Upon Kayla's return, the guild had a huge celebration, and then after the celebration, most of the girls in the guild went to the Hot Springs, unfortunately they dragged Kayla along.

"Come on, Newbi— Kayla! After the day you've had you need to relax." Everygreen said, ushering Kayla towards the changing rooms.

"Evergreen— The best way I can rest is in my apartment! I can't—"

"Come on, don't be shy! Even Wendy joins us in the Hot Springs."

Kayla kept pushing back, a tight smile on her face as she tried to come up with a plan. She could easily overpower Evergreen, though a small part of her actually wanted to join the other female members of Fairy Tail.

"Aw man! Hot Springs!" A voice shouted out and beside the two mages Natsu marched into the boys changing room, some of the other male members of the guild, most of them already shirtless.

"I still don't know why you dragged me along." Laxus scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Because you're a member of the guild, Laxus." Gray said.

Kayla was staring at Laxus, her cheeks warming up as she saw his bare chest, she looked up and met his eyes. Her face got even redder as he gave her a smirk, and she could swear that Evergreen would hear her heartbeat. Though it seemed the older mage didn't notice anything— or she didn't say anything if she did— and instead used the moment of Kayla's distraction to push the Dragon Slayer into the changing rooms.

"All right. Get undressed and join us out in the Hot Springs. No running away, okay." The look on her face told Kayla that even if she were to try to run away it would not end well.

Kayla let out a quiet groan, "Fine." She muttered.

***

The Hot Springs were amazing. And though she wouldn't admit it, she was glad that Evergreen forced her to join the others. The one thing that bothered her was that the only thing separating the guys Hot Spring from the girls was a thin wall, and knowing how destructive the guild was Kayla could just imagine the boys getting into a fight and someone getting thrown through the wall.

Though, before she could dwell any further into that thought, Mira spoke up.

"So, Kayla, ever since you've gotten back, I've noticed that a certain Dragon Slayer has been keeping an eye on you. More than he use to."

Kayla's cheeks warmed up once again and she sunk into the water, hoping she'd be able to hide her rising blush under the steam of the Springs. "Really? I haven't noticed." She said before dipping her head under the water's surface and nervously blowing bubbles in the water.

"I've noticed it too." Cana piped up, a mischievous expression making it's way to her face. "Tell me, is there anything going on between you and Laxus?"

By now, everyone was looking at Kayla, making the mage sink further into the water, her face a bright red, her mind flashing back to earlier that night, when she had kissed Laxus.

"Aw, you like him~" Lucy teased, sounding a lot like a certain blue cat.

"Don't worry." Erza said, hooking her arm around Kayla's shoulders and pressing the blonde close, causing the side of her face to be pressed into the older mage's chest. "I think you and Laxus would be a great couple. You two would make adorable children!"

"Children!? We're not— yet— we, I— we— Erza!" Kayla squeaked, trying to pull away from Erza.

"Not yet huh? So there is something going on between the two of you then." Cana said with a grin.

"Maybe we should stop—" Wendy piped up, completely ignored by the older mages.

"F-Fine. I'll admit that there is... there is something." Kayla muttered.

"Something, huh?" Evergreen asked, "I'm sure it's just something."

"Evergreen!" Kayla squeaked.

The questioning continued for a while. Until Kayla managed to dismiss herself saying she needed to get to sleep. Luckily they let her go and she quickly dried off and got dressed. Letting out a sigh of relief she walked back to Fairy Hills, unlocking the door to her apartment and taking a second to look at her room.

She really needed to decorate it.

"Well, a few more jobs and I'll be able to furnish the room to my liking. I will be living here after all."

***

Later that night, Kayla was sitting at the edge of her bed, flipping through her mother's journal.

Once Kayla had gotten back to the guild, Makarov had brought her to his office. Before she could say anything, he handed her the journal— the same journal written by Aurora Gale.

"Why are you-?"

"She is your mother, correct?"

"How did you know?" Kayla asked softly.

Makarov just smiled knowingly, "I don't think you will want to miss your own homecoming celebration, my child."

A knock at the door startled Kayla out of her thoughts. "Kayla, you awake?" A soft voice asked. It was Mira standing on the other side of the door. She didn't wait for a response from Kayla before she started talking again. "I'm sorry but earlier I couldn't help but notice those scars on your back as you were heading to the changing rooms."

Kayla was silent, her hand tightening around the pages of the journal at the mention of the scars.

"I just wanted to say that your scars are not a reminder of your weaknesses. They're a reminder that you were strong enough to survive."

Tears pricked at the corners of Kayla's eyes, and a shakey smile made it's way onto her face. "Thank you."