A/N:

Divinion: thanks for the reviews! Really! As for your theory, I love it (o_o) …. my mind is working like a gps - rerouting ideas –


Chapter Five:

That night: Natsu…


Each wizard was placed in the care of a guild member, to stay at their apartment until the hunt for them had died down. Makarov had decided this before Mest had removed them from prison. This also would give them time to explain what was happening in Fiore, and the plans Makarov had come up with through Mavis' skillful tactics. The reason they had needed them. To make the transition easier, Makarov had sent them supplies: clothes, food, necessities. Anything they needed to make them comfortable. And he told them, repeatedly, the night was to relax. Be with the family they knew very well. Rest. Being locked away for so long… Makarov wanted to make sure they were fine, and taken care of. In the morning, he would tell them everything they needed to know, and answer any questions they wanted to ask. He promised.

Natsu was told he'd be rooming with Sting and Rogue. This, he did not complain. He wrapped an arm around each of them, and pulled them in close: Wah, Party! - he told them. Instead, the very second he entered their apartment, he asked if he could take a bath. Once shown where the bathroom was, and where his clothes were placed, Natsu locked himself inside. He ran the hottest of baths, and let the water soak into his skin. He felt the aches and pains of his muscles ease with the water. It had been so, so long since he took a proper bath. Normally, the guards would provide them with wash cloths, and water; Nothing else. No real soap, no shampoo. Natsu ran the years of gunk and dirt from his pink hair. He had actually forgotten how vibrant his hair really was. He couldn't help but smile to himself. Freedom… Who would've thought I'd be free again? All those years… paying for a crime we didn't commit… a crime that doesn't exist. Those dumb asses in the council, wait until the see me… Just wait…

Eventually, he had fallen asleep. If it wasn't for a knock from Happy, he would've stayed there until morning.

"Natsu?"

Natsu sat upon the futon that was given to him, which was placed in Sting and Rogue's living room, just next to a window. He stared outside the window, lost in the sight of Magnolia. They lived dead center of the town, their apartment within the market area. Natsu eyed the very same shops that he, Gray, and Gajeel helped save. As much as Gray blamed himself, and apologized for it, Natsu never thought he did anything wrong. He recalled the days sparring the shadows in his cell, and he would hear Gray regretting the day, apologizing to the air. It saddened him that his comrade, his brother, thought he had ruined their lives. They were slayers. And being a slayer, eventually, only meant death. They only managed to outlive the rest, that was all.

"Natsu…?" It was Sting who tried to grab Natsu's attention. Natsu didn't move his eyes from the window, but responded, "Hm?"

Sting and Rogue sat at the other end of the living room. Each sat on the other end of their couch, watching Natsu. He had been so quiet since they arrived, they had grown worried about him. Who knew what went through his mind, what he was thinking. "Are you alright, Natsu?" Rogue asked.

Natsu smiled weakly, and finally faced his comrades. The memory still replayed in his mind: The pillar of light that rose to the sky; Gajeel yelling his name; Gray in the midst of battle against multiple dark wizards. No matter how many times it played, mentally, he never changed the outcome. Save his family.

"Natsu?" This time Rogue spoke. He leaned closer from his seat, trying to find an expression in Natsu's eyes. It took a second, but it came. Natsu grinned at the White Dragon Slayer and the Shadow Dragon Slayer. He remembered nicknaming them The Twin Dragons; They were like ying and yang. He couldn't help but notice, after looking at them both, that a scar was on Rogue's face. He squinted at it, before pointing to it, "I know it's been a long time, but did you always have that?" Natsu said, wiggling his finger at Rogue's face.

Rogue blinked, crossing his eyes to view his nose. "This scar?" he asked.

Natsu nodded. Rogue glanced sideways a Sting, who rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and stared off in another direction. "It was Sting." he said.

"It was an accident..." Sting murmured under his breath, defending himself.

"Right." Rogue looked back at Natsu, only to meet his confused eyes. "We0 were training with Erza one day, and well, one of his hits went too far."

Natsu grinned, "So you two can fight me now?"

Sting nearly hopped up from his seat. He wasn't so young when Natsu was around, but young enough that if he did want to spar with him, he would get a simple pat on the head; 'Maybe next time, kid.' He couldn't help but return the grin, "Damn straight!"

Natsu laughed. He looked down at his best friend, Happy, who had fallen asleep next to him. "Ha," he laughed again, "Maybe next time kid."

Rogue sighed. He pulled Sting down by his wrist. "Now's not the time, Sting." he said.

"Rogue." Sting whined.

"Besides, Master said we're all to relax tonight. So let Natsu rest."

"Fine." Sting stood and walked towards the kitchen, a somber look on his face, "Anyone need a drink? I need one."

Rogue lifted a finger. "Do we still have that juice you bought from market the other day?"

From within the kitchen, Sting's sad voice responded, "Yeah, there's two of 'em left."

"Pour me some?"

"Pour it yourself!" Sting yelled.

Rogue glared at the direction of the kitchen. "Don't offer people drinks if you wont bring it!" He snarled.

Sting's head peaked through the doorway, in his hand was a drink. He brought the cup to his lips, drinking nice and slow, before disappearing into the kitchen once again. Rogue was annoyed, and couldn't wipe the look from his face. This only made Natsu laugh. "Like always, huh?"

"Frosch thinks so..." Came a small, yawning voice. Rogue's small feline friend, Frosch, sporting his normal pink costume, walked out out of one of the rooms to the left of them. A smile spread across Rogue's face as he looked at the small exceed. "Sorry, Frosch, did we wake you?"

Frosch yawned and nodded his head. Rogue patted the top of his frog costume, nudging him back to the room he emerged from, "Back to bed before Lector wakes up."

The small cat wouldn't move. Instead, he pouted his bottom lip. Natsu watched as Rogue lifted his friend into his arms and carried him back into the room. It brought a smile to his face. The boys had definitely grown up; Grown into fine young men. Makarov did a great job.

Natsu turned his attention back towards the window. He looked ahead at the market area once again before looking down. He blinked. Below the window was a girl with blonde hair, waving at him. In her other hand, she held a pitcher. "Oi," Natsu called for Sting and Rogue; He didn't take his eyes off of the girl outside, "Were you guys expecting someone?"

Sting emerged from the kitchen, a cook in his mouth. "Huh? No." he said, muffled, through chews.

Natsu nodded his head towards the window so Sting would look, "Did the blonde girl get the memo?"

"Huh?" Sting quickly walked over towards the window to see who, or what, Natsu was talking about. Just outside the window, as he said, was indeed a blonde hair, young woman. She wore white and blue, and part of her hair was pulled into a side ponytail. Natsu caught sight of the guild insignia on her hand. "She's a member of the guild?"

"Lucy!" Sting exclaimed. He pulled the window open with his free hand, "What are you doing here?"

Lucy smiled warmly. She held the pitcher closer to her face. "I heard you were housing the salamander. So! I brought drinks!"

Its been so long since someone called me that…. Natsu thought to himself.

"Oi," Natsu called down to the blonde hair female, "What kind of drink is in there?"

Lucy only grinned with happy, closed eyes. Sting eventually let her up and inside of their apartment. She apologized upon reaching their door – Sorry for coming unannounced! I swear! I just needed to come! She could not contain her curiosity about the pink haired wizard. Natsu, too, could not contain his. She had a scent to her. He stood next to her and sniffed. "You're a celestial wizard?"

"Did you just smell me?!" Lucy whimpered. Sting and Rogue couldn't help but laugh. Not having found it funny, but not wanting to be rude, she responded, "Yes I am. My name is Lucy." she said.

Natsu nodded and politely – or, not so politely – pulled the pitcher from her hands. He grinned at Sting, who had already ran to grab cups. Rogue tried to pull the pitcher from his comrade, but failed to do so. "Master said he wanted us up early and alert at the guild tomorrow."

"Ah, Rogue," Lucy laughed as she reached for one of the cups in Sting's hands, "Today we were instructed to relax and have fun. So lets do exactly that!"

"Right!" Natsu agreed. Rather than pour himself a cup, he lifted the pitcher to his lips and took a swig. He mouthed the words 'good stuff,' before looking at Rogue and said, "Listen to Luigi. Let's have fun."

Lucy froze. "L-Luigi? My name is Lucy!"

"Right. Right."