I don't own Fairy Tail…I wish I do though..

Natsu was pissed. It was obvious…it's written all over his face. And for obvious reasons too. It was already 2 weeks after the Grand Magic games and so many happened. Everything finally started to sink in, even to him. Their disappearance for 7 years had brought drastic changes to their guild. Once called the leading guild in Fiore, Fairy Tail has been reduced to nothing but a shadow of its former glory…until they came back that is. After their return, Fairy Tail has regained it's most powerful mages and has been completely revived. And eventhough they're not the top guild anymore, nevertheless, the guild has become what is was before, a force to be reckoned with. But that is not what concerned him now. After all, Natsu was, and still, didn't like to think much..because he's stu- not, rather his thoughts focused on something other than the concerns of the guild. Or rather someone. Someone whos sitting a meter in front of him, and currently munching on her favorite strawberry cake. And she did not fail to notice it.

"Is there something wrong Natsu?" she stopped eating. He never looked like that unless it was something troubling him. He'd been like that ever since the Grand Magic games. 'Was it because of that Sabertooth guild?' she thought. They were strong indeed, but it's nothing to be concerned about. They are after all, an official guild and therefore, not a threat to Fairy Tail. But then so was Phantom Lord right? "Oh it's nothing really." that sounded more like a sarcasm than a proper reply. Now she's getting pissed.

"Oi Natsu, watch your mouth." yelled the ice mage sitting next to Erza.

"Just shut up and swallow your food, popsicle." he retorted.

"What did you say flame brain?" he whipped back, suddenly on his boxers already.

"I said SHUT UP AND SWALLOW YOUR FOOD. Or are you having hearing problems already?" he smirked which in turn popped a vein on Gray's head. He was ready to lunge him when he was suddenly stopped by someone, who was also pissed.

"Are you really going to do that, in front of me?" Erza simply said,with an addition of a death glare that sent shivers on both men. Suddenly there was silence and then, two gulping sounds. "Good, now sit, the both of you." After that's said and done Erza went back on the topic. Lucy on the other hand just ate silently, sweating. Though she's already used to it, she can't help but hold on for dear life everytime they fight, especially if they're just a few inches from her. She knew from personal experience how wild they brawl, and boy did she learn it the hard way.

"Natsu, has something been bothering you? You could tell us you know, maybe we could help." the stellar mage asked, she too was worried. "It's really nothing Luce." he tried to crack up a smile, which miserably failed. Lucy just put on a worried look and continued eating. However, Erza on other hand wouldn't let it go just like that. Afterall, they're a team right, they should be working together, solving problems together. And besides, Natsu is – "Natsu," she spoke in a commanding,yet worried tone. "Is there really nothing wrong with you?"she never should have asked that, again. Natsu was, afterall, not good with lies. He sighed, "Yes. There is something wrong." his eyes were serious, with no hint of reluctance. " What is it?" she asked. "You." came the short reply. "Wha-" her voice trailed off after the dragonslayer talked again, as if reading her mind. "It's about Jellal."

Yes, why didn't she think of that. Of course that was the reason. It really wasn't about the result of the games at all or even those 3rd generation dragonslayers. Heck Natsu could care less about those, but not when it comes to his comrades, his friends, and, she hopefully thought 'me'. But it did make her wonder though. Natsu knew too well that this person was no longer the madman he fought years back on the Tower of Heaven, so what could be the problem about him? 'Wait a minute, he just said his problem was me, and yet he said this is about Jellal?'' she looked at Lucy and then to Gray, and saw their confused looks. She too was confused, but realizing that there was someone waiting for a response she did not let her mind wander on anything, but one. 'Could it be, that he's jel- ah no!'' she mentally slapped herself. "What about him?" she continued, speaking normally, trying to hide her blush from her previous thought, while putting a piece of the cake on her mouth. She did not want to be found out. "You love him right? After all this time, you still do. So why, why aren't you doing anything?" Natsu was never really good at words, but if anything, he was blunt, precise. He hit it right on the mark, or so he thought. Erza was speechless. She never thought Natsu would put it like that. True she did love Jellal, even after he threatened her very life, her friends, Natsu, killed Simon and tried to kill himself because of self guilt, she still loved him. But as they say, there's always a limit as to how much you get hurt. It was the very reason she wore armor. She had to move on. To step forward and bury her painful past behind her. And it was Natsu who helped her do that. The Natsu who gave her a second shot at life, who never stopped looking up at her, believing in her. The man with whom she started to- "Even though he's free, he's still a criminal. What good would it do if I tell him that? The Council would follow him wherever he goes and would do everything to catch him, they might even target Fairy Tail because of that. It would just hurt us both, and Fairy Tail too. I can't risk it knowing that this guild could be disbanded just because of my personal feelings." she lied. That wasn't exactly the reason, but it was the only reasonable one she had. "So you want to sacrifice your happiness for us?" he asked, flatly. "Yes." she replied, sighing. And then Natsu, snapped. He couldn't take it anymore. He hated being weak. Hated being protected. By her. "Dammit Erza!" he yelled, while smashing both his fist on the table, shocking the three before him. Even the other mages stopped what they're doing to look at the commotion. "Why are you always doing that? Why are you always giving up what you wanted just because of us? Are we really that unreliable that you always had to look for us?" he said, panting. He was angry, not at her, but at himself. Even after the training given by Ultear, he was still weaker than her. He still can't- "DAMMIT!" Erza on the other hand, who thought otherwise, was terribly shocked. Her reasoning backfired, badly. She suddenly felt the urge to punch herself and wished she could take back the words she said. "N-Natsu , I-I didn't mean it like that!" She stammered. "I know that my decision for this is for the guild's sake, but that doesn't mean that you're not reliable!" the mages started gathering around them. "This very guild we're in, has endured every storm that came, every problem, every challenge, and even if we had hit rock bottom we had managed to come back to our feet. It's because we always banded together, never letting go of one another, always helping anyone who are in need! Natsu, this place…is not just a guild for me. This has been my home, and you have been the family that I never had. And I..I can't bear losing anyone, not anymore.." her voice trailed off. "I know for a fact that you feel the same way, right? After all, we are birds of the same feather." She cracked up a smile. Her voice was now clear. It was the truth and no lies. And yet-

"That's just the problem, Erza." he replied in a calmer voice. "Because you are part of my family, and a very important one." Her heart skipped a beat, especially at the last part. "That's why, I can't see you like this." he said while facing down at the table. "Erza, do really think we could be happy, knowing that we're the ones holding back your happiness?" his voice was shaking. Everyone fell silent, they didn't know what to say, even her. "Natsu, please stop it already. You do know how hard it is, even for her." Lucy was also on the brink of crying, tears welling up on her eyes. "Lucy's right Natsu, besides I really think it would better for her if that guy-" Gray's voice trailed off, as he was smacked to the floor by an angry Cana. "Read the mood, dammit. And wear your clothes." Everyone was worried, but they did not know what to say, or even dared to do so. "Go for it Erza!" Macao suddenly piped in, surprising everyone. "Yeah! Don't worry bout us!" Wakaba added. "We can very much handle ourselves." Fried said, smiling. Suddenly the whole guild started liven up, with everyone cheering the Scarlet Knight. She looked at her guildmates around her. If she hadn't been used to this, and truth be told that she had moved on with her life (but of course they didn't know that), she could've broken into tears. "Minna.." she then felt a pat to her shoulder. "You heard the guys, now go!" Natsu said, with that big, idiotic grin on his face. 'I can't believe I'm being persuaded into doing this, and to think this was all just a very big misunderstanding. I have to fix this though and fast, before I regret it. And besides it's about time I officially put a close to this part of my life, and start a brand new one, with them." she let out a small chuckle. "You guys, ah nevermind." she started walking through the door, "You better not regret this." she added. "The heck we are!" another one shouted. "Fairy Tail is used in making mistakes! And big ones too! Hahaha!" this time it's Natsu. "You sound like you're even proud of it, Natsu." Lucy just sighed at their fate. Well at least she's used to it. "But before that," Erza stopped just as she was at the door, "Natsu, are you and Lisanna going out?" she asked while looking back at the pink haired mage. There was an instant reply. "What has that gotta do with this?" Natsu retorted, his cheeks in a shade of red. "Oh nothing really. I'll be back in a day or two." 'And when I come back, I'll tell you everything, Natsu.' and then she was gone.

"Ah~, there she goes. Good job on that Nat-" Lucy looked back only to see Natsu at his previous position at the table, eating his hot steak (well it wasn't hot anymore). "su?" Gray, who just woke up from his concussion, went up to her. "What happened, did he manage to do it?" he was curious, to say the least. "Well, it was sort of a majority decision. She doesn't have a say on the matter." she chuckled, much to Gray's pleasure. "What?" she asked. "Nothing." he walked back to where Natsu was. "I didn't have a chance to say goodbye or good luck for that matter. Well whatever, as long as she's happy, right Natsu?" he grinned when he looked at him. "Of course, and if ever that Jellal hurts her again, I'm gonna beat the crap out of him, ten times harder." He smirked.

" Yeah me too. But before that Natsu, since Erza isn't here anymore," he stopped, and then launched a huge Ice Make Hammer on the fire mage's face, "let's continue where we left off shall we?"

" You bastard! That was playing dirty!" Natsu stood up, panting. He almost died of choking back there (he was currently eating when it happened, mind you.). "You should have been prepared. You never know when the enemy-" his voice trailed off, as he was smacked again behind the head, this time by Elfman "OTOKO DA!" he shouted while lunging towards Natsu, though suddenly cut short because he was blasted away by Gajeel "Guess it's party time! Gyaha!" Soon after, everyone joined, making the whole guild alive again, as if nothing happened. Lucy could only stare at them from behind the bar, terrified. "R-right off the bat eh?" she said, her eyes twitching. "This is after all, Fairy Tail." Mirajane replied , smiling as always. Lucy just facepalmed.

"A-ano, Mira-san, what's happening, everyone seems to be in high spirits?" a small voice spoke. "Oh Wendy-san you're back I see." she looked at the sky maiden. "It's nothing really. They're just doing what they do best." she added. "By best you mean being a bunch of idiots right?" Charle commented. "Aye! As expected of Fairy Tail, saiko da!" yelled the blue Exceed. "That wasn't a compliment you idiot!" Charle retorted, pissed. She just sighed in defeat as she saw Happy joining the rumble. "You guys are hopeless."

"But it's what makes Fairy Tail the best guild right? So happy was indeed right." Wendy smiled at her.

"By the way Wendy-san, how was the mission?" asked the white haired S-Class mage.

"Oh it wasn't that hard really, Charle and Happy did the most part and I just supported them from behind." She giggled.

"Is it just me or are those two a lot more closer than ever?" Mirajane wondered while looking at the two flying cats.

" They lllliiiiikkeee each other." Lucy rolled her tongue, and also giggled.

"Oh I almost forgot, Mira-san. I just saw Erza-san going out of the guild, she looked very happy." she remarked.

"Oh that, well let's just say it's because she's having a boyfriend." the white haired beauty just smiled, with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Wendy suddenly yelped. She wasn't ready for that.

Everyone at the guild was having so much at that time, bickering, drinking, singing, fighting, and more fighting, just like every other day.

They were so preoccupied that they didn't notice it, notice that there was someone that wasn't alright. But no one would've expected that, since that very person hid everything in that stupid grin of his. Until it was too late.

-the next day-

Silence. It filled the whole guild yet again. This time however wasn't because of an argument, but because of a cat. He was panting, very ragged, his body had bruises all over and his eyes showed signs of no sleep. He was shaking all over, while holding a crumpled paper on his paw.

"N-Natsu..." his tears started falling, "is gone.."

To be continued.

My very first fic. Hope you enjoyed =p.