The group hug lasted an extremely long time, so long that it began to feel awkward. But nobody was ready to let go of Natsu, afraid that if they did their beloved guildmate might disappear again. Instead, they held on even tighter to make sure the feeling of him in their arms was real.

Eventually, it was an excited Romeo that broke through the content silence. He wriggled slightly and looked up at Natsu, his arms still wrapped tightly around the dragon slayer. "Natsu! You've been gone for so long, I missed you so much and I tried to train every day but it just wasn't the same without you! Why didn't you come back? What took you so long?"

The other members of the guild also looked at the dragon slayer, as they were wondering the exact same thing. Macao and Wakaba said nothing, they knew only the little bit that Natsu had told him, and the promise that he would explain everything when they had gotten back to Fairy Tail. They were just as eager as everyone else.

Natsu managed to wrench free one of his arms from the group hug so he could nervously scratch at his cheek. "Ah… Well, it's kind of a long story…"

"We've got time." Macao quickly interjected as he cringed the slightest bit.. "It's not like we have any missions to do…"

A few of the other guild members' faces scrunched up unhappily at the mention of their empty mission board, the only sign that there had ever been jobs were the few pieces of ripped papers still held there by push pins.

Natsu either didn't notice the sudden tension in the room or decided not to mention it. Instead he merely smiled and moved to sit in a comfortable position.

"Well… It was on Tenrou. Acnologia was there, and Gramps turned himself huge to fight and told us to run! He knew Acnologia would beat him, and so did we." Natsu growled and shook his head. "But I wasn't going to let that happen! I didn't want to lose him!"

"I pulled myself out of Laxus's grip and I ran over, I grabbed Acnologia's leg and told him to give Gramps back!"

The guildmates couldn't help but smile at the passion in Natsu's voice. They knew how much he loved the guild, so it didn't surprise them that he would stand up to the Apocalypse Dragon.

Then, like a sudden overcast, Natsu's face turned sad. "I tried to hold on, but that bastard threw me off. He sliced me with his claws and then…" His eyes squeezed shut and he cringed in pain. "I remember telling him that he would never be able to defeat Fairy Tail… And then he sent a blast straight at my face."

Shocked gasps erupted from the group of guild members, and they all found their eyes trained on Natsu's face. There were several stripes of blue scales that also appeared in random places on his body, and his eyes were black with blue swirls in random places; he didn't even have pupils anymore. It was unnerving to see their guildmate marked by Acnologia, but they were just relieved he was alive.

When Natsu didn't continue right away, they noticed that he was shaking and his expression was overcome with pain. It was Laki who was brave enough to reach out, placing her hand on his shoulder and giving him a comforting squeeze.

The dragon slayer smiled and placed his hand on top of hers, squeezing back to show that he appreciated the comfort. "After that… Well, I'm not sure what happened. I just know that the next thing that happened was that I woke up on the mainland… And…"

He shuddered again, and had to take another deep breath. "I realized that… The blast from Acnologia… He didn't just injure me, he blinded me."

Macao and Wakaba were the only ones who didn't react, having already known this. The rest of the guild, however, reacted with complete shock. Several of them dogpiled forward, staring towards the bizarre eyes in disbelief.

"What?!"

"No!"

"That bastard dragon!"

"Natsu, why didn't you say that sooner?"

Natsu seemed to retreat into himself slightly, his cheeks turning a slight pink. "I didn't know how to bring it up right away!" He turned his gaze downward. "But… That's why I didn't come back right away."

Romeo wrapped his arms around his big brother's figure, his eyes overflowing with tears. "Does this mean you can't do magic anymore, Natsu?"

Wakaba couldn't help it. He let out a bark of laughter. Instantly, almost the entire guild sent him a scathing look. He quickly held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's just, when we found Natsu, he was in the middle of beating the shit out of some dark guild members."

"Ha! You bet I was!" Natsu exclaimed with a grin. "They had taken over a village I ran into when I was on my way back. I kicked their ass then, and when they tried to fight me in Clover Town I kicked their ass again!"

Bisca frowned. "I don't understand. How did you manage to get all the way to Clover Town if you were blind? Did you have someone helping you?"

An eager chirping erupted as a brown blur landed on Natsu's chest. The guild found themselves introduced to Tree. He was a little brown lemur with large ears, green eyes, fur tufts on his cheeks and chest, and a long tail. He had dark black stripes all the way down his back and tail, and dark brown paws that looked like he had socks and gloves on. He settled on Natsu's shoulder and looked at them all curiously.

"I wasn't completely alone, I had this little guy with me! His name is Tree!" He scratched under the lemur's chin. "He and I became friends while I was in the forest, and he followed me when I left!"

Jet tilted his head and examined the lemur suspiciously. "Is he like… A seeing-eye lemur?"

Natsu laughed. "Not really! Sometimes he helped me notice something I hadn't, but the way I got home was using something else. I call it my 'magic sight'!"

"Magic what?" Droy echoed in confusion.

Alzack stared into the unseeing eyes. "How does that work? Does it make it so you can see again?"

The dragon slayer shook his head. "Not exactly… It's more like I can sense things around me, things with magic or a life force. Like… I know Wakaba and Macao are over there." He pointed directly at the two men. "But if it were something that is non-magic, it's harder to pinpoint. I still can most of the time, but my senses don't really focus on it, more like around it."

The guild stared at him dumbly for a moment, most of them not entirely sure how to picture what Natsu described. Then, out of nowhere, Romeo let out a gasp.

"Oh! So it's like a sponge! Your magic can soak into stuff like water! But if it's something like metal or something without magic, does the water or magic flow around it?" The young mage suggested.

Natsu grinned and ruffled the boy's hair. "Ha! Exactly, Romeo!" He proudly exclaimed. "Look at you, already smarter than everyone here!"

"Hey!" Jet snapped without any real malice. "Say that again, Natsu! Blind or not, I'll kick your ass!"

The dragon slayer laughed. "I'd like to see you try!"

Never one to deny a challenge, Jet suddenly lunged forward and tackled the pink haired mage as the other guild members scrambled out of the way, Tree scrambling to hide behind the bar.

Jet and Natsu tumbled on the ground, knocking into a surprised Max who crashed into Laki. The purple haired woman quickly spun around and roundhouse kicked the man. He flew into Droy, who landed on Alzack and Bisca. The couple quickly retaliated with blasts of their own magic.

It didn't take long for the brawl to include all the members of the guild, with tables and chairs thrown and dozens of types of magics crashing into the walls, ceilings, and floors. Even Macao and Wakaba got involved; The father playfully wrestling his son while Wakaba ducked behind the bar in a desperate attempt to avoid the plates thrown at him.

Perhaps as the Guild Master Macao should have stopped the chaos sooner, or told them all to be more careful, but he couldn't find the heart to. He would let them have this, because it was the happiest he had seen his guild (the happiest he had felt) in a long time.

Eventually the brawl came to an end once everyone had worn themselves out, which didn't take as long as usual. No one would admit it, but the depression that many guild members had been feeling because of the loss of their guildmates made it hard to find the energy to train, so many of them were out of shape.

Once they all stopped panting from over-exertion they got to their feet and put the tables and chairs back, made sure everyone could sit close together, and helped Kinana drag up some wine barrels from the cellar. It was one of the few things they hadn't sold to make ends meet, but rarely indulged in.

"We can have some tonight, though." Macao had firmly declared. "We have to celebrate Natsu coming back somehow."

Eventually everyone sat down with some freshly poured wine (Except Romeo and Bisca, who both had fruit juice). Kinana made sure to inform Natsu where his cup was so he could easily find it, and he eagerly indulged in the liquid. For a while, it was silent, as if nobody knew exactly what to say.

Once his cup was empty, it was Natsu who broke through the tension. His hands ran across Tree's back, the lemur curled up on the table, with a noticeable shudder. "Is… Is the guild really doing that bad?" He asked.

Macao felt the heat of embarrassment as his cheeks turned a red color. He felt a little guilty for being glad that Natsu was blind, as then he couldn't see how pathetic the guild hall really looked. "I… Yes, it has been…"

"It's been really hard." Alzack ran a finger along the edge of his mug, while Bisca gently comforted him with a hand on his shoulder. "It felt like we didn't even have a chance to mourn you guys. We were trying so hard to keep the guild alive, but with all of you gone, nobody really thought we were worth the hassle."

Reedus stared down at his sketchbook and sighed. "The missions disappeared and so did the money. None of the other guilds would help, nobody wanted to hire us. Without the strong members of our guild, we were worthless."

Suddenly, Natsu bristled and narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean? What do you mean by 'strong members?'"

The guild suddenly felt like they were all children, being asked by their overworked parents about a drawing on the wall. Somehow, despite just returning after a year, Natsu was giving off the same scary aura that Erza often did.

"W-w-well… It's just, all of you who went to Tenrou, you all were the top members of the guild…" Warren squeaked out nervously. "A-and so when you all were gone, nobody wanted to deal with the weaker members and-"

Natsu jumped to his feet, standing above all of them on his chair. "Listen, I don't know who said that stupid stuff to you guys, but you should never have listened to them! They had no right to call you weak, you are all crazy strong in your own ways!"

"Not as strong as you…" Vijeeter muttered quietly, but Natsu heard them anyway.

He turned towards the source of the sound. "You wanna know how I became strong? Because I worked for it! I didn't just give up, I always kept trying! When I woke up blind, I almost gave up, but I kept going for myself, for you guys! And you're stronger than you think!" He motioned around them. "You guys are still here, even after most of the guild vanished. You could have given up, called it quits and joined some other guild. But you didn't! You're fighting and surviving against all odds, that's what makes you strong, that's what makes us Fairy Tail!"

"Yeah!" Romeo stood up on his chair as well, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I don't care what those other stupid guilds think! I'm going to train hard, and show them how strong I am! They'll regret ever underestimating Fairy Tail!"

A ripple of enthusiasm rushed through the guild mates. It had been a difficult year, but the sight of such genuine optimism from their long-lost guild mate made them wonder if it was possible to rise up from their rock bottom.

"I'm sure that Natsu's return will be noticed soon enough, especially after that fight in Clover Town…" Wakaba scratched at his chin. "If that's the case, I'm sure we should get new missions soon!"

Nab made an excited noise. "Yes! And if we start training and take these missions, everyone will start to hear about how Fairy Tail is making a comeback! We'll show them all just how strong we've always been!"

A loud cheer erupted through the small building, with all the guild members raising their glasses in a toast at their newly found encouragement.

"We'll make everyone we lost proud of our progress!" Bisca declared happily, and then suddenly sobered. "It's… I think it's what they would want."

Another silence fell over the guild, as they found themselves once again thinking about their old guild members. They all knew that no matter how many years passed, they all would still miss their lost family with all their hearts.

Still standing on the table, Romeo turned his wide eyes towards Natsu. "Do you think that… Maybe the others could have survived like you did?"

The whole guild focused on Natsu again, watching as his blue and black eyes narrowed in thought. He ran a hand through his shaggy pink hair and hummed. "Well… I'm not sure. I don't even know why I survived, if it was because of my dragon slayer magic or something else, but…" He gave a soft grin. "It sounds strange, but… I just have this feeling, like they are out there somewhere… Like maybe someday, we'll see them again."

Macao and Wakaba watched in awe as the guild seemed to grow even more optimistic, just from the softest words of hope from their resident dragon slayer.

"And, whether or not they end up coming back, we should all still do our best to get strong and be the best guild in Fiore!" Natsu continued loudly, his voice powerful and determined. "It's okay to be sad, I miss them too. But they wouldn't want us to fall apart, they'd want us to live on for them. We should live our lives and be people they would be proud of! Then maybe one day, if they do come home, we can show them just how far we've come!"

Loud, excited cheers erupted from the guild as they all began to grow even more excited. Chatter echoed through the room as they all began to discuss their plans for the future, and how they would become stronger.

"I'm going to actually take missions more often!" Nab declared.

Jet leaned against his partner and wrapped an arm around him. "Me and Droy will start working out again and doing duo missions!"

Romeo jumped up on his chair. "I'm gonna get my guild mark!"

Bisca took her husband's hand into hers, placed her hand on her stomach, and smiled. "Me and Alzack will make sure the future is bright!"

"Maybe I could try to learn some magic!" Kinana suggested softly, as if she was afraid of getting rejected, but her idea was met with excited cheers.

As more and more members began to proclaim what they would do, the little celebration morphed into a true party. Despite having no funds for a true celebration, everyone still found a way to make it work. They danced, shared the wine sparingly, and chatted eagerly amongst themselves.

Wakaba chuckled as he watched, chewing on the end of his cigar. "Natsu's changed since we last saw him, hasn't he?"

"Hm?" Macao looked up from his wine.

The brown haired man leaned against the bar and motioned to where Natsu was chatting with Bisca and Alzack. "He seems to have grown a lot. It's only been a year, but the kid seems to have become wise beyond his years."

Macao looked at the dragon slayer. "It suits him." He rubbed his chin in thought. "And I can think of something else that might as well."

The blue haired man pushed himself off the bar and walked over to the group. As they saw him coming, Bisca and Alzack stopped talking. Seemingly sensing him, Natsu turned to face the direction he was approaching from.

"Natsu…" He began, feeling the need to announce himself. "You've done what I couldn't do for a year… You brought back hope to this guild, and I'm very thankful for that. That's why… I want to ask you to take over as the Guild Master."

Anyone within listening distance quickly turned to face Macao with wide, shocked eyes. Others quickly noticed the silence and spun around to see what was going on as well. Except for a few shocked whispers, everyone was silent, waiting to see what Natsu would say.

The pink haired mage looked genuinely surprised. He shuffled his feet and ran a hand through his pink hair, and then after what felt like an eternity finally made his decision.

"No."

A ripple of disbelief flew through the guild, and Macao's jaw dropped in shock. "What?! Why not?! Is it about the paperwork? I can help you read it!"

"No, no it's not about that!" Natsu quickly interrupted as he lifted up Tree and cradled him against his chest. "I just don't want to. Being a Guild Master… I just don't think it's right for me. Maybe in another life, but not this one."

Macao visibly deflated, his eyes shining with desperation. "But… Natsu, please. I…" He motioned to the guild. "Look at this! You made everyone happy, everyone is so excited and they all want to try and build the guild back up. You did what I could never manage to, you should be the guild master, not me! I can't do anything right!"

Natsu frowned and shook his head. "Hey now, that's not true. Macao you're being too hard on yourself! Weren't you the one who was just in Clover Town trying to get help from the other guilds?"

"And weren't you the one who always tried to get Romeo to smile, even when he was having really bad days?" Wakaba called from the bar.

Laki raised her drink and motioned to the other girls. "You found the funding to keep the Fairy Hills open for as long as you could!"

More and more people spoke up. They talked about Macao being a shoulder to cry on, someone to look up to, someone who they knew they could count on. Each and every encouragement only made the man want to cry even more.

It ended up being his own son who broke the dam. The young boy took his hand, and looked up at him with a smile that his father dearly missed. "Dad, you're a good leader. Because even though you were sad like us, you always did your best!"

Macao shuddered "You guys…" He rubbed his eyes and sniffled. "I love you all so much!"

It took him a bit to calm down, probably because it was the first time in a year that Macao had truly allowed his emotions to break free. When he finally began to breathe correctly again, Bisca handed him a handkerchief that helped him to compose himself.

Once he had wiped away the tears and snot, he noticed the attention was still on him. He sighed, and then smiled. "Alright, alright. You've all made your point. I'll remain as the Guild Master."

"YES!" Several guild members cheered at the same time.

He quickly raised his hand. "But, Natsu… I meant what I said. Whether you believe it or not, everyone looks up to you. You helped people have hope again." He placed his hands on the young man's shoulders. "If you don't want to be the guild leader, how about you join Wakaba as my advisor?"

Natsu once again looked surprised, but after some thoughtful noises, he smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Alright, Macao! I accept your offer!"

Another round of cheers ran through the guild, and the party continued on even harder than before. They celebrated Natsu's return, his new position, Macao remaining as the guild master, and the memory of their old guildmates who they secretly hoped may return one day.

Their celebrations lasted so long into the night, everybody ended up just staying at the guild hall, and sleeping together in a giant pile. Nobody said it out loud, but they all slept easier knowing they were with their family.

In the middle of the pile, Natsu sat quietly with a peaceful expression on his face. He could feel the magic of everyone around him, and the constant reminder of their presence filled him with a comforting feeling. It helped him remember that he was back at Fairy Tail, he was home.

He closed his eyes, and imagined his missing guildmates. He wondered if they were okay, if his idea that they were alive was unfounded or not. Could they be out there somewhere? All he could do was hope.

"Don't worry, you guys…" Natsu whispered in the silence of the guild hall. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise, I'll be here to take care of our guild, no matter what happens."

With a smile, Natsu allowed himself to lay down as he hugged Tree close. Enveloped by the comforting feeling of his guildmates- his family -around him, he allowed himself to drift off into slumber.