Vol1/Chapter07/Safe

## Summary

Natsu wakes up in Fairy Tail's infirmary with Porlyusica. He is informed that he has been unconscious for several days. Porlyusica reassures him that his magic is still there even though it is weak at the moment.

The dragon slayers enter the infirmary and visit with Natsu and he is concerned that they will see him as weak for what happened to him. The dragon slayers act protectively towards him and he is happy to realize that they think of him the same way as he thinks of them, as family.

Sting tells Natsu that his magic has been absorbed as well.He shares that he got to have sex with Minerva and wants to know who Natsu got. Natsu is embarrassed that all the dragon slayers seem to know what is required for Tiamat to absorb their magic and does not answer.

Natsu remembers the words that Gray said to him as he was beating him. He expresses frustration with his current situation. He has been in love with Gray for years but he has resigned himself to the friendship that they currently have. However, his feelings are now confused because of the events of his captivity.

Worried about the possibility of being mated to Tiamat Natsu asks the other dragon slayers what they know about mating. He tells them that Tiamat claimed him as her mate as a way to get revenge on Igneel. He relates the story that Tiamat told him while he was captive and how she gave him the solution to induce his heat. He also asks them about what it means to be a submissive dragon although none of them were familiar with the term.

Laxus tells Natsu of his reaction towards Gray when he woke up at Lamia Scale and Natsu does not remember any of it. He is heartened to know that Gray was holding his hand while he was out but he quickly chases the thought away in lieu of panic. He'd had no intention of telling Gray any part of his doppelganger's role in his torture and rape. He worries that with Gray's penchant for guilt he would have no choice but to talk to the ice mage about what happened to keep him from doing something stupid.

The dragon slayers all tease him about finally being defeated by Gray and he becomes defensive until he realizes that they are just teasing him.

Porlyusica listens to Natsu tell the dragon slayers about Tiamat giving him a solution to induce his heat and wonders why she would bother to do such a thing just to absorb his magic. She remembers something else Natsu had mentioned and decides to run a test on him.

The dragon slayers explain how he had gotten to Fairy Tail. They tell him that Makarov is keeping his team from visiting him because he's worried it might traumatize him. As an image of Erza covering herself in his bloods comes to mind, Natsu realizes that Makarov is right.

Wendy asks him if he wants to talk about what happened, she lets him know that they know that the shape shifter had used his team members to torture him. Porlyusica kicks the dragon slayers out of the infirmary, excepting Gajeel and Wendy, so that Natsu can get some rest and she can run her test.

Laxus makes his way to the Guild Library to inform Makarov that Natsu woke up. Levy, Freed and Lucy are there reading through the books that had been retrieved from the Penta Dragons headquarters.

Makarov asks whether he had said anything that would help them decipher Tiamat's message to Lyon and they spend some time trying to figure out what it could mean.

Laxus tells them that Tiamat has claimed Natsu as her mate and Gray immediately begins to ask what that means but Laxus has no clear answer to give him.

Porlyusica enters the library holding a vial. She is angry and tells them that Natsu is pregnant and Tiamat is after the baby.