Okay, my first attempt at Fairy Tail fic. Though Im accepting all kind of corrections you might give me.

I dont really intend to make this romance fiction, but there may be times where I need couples to spice up the story, so Im warning in advance that the main couples would probably be Zeref/Mavis and Natsu/Gray

This fic got inspired by awesome work of elf07 called Strange Bonds and Strange Family, two stories which you absolutely must read if you like Zeref/Natsu broship!

Lastly, I dont own Fairy Tail and even if I did I would give it to elf07 knowing im just amateur :D

Anyway, Enjoy! (I hope)

Its been a year.

A year since the guild got disbanded.

A year since she saw anyone from Fairy Tail.

Looking down the arena on the victors of this years Grand Magic Games, Lucy couldnt help but feel dissapointed. The Skull – something guild was one of the weakest she has seen, but since Fairy Tail wasnt joining GMG, all other guilds like Lamia Scare or Blue Pegasus refused to participate.

She sighted, Lucy heard Jacob saying in the background something about how she could guess the result but she paid no mind. After the official announcement and award for this no. 1 guild in Fiore, Lucy went straight home.

Even though the road was filled with people excited about GMG, she felt so alone. Her apartment was still the same one, but without Team Natsu barging in every second, it just didnt feel the same anymore. Not even the people on the ship near her home which would always tell her to be careful or how she looked beautiful were there anymore.

Somehow lost in her thoughts she arrived at the door of her apartment. Unlocking it, she immediately felt the emptiness of the room. No matter how many times she got dissapointed, Lucy always hoped that Natsu would be there somewhere, asking whats wrong.

She though she got used to it, but with GMG, the silence was overbearing for her. Putting away her things Lucy went to take a shower and hoped that warm water will help her a little from the stressful day. Opening doors into bathroom, undressing and getting into shower, she turned on the water and started to lose herself in her thoughts again. GMG just brought too many memories for Lucy, how she was kiddnapped, how was she saved by Natsu again, how they fought with the dragons and future Rogue…

So much for forgetting that over hot shower. Then again, she never wanted to forget these things entirely, since they were the best times of her life.

Turning off the water and wrapping towel around her body, she went into her room and looked up at the spider web of photos and pieces of newspaper tangled together by strings. Photos of her friends, and information about their whereabouts. She knew where everyone were – everyone - except Gray with Juvia and Natsu.

Natsu left for training before the guild was even disbanded, Lucy wondered how would he react if he got this kind of cruel reality thrown at him. Would he be sad? Would he be mad? And she couldnt even explain since no one knew why Master disbanded Fairy Tail in the first place.

Her train of thought was however interrupted when someone knocked on her door. Pondering if she was supposed to expect some visit today (yet couldnt think about even one), Lucy went to open the door only to be surprised to see Levy from the new Council on her doorframe.

„Levy-chan!" Lucys face instantly lit up from seeing one of her friends, and she went to hug the blue haired girl, well, that is until she noticed that certain raven haired dragon slayer was right behind her and Lucy froze in her place with her hands outstreched for the hug. She squaked and instantly backed away a little. No matter how long she knew Gajeel, he will always look scary to Lucy.

Noticing this, Levy gave her an apologetic smile. „Long time no see Lucy!" she heard Gajeel mutter something behind her but paid him no mind, since this was still a friendly reunion.

Gajeel grumbled as the two girls went inside the house, getting comfortable on the sofa with tea already somehow prepared, talking about what happened past year and after a while of seeing the oh so happy scene, he coughed, getting their attention. Lucy looked annoyed, though Levy suddenly wore a serious expression.

„Oh! Right, I forgot why we came in the first place…hehe…" Levy scratched the back of her head trying to hide her embarassment that she got lost so easily from their goal. „Lucy! We found out where Gray with Juvia are!" Lucy choked on her tea and smashed her hands onto the table, not too loud so it wouldnt look agressive.

„Really? No way! I was checking up the newspaper the whole time and never heard even of any trace of them!"

Levy smiled. „Well, lets just say its one of Councils advantages…" she trailed off, and the blonde gave her a curious look. „You see, it seems he had an undercover mission in one of the dark guilds, but this guild is trying to murder a whole village in Malba with huge army and we came to ask for help."

„Huh?"

„So basically…" Gajeel joined the conversation, not being able to stay here any longer since he knew that if he looses too much time he could miss out a good fight. „…pack your things up and meet us at the northern outskirts of town in two hours." He demanded.

Lucy nodded even before her mind started proccessing what have actually happened here but once she realized that she was going to se one of her best friends she couldnt help but cheer, completely forgetting about the fighting little detail.

After she packed up, however, she didnt forget to bring few letters adressed to her other guild mates that she intended to send for a long time now.

(Huge time-skip until after the battle, since I was lazy to write all that, since I gave warning for the spoilers I suppose you all read this chapter in manga, if not, go and read it damn! :D)

„Yo, Lucy!" the said blonde turned around and saw none else than Gray Fullbuster, waving at her with Juvia following him like stalker she always was, coming her way. She couldnt help but smile, thinking that not that much has changed over the past year.

„Huh? Flame brain isnt with you?" he looked surprised that his rival wasnt with Lucy, especially on such occasion as a fight with dark guild. Lucys mood dropped a little, and she allowed herself to wear sad smile, swearing she heard words „Love Rival" somewhere along, Lucy wanted to answer soon, though it took her mouth a while to stop just opening and closing without real reason till finally a sound came.

„No, Natsu left a letter that he was leaving right after Tartaros happened, I bet he doesnt even know the guild got disbanded yet."

„What?! That bastard…!"

„Calm down Gray, after all he saw Igneel die right before him, not being able to do anything, I think on his place I would want to get stronger also." Lucy reasoned.

Gray just scoffed and made his way to Gajeel and Erza, being surprised that its the real Gajeel which is actually member of the Council, causing Levy to be mad just a little, accidentaly he also somehow started a fight with Gajeel, while all others started laughing.

And just for that moment, it seemed like the guild was back, like if the disbandment never happened.

On the way back to Magnolia they all chatted what happened past year, including Juvia bragging to Lucy about how she was living along with her Gray-sama and so on and on and on….

Gray and Gajeel were talking about new moves they learned, while Levy talked, or rather tried to talk with Lucy about random stuff, cause Juvia kept interrupting them with her praises about how Gray mastered his Devil Slaying magic.

And just out of habit, when they arrived in Magnolia, they walked towards the place that theirs guild used to be.

But instead of silence and ruins, they were welcomed with loud cheers…and ruins.

It seemed that the letters Lucy sent before their department reached everyone except S class mages and Natsu, since all were there thanking her and bringing their own ideas on how to rebuild the guild this time. Lucy could just stare at them teary eyed while her hands covered her mouth to hide her sobbing. Erza tried to comfort her by putting her hand on Lucys shoulder, saying that this was Fairy Tail after all, a guild which never gave up, no matter how many times it was brought down.

After promoting Erza as the new guild master, and bribing her with a cake, Doranbolt – or Mest it was now? Whatever. Anyhow, he came to Team Natsu (Without the leader or Happy present of course) and asked for Erza to follow him alone. Of course, it wouldnt be Team Natsu if they ever listened to something someone said, and so, out of curiousity, they followed both Erza and Mest down the stairs, where a secret deep down below the guild was hidden.

After hearing his explanation of why Master disbanded the guild they decided that they will go save him to Alvarez as infiltration mission and fight back, protecting Lumen Histoire no matter what. They will win this war, there was no other option for Fairy Tail than winning.

So on Erzas orders they departed, leaving the rest to rebuild the guild by themselves.

Little did they know that one dragon slayer overheard them.

„Tsk, infiltration mission huh?" he muttered to himself and looked over his shoulder, „Oy shrimp,…"

„Dont call me that!"

„…we are going for that lighting bastard, whatever his name is!"

„Huh?"

(Meanwhile somewhere in Alvarez Empire)

„Your Highness…" an old man with wooden staff, named Yajeel, came to another man who was standing by the window and wore a black coat.

„…His Majesty wants to talk with you."

„Again?" the man in black coat asked, looking over his shoulder on Yajeel, causing his salmon hair, illuminated by the dawn light, to flutter. „What did Acnologia break this time?"

The older man couldnt help but chuckle. „Its nothing like that this time, or so I hope since I havent heard any complains…" Yajeel trailed off. „Im pretty sure its about that, you know?"

„Oh, Im coming then" the salmon haired boy walked past him and went upstairs to find his brother.

Okay thats the first chapter, please tell me if I should keep going or this is just crappy trash :D

See ya!