A year had passed since the fire and everything was torn from Natsu. He was in what Old Man Ojii said was called physical therapy to try to get some strength back in his left arm and legs. It had been slow going for the most part. Natsu was now able to pull himself along with crutches that were strapped to his arms and heavily padded. Walking hurt his bones, so he couldn't walk for long periods of time.

Zeref left Old Man Ojii's place for school and went out somewhere. He would come home sometimes but he never talked to Natsu when he came home. The last time Natsu and Zeref had a conversation was when they went to the grove. A year ago. Natsu had no idea what he had done wrong. He desperately wanted to show his big brother that he could kinda walk now. He had a little control of his right eye. He could grip stuff with his right hand.

Natsu was lost in thought when he heard shuffling footsteps outside of the door. He got himself situated on his crutches and limped awkwardly to the hall. His big brother was standing in front of the door. His ivory black hair with the tuff was still just as soft as when Natsu had last seen him. His gentle ivory eyes looked so fondly into Natsu's mix-matched ones like he hadn't just not talked to Natsu for a whole year.

"I see you can stand," Zeref said so nonchalantly.

"Cut the crap, where the heck were you?! You've not talked to me for a whole damn year!" Natsu yelled angrily.

"I know, but there are some people I want you to meet. I think they'll be good for you. I know there's at least one that you'll get along great with." Somehow Natsu thought he wouldn't get along with the one that Zeref mentioned.

"Fine, but let me get my chair and extra crutches just in case 'cause I don't know where you're takin' me." Natsu explained, "And I'm still mad at you asshole!" He yelled.

Natsu awkwardly shuffled back to his room. The small space was messy, the few clothes he owned were sprawled around on loose furniture, a small chair with an I.V. standing next to it was on the far side of the room and a nightstand next to his bed with a sprawl of medicines to ease his chronic pain. He grabbed his other pair of crutches and the new padded wheelchair that he had recently received and struggled back outside. Stupid Zeref doing stupid Zeref things.

xXx

Zeref led Natsu through a thick forest, lined with a new type of willow that Natsu had never seen before. It had small pink flowers at the end of each stem, unlike the ones he had grown up around that had large leaves and no flowers. Zeref was pushing the wheelchair to help Natsu out but failed to notice that he was about to pass out. This was the longest he had ever walked in the year since the initial injuries. His right foot was pointed inward with no hope of healing it, but what else was new?

"We are almost there Natsu," Zeref said, still not noticing that Natsu was on the verge of collapse and could not go much longer. The brothers walked another mile at least before entering a field. Maples and flowering trees scattered around the space.

"Here," Zeref said, finally looking back. Natsu was pale, almost ghost white as opposed to the normal tan skin he had.

"Is that Zeref?" A young girl around seven said. She had short dark purple hair with blunt bangs. "Is that your younger brother that you were talking about? He looks like he's about to pass out." The girl said cutely.

"Nice to see you too, Wendy. This is Natsu, my younger brother who looks like he desperately needs to sit down." Zeref rushed over to Natsu and held him up, the salmon-haired brother subsequently passed out immediately in his arms.

…

"So…"

"Natsu…burns"

"He's waking up!" The young girl exclaimed.

"Hgh…"

"G'mornin' sleeping beauty," A black-haired boy with piercings and what looked like a peachy personality remarked.

"Who'r you~" Natsu slurred, still slightly out of it.

"Gajeel, learn the name," the boy said cockily, "Why the hell did you pass out?"

To be honest, Natsu didn't know either, the pain had gotten so bad that his body just collapsed in on itself. The burns on his right side ached and his bones did too. The salmon-haired boy tried to stretch only to be met with discomfort. Zeroed noticed the small wince that Natsu made.

"No clue, just kinda happened. I'm Natsu by the way," thinking about it, the young boy realized at least the purple-haired girl realized it. He was surprised to realize that all of the children knew who he was already. How much has Zeref been talking about me? A blond-haired boy approached Natsu warily, not wanting the salmon boy to jerk that much. He had a small scar over his right eyebrow, blond wild hair, and a tan shirt.

"Sting. Nice to meet you, Natsu. Zeref talked a lot about you," the boy- Sting- explained. "The girl over there is Wendy and the buzz-cut over there is Rouge, we are dragon slayers in training." At least there are no actual dragons around here, right? Natsu tried to stand up with the help of his older brother. His ears ringing from the strain. Wendy apparently brought over the wheelchair that the older Dragneel pushed to the area. He sat back down with a small 'oof' and settled into the rolling chair. Upon noticing that. Natsu was comfortable, Wendy pushed him along, making sure to stay on the side so that Natsu could see her. The young boy was quite grateful for that actually, a gesture that not even Zeref did. It reminded Natsu of what Mr. Ojii would do. The entourage pushed further into the clearing until they entered back into the thick maples. Natsu looked around curiously with his only available eye, owls looked at the small group with equal curiosity as the young boy. Birds flew overhead with soft noises to fill the silence, small bunnies scurried along the way. Natsu turned his head to see the young girl smiling at him.

"It's beautiful out here. I've lived here for as long as I can remember but evenings are still so stunning. The animals, the sunset, the trees, it's all so lovely," her voice was so chipper and soft like she was such a small girl with the wisdom of the great sages of Heliopolis.

"Do you know where we are going? Considering you're the one pushin' me and all." Natsu questioned with dripping sarcasm.

"Home," was her answer. Natsu just nodded his head and moved on. Tiredness suddenly clouded his mind and overwhelmed all other senses. He closed his eye, overwhelmed by darkness invading his senses.

He didn't know how much time had passed since he fell asleep but he was awoken by loud voices. One was a raspy woman's voice that also sounded wise. Another voice rang out, deep and so strong.

"It looks like the young one whom I'll be teaching is waking up, hahaha!" The strong male voice said. As Natsu continued to open his good eye, the voice's owner came into focus. A red muzzle with black diamonds, a large red head and body, and rows of sharp teeth. A dragon.

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of this story, I really cannot thank y'all enough. School started back up so updates are gonna be really slow and it doesn't help that I have commitment issues. Feel free to suggest changes and light criticism, but please be nice about it. God bless!