Hello, Fairy Tail fandom. This is my first dive into posting on this part of the site, so I hope you like it. Now, I wrote this to explore the friendships of Lisanna, Natsu, and Lucy. You guys are free to interpret anything more, but I was sticking strictly to friendship. Hence the title. Timeline-wise, I'm putting this between when the group comes back from Tenrou Island and the Key of the Starry Skies arc.

Okay, onto the story. I don't own Fairy Tail. If I did, Natsu and Lisanna would have had a heart-to-heart about what her being gone for as long as she was affected their friendship.

Heart-to-Heart

Lisanna stepped into the guild hall, glancing around to see who was already there. Mirajane wiped down the counter as she chatted with Gray and Juvia, the water mage clinging to the ice-make wizard's arm. Lisanna winced at the role-reversal from Edolas. She had loved Juvia Seaver, who once confided she wished Gray Surge would stop. The novelty of an admirer was nice at first, but then it just began to drain her as she kept telling him to back off.

Lisanna passed by Team Shadow Gear on her way to the bar. They waved as the trio strategized over missions they planned to take. The next table over, Cana was giving a fortune reading to Romeo. As usual, her mug of beer was within reach. Lisanna smiled as she thought of how drastically different Cana Alberona was from Cana Victoria.

Unfortunately, Lisanna couldn't spot the pink hair and blue fur of Natsu and Happy. She sighed, disappointed. After two years—technically nine since they were suspended in time for seven years on Tenrou Island—she finally had her Natsu back, but lately it felt like he was avoiding her. Granted, she had been gone for a long time. It made sense that he would have moved on from their childhood bond. If he had stayed locked in grief, never to smile in the time she was gone, Lisanna couldn't take it. She hated that she was already the cause of so much sadness, both in Earthland and with her departure from Edolas. If anything, she caused the Edolas guild to grieve twice.

"Oh hey, Lisanna." She turned to see Lucy, the celestial mage who had joined Natsu's team in the time Lisanna was in Edolas. "Something wrong?"

"Not really," Lisanna shrugged. "I was hoping to find Natsu, but I guess he isn't here. Do you know where he is?"

"No," Lucy shook her head. "But he has seemed off lately. He hasn't even broken into my apartment once this week."

Lisanna chuckled. "Wow, he still does that? When we were kids, Natsu would always find his way into our house when he didn't want to be alone. He was also usually hiding from Erza at the time too."

"That explains a lot," Lucy grinned. Her smile shrank, turning wistful. "What was he like back then?"

"A lot of the same," Lisanna answered. "Even back then, he was a hothead who didn't listen to anyone. Mira once said I was the only one who could convince him to do something he didn't want to do. Which I did take advantage of when we played House."

"That's right; Mira told me about how you guys hatched Happy," Lucy said as she fiddled with a lock of her blonde hair.

"We were best friends," Lisanna smiled at the memories. "But I'm glad you're on his team."

"You are?"

"Yep," Lisanna nodded. "Natsu was always strongest when he had someone in his corner. When I cheered him on, he almost always won his fights with Gray. And I see the strength he draws from you. And how much fun he has too."

"He drives me crazy," Lucy admitted, "but it also feels like he's saving me a lot more than I save him."

"But you're there," Lisanna insisted. "And you are strong. I see the same strength in you that I saw in Lucy Ashley."

"Really?"

"Yes," Lisanna placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Didn't Natsu and Happy call her 'Scary Lucy?'" Lucy asked.

"Yeeaah," Lisanna drew out the word. "But she kind of had to be. After Nightwalker killed Guild Master Rob, she pretty much took charge of the guild. I admire her strength."

"You miss them, don't you?" Lucy wrapped an arm around the takeover mage's shoulders.

"Yeah," Lisanna answered. "It's strange. I've been surrounded by the same faces for years, but there are two identities with each one. Sometimes, I'll get ready to make an inside joke with Juvia, and I'll remember this is Lockser, not Seaver. I have to remember all the time that Earthland and Edolas faces are not interchangeable. You guys are each your own person."

"That is hard," Lucy agreed. "I can't imagine what that is like."

"It does change one's perspective," Lisanna said dryly. "And I kind of want to say something to Lockser."

"About Gray?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "I've tried, if only so she'll stop thinking of me as her rival for him."

"Well on Tenrou, she asked be about Gray Surge," Lisanna said. "Since he liked Juvia Seaver, Lockser thought he would like her as well."

"But they're not the same Gray," Lucy pointed out.

"Exactly," Lisanna agreed. "And that's why that bothers me." She pointed to Gray pushing away from Juvia. "The Gray Fullbuster I remember didn't like to be the center of attention unless it was part of a fight. And Juvia Seaver didn't like Gray Surge following her because it made her feel like she really couldn't date anyone else."

"You might be the only one who could explain that to Juvia," Lucy said. "I know Gray loses patience with her even though he's not trying to be mean."

"Maybe Erza could help too," Lisanna suggested. "When she wasn't bossing everyone around or fighting with Mira, Erza and Gray were always together."

"Like one big happy family," Lucy grinned. "Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you in love with Natsu?"

Lisanna froze. That question was at the heart of all her problems. "If you had asked me before I went to Edolas, I probably would have said yes," she finally answered.

"I sense a but coming," Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Lisanna gave a half-smile. "I had to close off all my feelings towards him so I could talk to Drago without breaking down."

"Drago?"

"The Edolas Natsu," she explained. "His name was Natsu Dragion, and I couldn't bring myself to call him Natsu. So I called him Drago instead."

"Oh," Lucy looked down.

"What about you?" Lisanna asked. "Do you love him?"

"Maybe," the celestial mage bit her lip. "Sometimes I think so, and then one of us does something stupid and we fight. I don't know if we could survive as a couple. And I'm afraid of the fallout if it doesn't work."

"But you won't know unless you try," Lisanna encouraged her. "At least, that's what I'm going to do. But I just want him to be happy. If that's with you, then I wish you all the best."

"That means a lot. Thanks," Lucy hugged the white-haired girl. "And I wish you the same. If you ever want to talk about anything—Edolas, Tenrou, Natsu, the guild—I'm here for you."

"I know," Lisanna hugged her as tight as she could, blinking away tears. "You have no idea how much I appreciate your friendship."

Lisanna finally found Natsu in the spot where they used to play. He sat in front of the grave marker. He didn't seem to notice her yet. With everything that happened, we've never really gotten to talk about this.

"What's up, Lisanna?" he asked, plastering a smile across his face.

"Just looking for you," she sat down next to him. "It feels like you're avoiding me."

"What?" Natsu recoiled. "I, I wasn't—"

"It's okay," Lisanna smiled at him. "I know it's been crazy. And we've changed from the kids who used to play in the hut. But if something's on your mind, you can tell me."

"But I failed you," Natsu clenched his fist and looked away from her.

"What?" Lisanna's heart clenched at those words. How could he think that? He was always there for her. He was her best friend.

"I failed you," he repeated. "I wasn't there to protect you on that mission, and I gave up looking for you!" Natsu's voice rose as the dam on his emotions broke. "I didn't believe it when Mira and Elfman told us what happened! I insisted you were still out there! But I gave up and built this!" He slammed his fist on the ground next to the marker. "And you were still out there! And I didn't find you!"

Lisanna wrapped her arms around him before he could say more. In her embrace, he crumbled, letting out two years' worth of grief. It broke Lisanna's heart to know that, even with Lucy, the guild, and his team, Natsu had still carried the pain all this time. "It's okay," she soothed him. "None of it was your fault. And you did find me. I knew it was you as soon as I saw you in the Edolas guild."

"You did?" he hugged her tighter.

"You think I wouldn't know my best friend when I saw him?" she grinned, and then her smile fell. "I should have told you then. But I didn't think I could go back, so I thought I would be sparing you pain if you thought I was Lisanna Martel."

"That's just like you," Natsu whispered. "You're always putting everyone else's happiness above your own."

"But I was wrong," Lisanna didn't hide her tears this time. "I thought you and everyone else had moved on. You were smiling with Wendy Marvell, treating her like a little sister. I didn't know you were still grieving."

"Part of me would have always missed you," Natsu said. "I was so broken after you were gone. I felt empty in a way not even the best fire could fix. When I met Lucy, I started feeling whole again. She could never replace you, but things didn't seem as dark as they were."

"That's good," Lisanna smiled and brushed her eyes. "I'm glad she was there for you."

"That's the thing," he winced. "Now, I feel like no matter what I do, I'll end up hurting you or Lucy."

"Oh, Natsu," Lisanna hugged him again. "Listen to me. If you want to be with Lucy, go for it. I just want you to be happy. And you know what? Lucy told me the same thing. We both want you to be happy."

"Heh, when did you talk to Lucy?" Natsu rolled his eyes.

"This morning," Lisanna chuckled. "I know you don't like to see anyone cry. But you don't have to worry about that with me. Or Lucy. And no matter what happens, you'll always be my best friend."

"Thank you, Lisanna," Natsu smiled. "For everything."

"You're—"

"Hey, Natsu! Look at this big fishy I caught!" Happy's voice drew their attention to the flying cat. The blue Exceed flew at them, carrying a large salmon in his paws.

"Great work, Happy!" Natsu yelled as fire surrounded his fist. "That'll make a great dinner!"

"NOOO!" Happy flew higher as Natsu sent flames racing toward the salmon. "It's my fishy! I don't want it cooked!"

Lisanna chuckled to herself. It's nice that somethings never change.

And that's a wrap guys. Since most of the Edolas Fairy Tail members didn't have last names, I came up with some of them. I headcanon that Lisanna would emphasize last names as a way to distinguish the fact she knows two versions of pretty much everyone in the guild. I mean, the poor girl went through all that, it's bound to affect her in some ways. And Natsu carried so much grief over her for so long, I really wish the show would have given them some kind of closure. Anyway, I hope you guys like this little one-shot.