I don't own Fairy tail

Enjoy!

"He'll live." Mokarov said, analysing the unconscious dragon slayer who was lying on a bed in the guild infirmary. The mages let out a sigh of relief.

Ever since they had managed to get Natsu out of the building, he hadn't stirred- even when they were on their way back to guild in 'the dreaded train' the dragon slayer hadn't moved or looked like he would remotely be sick.

After the train journey, the mages immediately rushed to the guild's infirmary where he was bandaged up.

"Is he okay?" Haru sprinted in the room with his friends close behind. The guild master nodded.

"He'll need rest- those drugs were nasty- but he will recover."

"Thank god." Tiki muttered, smiling slightly.

"I never thought that dude would actually be a dragon slayer." Myron said; his friends nodded.

"Though his magic suits him." Rinn said thoughtfully, staring at Natsu. There was silence again for a while as mages and non-mages watched the fire dragon slayer sleep. Haru smiled and turned away.

"It would be better if we leave." He said; the mages stared at him in shock, but Yuki was nodding.

"I thought the same." She replied.

"But why?" Lucy questioned, "Natsu sees you as his friends."

"We don't want to hold him back." Haru said simply. "I know that if we stay, then he will always be in two minds about what to do. Natsu's a great guy, and he deserves the best life there is- and it's not with us."

"Though I still expect him to be our fucking friend." Myron said, grinning. "Then we won't get arrested as often…"

"Fair point." Rinn agreed and began to walk out of the door.

"Is there anything I can do to persuade you to stay?" Master Mokarov asked, knowing the answer. The friends all smiled.

"Nah…" Mika grinned. "Never liked guilds anyway."

"Take care, anyway!" Lucy called out to them. They waved and closed the door quietly.

"They're nice once you get to know them." Gray noted.

"Thanks!" A amused cry said from the other room and it was followed by loud laughter.

-#!-#!-#!-#!

Natsu woke up a few hours after the friends departed, confused and weakened. Happy was the first to know; he had been at the dragon slayer's side ever since he had been moved to the infirmary.

"Natsu! You're awake!" Happy cried out joyfully and hugged him tightly. Natsu, still unsure about what was going on, looked around.

"Huh?" He muttered as he returned the exceeds hug slowly, wondering why it felt like his energy had been drained and his head had been whacked with a sledge hammer repeatedly.

"I'm glad you woke up!" Happy muttered, nuzzling his head into the slayer's chest. Natsu smiled and tickled the cat's ears.

"Hey Happy…" he looked around again, vaguely recognising the white walls and the scent of medicine. "I'm I…am I in Fairy tail?"

Happy nodded.

"You're in the infirmary." Happy leant closer to Natsu's touch, purring softly before continuing. "We had to get you here as quick as we could because…because it looked like…"

Natsu stroked Happy's fur; the exceed looked up at him and the dragon slayer could see his eyes glistening with tears.

"Hey…I'm okay now, alright?" He said softly and Happy smiled. "In fact, I'm actually starving…"

"Me too!" Happy had suddenly got back the appetite that he had lost a few days ago over Natsu. "Let me get something to eat!" Natsu grinned.

"What about some fish?!" He asked. Happy nodded eagerly.

"Yeah! I love fish!" The exceed answered and began to fly towards the kitchen, yelling: "Natsu's awake and I'm getting some fish!"

Surprised and happy yells came from various places around the guild, and Natsu soon found himself surrounded by all his guild mates.

"I can't believe that stupid cat didn't tell us!" Lucy muttered, glaring at the exceed.

"I wanded oo e ome ishhhh!" Happy answered back with his mouthful. He swallowed. "And Natsu wanted some fish as well!"

Natsu, with a plate of cooked fish on his lap, grinned at the mini argument.

"How are you feeling?" Erza asked, ignoring the tiny wrestling fight going on between Happy and Lucy.

Natsu hummed in thought.

"Tired. And my side hurts. Oh- and I'm thirsty." He answered as accurately as he could. Erza nodded.

"All you need is good rest." Mokarov said, walking to a space beside the dragon slayer. "And to make sure that you do, I'm putting you under a temporary mission ban until I think you are ready."

"Wha?" Natsu answered in shock. "But Gramps!"

"Stop whining, Flame-brain." Gray said, giving the dragon slayer a light punch on the arm. "You seem to recover in double the time of a normal person anyway."

"He's got a point." Gajeel said. Marsh rolled his eyes, but didn't argue.

"And we could solve your thirst by getting you some water." Wendy added.

"I'll get some from the bar." Mira-Jane said and exited the crowd.

Natsu looked around and, with a jolt, suddenly remembered his other friends- the ones that he knew when he knew nothing else.

"Wait…" He said, "Where are Haru and Mika and…"

"They thought it would be better to leave." Master said, sighing.

"Gone?" Natsu muttered. The guild master nodded.

"They said they would hold you back if they stayed." Erza said.

"I can see where they were coming from…" Natsu said after a small period of silence. "But I liked them…but they were also very distracting." The guild members silently agreed.

"It's not like you're going to forget them though, are you?" Lucy said, smiling. "They will always be your friends."

Natsu nodded and smiled.

"Hey Happy…Do ya wanna race to see how fast we can eat some fish?"

All the guild members facepalmed.

"I don't think that's a very good-"

"You're on!"

"-idea."

"Three, two, one: GO!"

-#!-#!-#!-#!

Like Gray said, Natsu did heal in double the time and was soon half walking, half stumbling around the guild hall again, ignoring any suggestions to go back to the infirmary.

Sometimes, a haunted look would flicker across the dragon slayer's face when no one or everyone was watching, and it would hurt Natsu's guild mates to know that there was still some things that Natsu hadn't revealed about what happened on the days after he got kidnapped. And they worried that those days would change Natsu from the one they knew.

But it didn't.

Maybe Natsu's eyes had more depth when they were looked in. But he was still the same Natsu: same appetite, same carefreeness, same immatureness- definitely Natsu. It proved how strong Fairy tail really was and how much they would look out for one of their own.

And just like that, everything fell back in place.

Finally, Natsu could go on missions again with his friends and wasn't nagged to stay in bed by an angry Erza. In celebration, Natsu accidentally set fire to the bar table and caused a fight with all the men in Fairy Tail.

Sometimes, Natsu would find his mind wondering back to the friends he had met which had left on the same day he had awoke; he would wonder whether they had caused more trouble, or whether Myron had done something else stupid. He never worried about them, just wondered.

-#!-#!-#!-#!

"Oi, Flame-brain! You're coming on a mission with us! Lucy needs to pay her rent!"

Natsu turned away from the drink he currently had in his hand, and looked over to where Gray was standing with his arms folded and (surprise, surprise) no clothes apart from his boxers.

"I'll come once you're dressed, Ice Stripper!" He yelled back. Gray growled as he noticed that he was almost naked.

"Hurry!"

"I'm coming, Pervert!"

"What did you call me, you idiot?!"

"You heard, Ice Princess!"

"That's it! You're dead!"

"Not if I beat you first- which I will!"

Soon fists were flying and furniture was getting broken.

And just like that, everything fell back into place.

The end!

Sorry if you don't like the ending...but it's all I could think of.

GRATSU FANS READ THIS!

My next story will be a Gratsu one and this is what it is about:

After a mission goes wrong, Gray is left stranded in the rain with a sick Natsu.

GRATSU!

And goodbye for now! Please review your thoughts on this idea if you are a gratsu fan. I will not listen to NaLu propaganda...