[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]

I meant to update much –so much– sooner, but my parents-in-law were here for a visit. I didn't end up having time to sit down in front of my computer like I had planned. Quick responses to a few reviewers as a thank you after the chapter. .M.

"I remember it. I do. It's there. I know it is because when I look at you, I can feel it. And- and I look at you, and I'm… I'm home."

- Dory [Finding Nemo] -

.02. The Intruder

The Crocus of his memory didn't disappoint. It bustled with hectic locals on their way to their respective businesses or homes, curious tourists who stopped at every shop window, and eager mages who chattered amongst themselves about showcasing their powers. Festive pennants and banners were hung between buildings, and they floated on the wind that moved through the labyrinth of streets. The city was alive with colour, scent, and sounds. The air itself vibrated by the sheer density of magic that filled the city as it prepared for the upcoming games.

Natsu blended into the crowd as he followed the tantalizing aroma of roasting chicken, his steps steady as his legs carried him down the cobblestone street. He was so mesmerized by the promise of a filled stomach that he didn't even notice where he was until he looked up to see the ornately carved Honey Bone Lodge plaque hanging above him. His eyes lingered on the sign, thoughts on food replaced by vivid memories. His lips lit his face with a joyful smile. Those were days filled with laughter and adventure. The memories flowed easily – of the droopy-eyed stripper and his nice enough non-girlfriend, of the boisterous drunkard and her challenges, of the knowing smile of the master, and of the peaceful smile that often graced his partner's lips whenever she watched their little family of rowdy misfits. He smirked as the image of him barrel surfing flashed in his mind's eye. It faltered as his stomach churned, his face turning a deepening shade of green as his equilibrium suddenly felt thrown. Natsu shook his head as if to physically remove the thoughts from his brain before the wave of nausea overtook his senses. It settled his stomach only briefly, and he swayed a little.

He took a deep breath, allowing the clean crisp air to fill his lungs to root him to the ground. Focusing above him, his eyes squinted against the brightness of the cloudless sky. He watched as a flock of birds flew overhead, disappearing over the steep rooftop of the inn. There was a brief flash of that memory – of how her body was heavy without life and of how his highly skilled dragon slayer senses could feel the coldness of death claim her warmth. He could still recall how her scent flattened as she exhaled her last breath, how the comforting sweet fragrance transformed to something mortally earthy. Natsu flexed his fists and his canines bit into the side of his mouth as he tried to push the nightmare away.

He gripped the edge of his hood and tugged at the fabric to ensure his head of pink was fully covered before continuing his wandering of the city. He forced the thoughts from his brain, unwilling to relive how he had failed those close to him. Natsu should have known; the signs were there. It smashed into him repeatedly when she was crushed and brutally tossed about like a ragdoll under that behemoth of a man on Tenrou Island. It tried to shock him into action when he helplessly watched her future saved her past during the Grand Magic Games. It was the big blaring alarm, but he had ignored it. He growled softly at his youthful self. Not for the first time, he decided it would be great if he could open the Eclipse Gate just to clobber some sense into his younger self. Natsu clutched at his bandaged arm. Ignorance was bliss, and it had cost him his father.

Lifting his nose, he took another whiff and latched onto the scent of roasting meat. He pushed back against the darkness that overwhelmed him with guilt and sadness, instead choosing to focus on a problem he could tangibly solve. Natsu's nose led him closer to the center of Crocus, a few kilometers from the palace gates. He glanced around, finding himself in the center of another large square surrounded by cafés and intimate restaurants. Small colourful tents were erected around the large fountain that stood in the center of the square, water cascading freely over the carved stone statues. Strolling from tent to tent, his eyes barely glanced at the wares that artisans were selling. He stopped in front of the food vender, his tongue instinctually moistening his lips at the sight of the darkly roasted turkey legs that were piled high at the ready. He tossed the man a few jewels and smacked his lips before taking a large and uncouthly bite. His teeth snapped through the skin and tore into the flesh, and the warm juices dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

Natsu turned, his eyes briefly glancing at the large fountain in the center of the square. There were several people out to enjoy the festivities. There were friends, family, and lovers who meandered throughout the square. His senses overheard some of the conversations, and he filtered them away as mindless chatter. Feeling out of place, he took another bite of his meal before moving to leave. From the corner of his eye, he caught the briefest flash of sun reflecting off golden locks through the gap between the fountain's statues. Natsu's body stopped, as it did every single time he thought he had caught a sight of her during his year away, and his breath stilled as he prepared himself for the disappointment when it proved to be some unknown blonde. He moved slowly towards the flash of gold and lifted his chin up as a breeze from her direction moved towards him. It carried the scent of honey and vanilla and her. Natsu let body move on its own accord as he tried desperately to control the bubbling excitement that threatened to overwhelm him. Her fragrance beaconed him, tugged at his senses, and pulled at his limbs to move. He stopped when he could see her, his eyes focusing on the woman sitting on the fountain's ledge. His mouth dropped as he took a sharp inhalation to fill his lungs. He could dissect her fragrance, though it seemed wrapped in something he didn't remember or recognize. The air tasted of Crocus and of her, and unabated excitement and happiness washed away the heaviness of isolation.

A fine mist from the cascading fountain water added a shimmer around her as the droplets were met by sunshine. She sat quietly, her legs crossed at the ankle to one direction and her knees pointed to the other. With her back straight and her shoulders back, she peered down at the leather-bound book on her lap. Her right hand maneuvered the pen in her grasp furiously over the page in elegant swishes. The skirt of her yellow summer dress brushed against the skin of her legs with each light breeze that touched her. A dark brown leather pouch remained firm against her hip, attached to the belt that wrapped around her waist. There was a small smile upon her lips as she wrote. The manic movements of her pen slowed until it stopped, and her nimble fingers began to lightly tap the pen onto the page. She tilted her chin up to the sky, causing her hair to cascade back as the sun kissed her face, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth. Her free hand moved up to place a hand on her bare collarbone to play with the thin golden chain that hung around her neck. The heart-shaped sapphire lined pendent hung just above her abundant chest, which was barely contained by the sweetheart neckline of her dress.

With his feet unwilling or unable to move, Natsu could only stare as she seemed to glow in the bright warmth of the sun. His eyes trailed to the lines of her slender neck, watching as her svelte fingers brushed the loose strands of golden hair behind her ear. His mouth dropped slightly at the movement, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. It had been a year since he had felt the softness of her skin, and the urge to brush his fingertips against the pale surface of her arm made his mouth dry. It dawned on Natsu that his memory had failed him. He had always known her to be pretty; one had to be blind not to see. But, were her expressions always so telling, her hair so bright, and her skin so flawless?

He moved towards her, dropping his unfinished turkey leg into the rubbish bin, as he tried to find the words for their reunion. The sight of her filled him with a sense of peace and of home, and he admitted it was a feeling he felt lacking during his solitude – though he chose not to dive too deeply into what it meant. Natsu focused his energy to his ears, blocking out the sounds of their surroundings, and he picked up the soft sound of a melody she was humming to herself. It was sweeping in its measure, slow moving yet steady in its rhythm. He had never heard it, but it soothed him as he made his senses focus on her and her alone. The sound of her vocal chords vibrating, the mere sight of her, and the very scent of her. Oh, the aroma of ink and paper and of honey and vanilla and of sweetness and comfort. Of home. The very fragrance of home.

When she opened her eyes and tilted her head back down to the pages of her book, his body stopped and he hesitated. She bit the inside her cheek as she scribbled down a few last words. She snapped the book closed and wrapped the thin leather binding around the cover and hugged it protectively to her chest as she tucked the pen behind her ear. Smiling as if satisfied, she stood and smoothed the back of her dress and quickly spun on her toes, her skirt wrapping around her legs to outline the curves of her body before unwrapping into a cascading flow. With elegant steps, she moved into the crowd as she walked away from the fountain.

Her disappearing form snapped Natsu back into action, and he followed the sway of her golden hair through the crowd. His eyes watched the flow of her hair as it moved from side to side. She had let it grow during his absence, and Natsu thought it suited her. He quickly noted that she seemed so at home in Crous, her strides carefree and steady as she maneuvered the streets easily. An impish smile slowly spread across his lips to light the mischievous fire in his eyes. Finally settling on a greeting, he began to move faster towards her, his steps quiet as he blended into the crowd that surrounded them. It would be good of him to surprise her; it would teach her to never drop her guard. Natsu surmised she would scream and react in that usual overly dramatic way. She would screech enough to rattle his eardrums until they felt like they were bleeding. He would let her try to beat him senseless for frightening the living daylights out of her – oh he would never be caught unawares by that kick ever again! – and then she would cry out with joy for his return. Natsu smirked. Oh, this was going to be fun.

He had missed teasing her so much, missed that incredulous look that flashed over her face whenever he did something she deemed "inappropriate" – whatever the hell that meant. He moved swiftly until he was within grasping distance. The scent of her strawberry shampoo hit his senses, and his fingers tingled in anticipation of grasping the softness of her skin. The grin on his face only grew as he prepared himself to grab the woman around her waist and hoist her into the air. Just like he had always done when he was home. Home in Magnolia. Home with her.

But before Natsu could even reach out to grab her per his master plan, she was yanked from his grasp and pulled to the side. The crowd stopped at the sound of her screeching and the chatter of passersby paused briefly at the commotion. His hands warmed instantly as he readied himself to come to her rescue. Not even twenty minutes of spotting her, and already he was saving her – the thought had a small smirk forming – how typical. The indistinguishable murmur of the crowd started again as people moved to continue on their way. Natsu frowned at the crowd's reaction as he moved in her direction but was stopped at the sound of her light laughter. His hands turned cold at the sight of her in the embrace of a man he didn't recognize.

The tall man towered over her as he held her leather-bound book in one hand positioned high above her head while his free arm was wrapped around her waist. Their bodies were flushed against each other, with the palms of her hands pressed over his chest. She looked up at him expectantly as her lips held a firm fake pout and her eyes smiled. He leaned over her to place a chaste kiss on her lips, turning her pout into a gentle smile under the push of his lips. She returned the kiss, pulling him into her as she deepened the kiss before pushing him away to wave a finger in his direction. "That wasn't very nice, Shirou!" she chastised. She tried to jump to grab her book, to the delight of the man who firmly kept his arm around her waist, but failed when he inched the book higher into the air.

Natsu's eyes darted between the two. He took a small step back to disappear into the crowd and tugged at his hood to hide his face. His gaze lingered on the stranger. The man was slender yet appeared strong, with piercing dark red eyes and spike-styled silvery white hair. He was dressed in a dark purple button down shirt and dress slacks. The dragon slayer frowned as his musk filled his senses, and he quickly recognized it as the scent that mingled with hers. The very discovery made Natsu uneasy.

Shirou chuckled lightly and winked at her teasingly. "I'm just trying to keep your senses sharp, you know."

She huffed. "My senses are just fine, thank you very much."

He laughed heartily at her response. He leaned his face closer to hers. "And how about I make it up to you with lunch?"

"Well, I'm not sure food is sufficient enough as an apology now," she teased back. Shirou lowered his head, allowing his lips to lightly brush against hers, and pulled back at the sound of her giggles. "Okay. I'm convinced, but you have to get me a milkshake."

Laughing, he lowered the stolen book. Shirou watched as she carefully took the book into her hands and pressed it to her heart. "You drive a hard bargain," he replied with a smile as he took her free hand into his to place it against his chest. He moved the hand over her bare arm to brush her hair from her shoulder and to slide the loose strands of hair behind her ear. When he was rewarded with her usual light blush, Shirou slid the arm around her waist to place a hand on the small of her back. He led her down the cobblestone street, unaware that Natsu followed quietly behind them.

He watched as Shirou reached out to entwine his fingers with hers. The pair walked hand-in-hand, their shoulders touching with each step they took. The shimmer of flaxen hair captured his attention, and Natsu watched as Lucy turned her head to look up at the man that smiled lovingly down at her. "I didn't expect you to be done at the palace so soon," she said.

The white haired man shrugged. "The princess just wanted confirmation on the schedule for the games. I can't believe the first day will begin in two days. Time really has flown. It seems like only yesterday that we had Grand Magic Games in Crocus."

Natsu caught a wave of sadness replace the expression on her face before she turned her head back to focus on the road ahead. He frowned at not being able to see her face, only noting the tense shoulders that kept her back straighter than normal.

Shirou had caught the reaction and he squeezed her hand. "Hey," he bumped her gently as he tried to distract her. "Are you training tonight?"

Her hair swayed as she nodded her head. "Yeah, but I'm free for dinner tomorrow if you're not too busy with last minute preparations for the games."

He smiled. "Dinner with the best looking and smartest woman in Crocus? How could I say no?"

She laughed as her momentary bout of sadness was pushed back into a dark corner of her heart. "Flattery won't make me forget that you owe me a milkshake with lunch." The man by her side only laughed as he threw an arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer to his body. "But, I appreciate the… distraction," she told him softly, her words vague but her tone telling. She turned her head to look at Shirou again, and they shared a knowing smile before they began to talk of the games.

Natsu's feet pulled him to a stop, and he helplessly watched them walk away. As the shimmer of her hair disappeared from his sight and the light fluttering sound of her voice blended into the crowd, he stumbled back as he lost his footing. He tried to push against the nagging feel that he had intruded on something private. His mind was blank as his legs began its slow trek to the Honey Bone Lodge, paying no mind to the people he bumped into along the way. The shade of his bangs and hood shaded his eyes as he kept his gaze firmly placed on the cobblestone road under his feet. When he reached the entrance of the lodge, he stared up at the sign as happy memories were lost to the heavy sense of loss that washed over him. He barely registered the shallowness of his breaths as he broke into a sprint away from the lodge's entrance. He moved quickly, taking a sharp turn down a dark alleyway between two buildings to leap between the walls until he reached the rooftops.

A numbing sensation filled his chest, and Natsu clutched at his heart as it sent a sharp pain through his muscles. He let his legs carry him swiftly from rooftop to rooftop, and he didn't care to hide the heaviness of his leaps as he landed on the wooden shake rooves. THUMP THUMP THUMP He ran to the beat of his heart as it raced his body towards the edge of the city. Natsu felt his long hair whip against his chin as he twisted his body in mid-jump, and he landed with a resounding bang on the last roof. The steep pitch had him sliding slightly, and he slowed his descent by dragging his hand haphazardly over the shake shingles, dislodging the nailed wood from the rooftop. When he neared the gutters, he leaped towards the branch of the giant oak tree and disappeared into the foliage. His body mindlessly leaped from branch to branch until he reached the clearing in the forest that lined the outskirts of the city. It wasn't until he landed in his makeshift camp by the river that he allowed the quiet in his mind to lift.

"You okay, Natsu?" piped the childlike voice that squeaked at his sudden appearance. "You look like you've seen a ghost." He tilted his head to the side as he took another bite of the fish that he cradled closer to his chest. "Uh. This place isn't haunted, is it?!"

The fire dragon slayer forced his eyes to focus on the blue fur that sat near a smile pile of fish bones. He blinked a few times as he stared silently at the exceed, whose face had started to warp into one of deep concern. Slowly, Natsu pushed a smile to his lips and he willed his voice up his throat. With effort to keep his voice smooth and his tone joyful, he let his mind choose the safest words for fear that the tightness in his chest would claim him. "I found Lucy."

FoeverAFairyTailLover159: Somewhat correct. Natsu was gone for 1 year, so this takes place after his training.

Amelia dragneel15: Thank you!

Doom Marine 54: Thank you for your trolling. While I didn't enjoy the negativity, the fact that you felt the need to comment meant you read it.

jfkkennedy: I certainly feel the same way!