Around lunch time, Natsu and Lucy finally came out of their little cuddle shell and joined the entire group for a quick meal that Jude had graciously paid for.

They still weren't paying complete attention to the rest of the group. They still in complete disbelief. He was alive and she remembered. They just couldn't get over it.

Someone always had a hand on the other one, usually just hands linked together. Occasionally, Natsu would simply throw his arms around her, mumbling that she was too far away.

She wasn't complaining. She'd never thought she would see him again. Lucy would happy take all the attention he wanted to give her. For once, she wasn't embarrassed at all.

Lucy's father begged not to become a grandparent too soon. Layla almost immediately countered that with a squeal of how beautiful their children would be with stars in her eyes.

The Fairy Tail group just knew the elder holder mage would fit in with the rest of the guild and couldn't wait to tell the guild about their new friends.

The two groups split up and left Hargeon after lunch. Lucy's parents went home, and the young mages returned to Magnolia.

The group waited for their train to go home. Loke had chosen to return in the Spirit world to allow Lucy time to reconnect with everyone. They chatted for a few hours until the train arrived.

Natsu was thrilled that Happy was still "Happy".

Happy was officially reintroduced to Natsu and had immediately started having fun with him. Happy accepted him as a new more-fun-than-Lucy friend and couldn't wait to go fishing with him, like Natsu had promised him.

Though Happy did admit Lucy pets were better than Natsu's by a long shot. "She has nails, Natsu!" He'd told them this in the Past as well.

Lucy laughed when all three dragon slayers made desperate attempts to not have to get on the "death machine". Gajeel and Wendy begged to walk. Natsu begged Lucy to let him fly them back, surprising her.

With a stern warning from Erza, they grudgingly accepted the ride. Lucy giggled that Natsu still cowered to the Requip mage.

Natsu knew he could take Erza in a fight, but he absolutely adored her and had no interest in harming her, even to prove a point. Unless they were actually sparring, he stood down.

The three dragon slayers fell out of the train at Magnolia station kissing the ground. "LAND!"

Gray and Erza went ahead to the guild to let them know what had transpired.

That left Lucy and the Exceeds to babysit the dragon slayers. The boys managed to pick themselves up, if slowly. Charle picked up a still ailing Wendy.

"So, guys," Cana greeted when Gray and Erza walked into the guild hall. "How'd it go?"

"Yeah, who'd we get?"

"Are they nice?"

"What are they like?"

The two got bombarded with questions. Mira already had the guild's stamp out and ready for whomever was joining. Even the master himself was watching and waiting in excitement. Natsu never failed to surprise them.

"Guys! We were all way off!" Gray answered the din.

They were met with confused stares. "What do you mean?" Makarov asked only to be answered with snickering.

"Fine," Cana chimed in. "At least tell us: guy or girl?"

"Definitely a girl," they affirmed with resolute nods.

The grin on their faces started giving them away to the guild's resident matchmaker. "Don't tell me!" squeaked the she-devil as she practically bounced on her toes.

"Natsu's in love!" squealed Lisanna, clapping her hands along with her big sister.

"Being in love is manly!"

The guild's old master looked at the two mages for confirmation.

Gray answered the look with, "She is so out of his league it's not even close to funny."

Erza had her own bit of gossip to spread. "And, you're not going to believe this," she said with a soft look in her eyes. Her overjoyed smile told them there was more going on.

"What?" came the collective inquiry.

"She remembers him."

The guild was shocked to silence. Most were quickly moved to tears. Natsu was a beloved member of the guild. They'd been dying to see him happy.

"Oh, he's got it so bad, too," Gray grinned, obviously waiting to be able to tease his best friend. He'd let them alone for a while though. They obviously needed it.

"She's just as in love with him, Gray," she chided with a gentleness that was uncommon but not unheard of for her.

"I know, but Natsu's never acted like he even likes girls. But, her? He can't seem to get enough of her!"

"But it's been 400 years for him and seventeen years for her," she reminded him. "The poor thing actually believed he was dead."

"I know that."

"Oh, poor baby!" came Mira's fawning.

"You saw how long it took the two of the to calm down enough to just TALK!"

"Yeah, I don't think we existed for a while..."

"Awww!" came several, decidedly female, voices.

The male dragon slayers had finally fully recovered, while Wendy continued to struggle. She was just as strong as Gajeel, she just didn't have the age to acclimate her body as quickly.

"That's why it's so much harder for her," Natsu explained to Lucy and Happy as they walked back to the guild. Though he wasn't sure she'd ever have transportation be as easy on her as the boys, not that it was easy on them either.

When they reached the guild, Gajeel kicked the doors opened in true Natsu fashion causing the guild to look up.

"Gihi!" as he jogged to his favorite girls' sides. Juvia just got him; they were best friends. But Levy was something else! He knew he was wrapped around the tiny woman's fingers.

Gray soon joined them to sit with Juvia. He still wasn't admitting he enjoyed her attention but never shied away from it. He just accepted her, never once telling her to stop.

Charle brought Wendy inside and sat her at a table with Cana, Erza, and Bisca where she soon finished her recovery.

Natsu came next. Floating above him was a blue Exceed that had a green backpack and a cute white belly.

Next to Natsu, holding his hand, was probably one of the most beautiful women they'd ever seen. Her golden hair fell to her hips and could've been mistaken for silk. She had curves for days with a small flat waist. She was just slightly shorter than Natsu. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the evening sunlight. Her white sun dress made her look like a proverbial angel!

"Yeah! WAY out of his league!" laughed someone, finally getting the blonde to blush.

Lucy was reintroduced to the guild, properly this time as Natsu had zero intention of joining any fights that might force him to leave her for any length of time.

With both hers and Happy's stamps put back in their original spots and the welcome party started.

Lucy and Natsu slowly relaxed as the evening progressed, but they were both still too anxious to leave the other's side.

The guild told their stories about Natsu, with Natsu having to explain how some of them were possible.

He explained most the important stuff, like him being a demon, with the promise that he would explain everything the next day. Honestly, he was just glad she hadn't freaked out.

He only mentioned his life span because someone opened their big mouth, which he promptly punched. He'd been hoping to tell her that later.

He purposely left out the part about her being his mate. It was no one's business but their own and she'd had enough excitement for one day.

He could tell she was distressed about his age and life expectancy, but knew he'd soon put her mind at ease.

**** Greetings, Y'all! I actually had to move some of the next chapter back into this one to help with the flow of the story. Go figure! Anyways! I hope y'all enjoyed this one. We've still got a good bit to go. I won't be able to get anymore in this weekend but I should have something by next weekend depending on how this week plays out. I'm going to be busy! Y'all be careful and have fun!