame behind her. "What does fuel that perpetual annoyance of yours?"

"It's called, 'your behavior'," I growled, not seeing what was so funny.

More laughter. My eye twitched.

I'd seen the corner of Natsu's lips raise at the scene, and realized that that was the first time he'd smiled since we'd been in the (my) crater. I cringed at the thought of him being mad at me. Of course, it wasn't like I hadn't expected it. From the moment leaving ever crossed my mind, I had known Natsu would never want me to do it, would fight for me to stay, would probably attempt to sniff me out before I got away, and yell at me once I returned to Fairy Tail. In fact, the fact that he hadn't already gone on a furious, animated rant was starting to make me more nervous.

Dropping my attitude, I turned my gaze to the ceiling as Wendy continued healing me, the others chatting nonchalantly around us. Had Natsu simply overcome his anger at me long before, and moved on from me? I'd frowned at the thought. The hug we'd shared didn't seem to be lacking in emotion on his part, nor the way he'd said my name, or been concerned when he discovered my injuries. There was only one other possible outcome to all this:

I was in for a big falling out with the Dragon Slayer, later on. And big falling outs with Natsu weren't big. They were catastrophically gigantic.

Like the (my) crater.

Maybe even worse.

I'd gulped.

However, now, as I sat catching up with Gray, I was beginning to wonder if I had anything to worry about, after all. Natsu had darted excitedly around the Guild all night with Happy, shouting about all the missions we were going to go on now that I was back, dropping in excitedly on every conversation I had. While Cana had been telling me about her various boyfriends and wild nights, he'd draped himself over me in his typical space bubble-oblivious way, grinning brightly and asking if I'd lend him money for a beer. While Levy and I had chatted about books that had come out over the previous year, he and Happy had squeezed in beside us with plates towering with food. While I'd looked over Reedus's pictures from the last year, he'd shown up and suggested, "Show Lucy the one of Happy tickling Gajeel's nose in his sleep! It's hilarious…"

It seemed, for the most part, that he was the energetic ball I had left behind.

But then there were times that I'd turn, and catch his more serious, intense gaze on me. I'd find him examining me, searching…for what, I didn't know.

After a while of the two-step dance, I concluded that this was far from over.

Not that I could have expected it to be, really.

At the mention of Erza, my wandering thoughts focused in on the conversation at hand. "That's great!" I said, genuinely, "I can't wait to see her!"

I'd missed my quirky, dramatic, crazy-strong friend more than I'd even realized I would.

Gray smiled. "She'll be excited to see you, too," he said, "I think she missed you more than she let on."

I smiled at him. It wasn't lost on me that his words probably applied to the pair of them. Though Gray hadn't eagerly grabbed my elbow and pulled me aside like almost everyone else, his smile had been broader than usual when I plopped into the seat beside him. A good sign, considering how cool he tended to play it. He hadn't stopped smiling since I sat down, really. This was much to the dismay of Juvia, who hid behind a column, glaring at me and whispering about how her love rival had returned.

To be fair, she couldn't have known how drastically my hearing had improved, and that I could hear every one of her insults.

As I rose the pint to my lips, Gray watched me, and I thought I caught something in the depths of his eyes. I'm not sure if it was anger or hurt, but either way, I felt a stab of pain in my chest.

I frowned into my drink.

Proof, once again, that my disappearance had hurt the Guild more than I'd thought it would. It was never my intention to do so. In fact, my goal had been the opposite. But here I was, catching pain in the eyes of the friends I'd left behind, wiping tears from the cheeks of people I loved all night. I'd expected them to have missed me, to be excited to see me again...but this? This wasn't like the times that Gildarts had returned from quests, for some reason. People weren't just glad to see me back, they were relieved and emotionally overridden, reflecting to me on everything I'd missed out on and all these things they wished I was there for. They all seemed to think that the Guild had been less without me there, but how could that have been true, when its members were always leaving, returning. Fairy Tail's family notoriously shrank and swelled.

So why was everyone treating me like my presence had been...essential?

I'm stronger, now, I thought, setting down my pint. You guys will see. It was worth it.

I didn't feel pride when I thought of how much I'd grown as a mage, really. It was hard to, considering the painful road I'd taken to get where I was. But, I supposed, there was no point in looking back. I'd made and executed my decision.

Gray had looked away from me now, was instead watching Natsu as he sprinted across the Guild.

"You know, that idiot's looking a lot better than he has in a while."

Instantly, my gaze snapped to him. "What—Natsu?" It wasn't really a question. It's not like Gray would refer to anyone else as "that idiot." I shook my head. "No way. I'm pretty sure the sky could fall down on his head and he'd still act exactly like—well, like how he acts." I took another swig of the frothy beer.

Slowly, Gray shook his head as I set it back down. "No, I'm not kidding. After you left, he and Happy vanished to look for you. For a while."

I paused in drinking. The way Gray said "a while" made it sound like a long while, which instantly bothered me. Slowly, I set the drink down.

"Once they came back, he looked down in the dumps for a while. Didn't even pick fights with me, more than once a day or so."

I was staring at him. That was a startlingly low figure, for Natsu.

"And whenever he heard news about a Celestial Wizard, he'd go running off. Like you were Igneel or something." The comparison made my breath hitch. Gray's calm gaze turned from Natsu to me, now. "He's also been pretty mad at me and Erza for a while, because we never went with him to look for you. We wanted to, but…" He shook his head. "Erza said you had the right to make your own choices, and I agreed."

I cast my eyes down into my pint, lost in thought. I'd thought Natsu would follow my scent to the train station, sure. But to actually wander around Fiore, looking for me? To follow up on leads? To chase rumors? Honestly, I would never have expected that of him. My decision to spend a year training was one I thought he'd (reluctantly) respect, once he got past the initial, instinctual opposition to his partner leaving the Guild.

I found myself wondering what he had found, when he came looking for me. Had he wound up at the destroyed Dark Guild I'd left in my wake? The giant chicken I'd brought down when visiting my dad's old Merchant Guild? Blackrose?

Had he wound up at a cabin, barely half a mile from the Forest of One Thousand Monsters?

I shuddered at the thought.

I hoped he didn't find what was there. I hoped none of my friends did. I would carry the full burden of that memory—in all its details—alone.

Gray was watching me carefully now. After a moment, he said, "I'm not telling you this to spoil your night or make you feel guilty. Everyone's glad your back, and I agree with Erza, even now; your choice to leave was your own. But—"

"But my actions had consequences." I finished for him. I didn't show the guilt I felt, staring with a blank expression into the amber liquid in my cup.

To this, he said nothing. But he did add, "Just…I hope it was worth it."

For a moment, I closed my eyes. Instantly, I saw an empty black stare. Limp, greasy strands of ebony hair…

It had been worth it. I discovered things that someone had needed to discover. If it not me, who would it have been? Someone had to do something. My hands clenched around the pint, and I took a deep breath before turning to smile at my old friend. "Well," I said, "You saw what I did to Cobra. It can't have completely been for nothing."

"That's true." I detected relief in Gray's low voice. Though he had said what he felt needed to be said, he was as glad as I was to move away from the topic, I'm sure. "I have to admit, that was impressive. Not only did you destroy half a forest in the process—" I winced. "—but Cobra was an enemy even Erza had trouble taking him down."

"Yeah, I don't think Erza broke any bones in her fight, though."

Gray snorted. "Like anyone could break Erza's bones. Erza's bones break you."

I giggled, then started at myself. I realized it had been a long time since I'd erupted in a Lucy giggle. The past few months of my wandering year had been full of dark chuckles and silence, for the most part. Not far from what I'd had in childhood, really. Originally, I'd left the Guild to become strong enough to keep myself from being subjected to those helpless feelings. For a while, it worked, but I'd rediscovered them in a big way.

If you recounted my past, I'd left my sad childhood to find a family, then gone to a life that was much like my childhood to protect my family, only to return to them again. It all felt so complicated. Then, I glanced at Gray, taking a relaxed swig of his beer after explaining—as best as he could—what my absence had done to him, the woman who loved him with single-minded focus gazing at him from behind a column. No, I decided. It only seemed complicated. In reality, it was all very simple.

Protect the future.

"Gray," I said.

"Yeah?"

"Just…thanks."

He appeared surprised, gripping his beer a little more tightly. "For what?"

A year ago, I wouldn't have been able to look him in the eyes as I said what I did. Now, my gaze didn't waver from his as I replied, "For being a good friend, and supporting me even if my decisions hurt you. I don't take for granted how lucky I am to have as good a person as you in my life."

I'm pretty sure I saw steam erupt from Juvia's ears.

Gray flushed slightly, but before he was forced to answer, Natsu had appeared in a burst of energy, draping himself over me once more. "Gray, you perve-sicle, quit keepin' Lucy from the rest of the Guild! We're all excited to see her!"

"She came and sat next to me, you burnt-out match," Gray shot back, "And as far as I've been seeing, you've been the one distracting her from all her conversations all night!"

"That's a hell of a lot different from keepin' her hidden in some random corner of the Guild all night, like the pervert you are—"

"Who you callin' a pervert, lying all over her like that—"

Suddenly, Natsu's weight vanished from my back, and the pair was head-to-head, magic energy swirling just beneath their skin.

I laughed uncomfortably, watching a familiar fight unfold. Holding up a warning hand, I said, "C'mon, guys. Let's just—"

But it was too late.

Natsu had sent an absurdly strong fist into Gray's bare stomach, and now, the Ice Mage was soaring across the room, straight into Elfman. With an enormous crash, the pair toppled off of Elfman's chair.

After groaning and rubbing his head for a moment, Elfman bellowed, "A real man doesn't distract people from their conversations!"

"Since when has that ever been a quality of a man?" Gray countered hotly, standing up from atop the larger mage, "And besides, it wasn't me, it was Natsu!"

"Don't blame me for your crap, Gray!"

"What do you mean, 'my crap'? You just sent me flying over here! Which you're gonna pay for, by the way—"

"Yeah? Start somethin'!"

"You already have, flame brain!"

Before I knew it, Elfman was after Gray, Gray was after Natsu, and the entire Guild had erupted into an enormous fight. Chairs, tables and guild members flew. At the center of the fray, I could see Natsu and Gray, going at it with the same exuberance they'd always shown in fighting each other. Lisanna, Mirajane, Freed, the Exceeds, and I were the only ones who abstained from the fight, looking on in dismay.

After a while, Happy drifted over to land on my shoulder. "Lucy," he said, his little voice a moan, "I ate so many fish…I'm so exhausted…we should go to your place and sleep on your soft bed."

I smiled at him, reaching up to stroke the blue fur soothingly. I had to admit, I was exhausted, too. Even with Wendy's amazing healing job, my body was achy and tired. I hadn't even stopped in at the apartment.

Besides. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. It always was, with the family I had.

"Yeah, you're right, Happy. I'm pretty exhausted, too."

"You mean it?" he said past a yawn, "You'll let me sleep in your bed?"

"I owe you that much." I was already making my way to Fairy Tail's doors.

Looking back, I waved at the few people who weren't distracted. "See you in the morning!" I called.

Freed, Pantherlily, and Carla smiled back. Lisanna and Mirajane raised their hands.

I was glad to be back. More than they could ever know.


Stepping into my apartment, carrying an exhausted Happy on my shoulder, was a bizarre experience. It was like walking into a ghost town. Everything was exactly how I left it, exactly in its place (dispelling any worries I'd had about Natsu and Happy ruining things). But even though the landlady had cleaned once a week and kept my plants alive, it had an un-lived in quality, a dank smell.

Inside the door, I stopped, stiffened.

Drowsily, Happy muttered, "We slept in your bed for a while, after you left. But then…" He yawned. "Then Natsu said it didn't smell like you anymore, so what was the point?"

I blushed. I'd always found it a little creepy, that Natsu associated a certain scent with me. As soon as I walked into the Guild, he would always turn right around. What did I smell like to him?

I shook off the thought, walking slowly into the apartment.

Everything was in order. All the books I hadn't been able to bring. My own pieces of writing, which I'd hidden between two boring books about magic theory on my shelf (I knew Natsu would never look at something like that). Even the clothes in my wardrobe I'd left behind looked pretty much how I'd left them. The only thing that was off was the blanket on my bed, which was a little wrinkled from Natsu and Happy sleeping on them. Without even thinking about it, I ran my hands over the wrinkles. Not for the first time today, I felt my heart ache, thinking of the pair sleeping on my bed in my absence, drawing comfort from my smell.

I decided that you never realize the impact you have on someone's life. Not until you vanish from it, without warning.

I took the time to unpack my bag, putting everything away neatly. After I placed Happy on my bed—where he instantly curled up and fell asleep—I settled into a bath. It was wonderful, hitting all the right spots. I hadn't had a bath in ages. I put on the pink pajamas I hadn't had the chance to wear in a year. They smelled alright, thanks to the long-lasting Freshness Potion I'd washed them in before leaving.

Then, after brushing my teeth and setting a bucket next to my bed, I tucked myself beneath my comforter, pulling Happy to my chest, and fell asleep quickly.


It was probably one or two hours later that I awoke to the sound of sandaled feet, dragging across the cobblestone on the road in front of my house. I don't know why it woke me up. Maybe it was my supersensitive hearing—I'd slept in quiet forests a lot, in the past year. Maybe it was instinct.

Either way, I knew who it was instantly.

Releasing Happy, who was muttering about fish in his dreams, I got up, staggering drowsily to my front door.

Once I swung it open, I saw him: Natsu. His eyes were half-lidded, and he was clearly contemplating the best way to leap up to my window. As soon as I opened the door, he started.

"Natsu," I called drowsily, ignoring his surprise, "Just come in this way."

He didn't argue, allowing me to let him into the house and then wordlessly heading towards the bed while I locked the front door. When I turned around, it was to find his precious scarf draped carefully over the headboard, even though his sandals and one-armed black shirt thrown haphazardly across the floor.

"Clutz," I muttered. There was no real venom in my tone, though.

The Fire Dragon Slayer himself was curled into a ball, already fast asleep - going by the evenness of his breathing - on the far side of Happy, not looking at all like what he was. For once, his face was peaceful, mouth hanging open slightly, lashes thicker than I would have expected above his cheeks. With a pang, I remembered how much I'd always enjoyed watching him sleep. He looked so cute!

You're a creep, Lucy, I thought, shaking my head.

I crawled into bed, curling myself around Happy once more. Mine and Natsu's foreheads were almost touching, his unruly pink hair just barely brushing my forehead.

Lying in my own bed with my boys, I was almost instantly back asleep.