Summary: In life, love doesn't come easy. When we think we have it, it might start to slip away. Promises can be broken and hearts can be shattered. How we deal with it is how we're able to stand up again. Rejections happen all the time but when it's from someone who means so much, how can Cana ever get herself together? Thankfully, she has her friends and father to keep her sane.

Warning: Sober/stronger Cana Alberona, Loving Gildarts

Prologue - The Promise

It was the year X772, Cana Alberona was six years old and her mother had passed away. She trekked over to Magnolia by herself and stood in front of the guild, Fairy Tail. She came to find her father but she wasn't sure of what she'll do or say in his presence

A man with red hair came out, happily and she stared at him in recognition. She had seen him in the sketches her mother drew. He's her father, Gildarts Clive - the man she was looking for.

But it was no use. He didn't know of her existence and she couldn't muster up enough courage to say it. So she hung around the guild, day after day.

The only person around her age then was the guild master's grandson, Laxus Dreyar. He always kept to himself and she would sometimes see bruises on his arms.

She spent her days sitting in the guild hall, waiting for Gildarts to return but he was always out on missions, one after the other.

"Laxus, make friends with little Cana," Makarov Dreyar, the master suggested to Laxus when Laxus was hiding in the corner.

"I don't want to!" He was shy and easily embarrassed, an awkward child.

Makarov sighed and watched as he stormed away. He went over to Cana who was eight now. "Cana-chan, may I talk with you?"

Her eyes were downcast as she looked up at him. "Do I have to go? Am I being a bother?"

"No! That's not it, come with me." He led her to a room so they could talk. "Cana-chan...who are you waiting for? Gildarts?" She nodded. "Why?"

"He's...my...father," she whispered and his eyes widened before looking at her.

"Ah, I see. I was going to ask two things," he said and held up a stamp. "This is the first one," he said in mirth as he watched Cana's eyes widening. She pointed to her left waist and his eyes widened. Only one other person had the mark there and she was related to Gildarts. "Cana Alberona...Cornelia Alberona...oh dear, why didn't I see that in the beginning?!" His fingers trembled.

"Master?" He shook his head and pressed the insignia on her left waist before looking at her.

"That settles the first thing I needed to talk to you about. Now the second...you know my grandson, Laxus?"

"Yea...," Cana whispered softly.

"Can you be his friend and try to get him used to people? He's always hiding and shying away from people."

"I'll try...but I feel like he doesn't like me."

"Then make him like you!" Master cheered her on and she had to smile at that before using her cards to tell her where Laxus was. She got a clue and went to find him by the edge of the forest.

She spotted him as he sparked up before leaning forward, about to fall down. She caught him before he hit the floor and she grunted, buckling under his weight. He looked at her in confusion as she helped him sit down.

"Laxus, what's on your mind?" She asked with a frown. He didn't speak. Rather, he couldn't. His breathing was ragged and she quickly pulled off his shirt and her eyes widened in horror. There were bruises along his body and she looked for something that could help. Her fingers were shaking as she dug into her bag and she pulled out a card - Fountain of Life; she heard her mother say that it was a healing card but also a card that meant good luck was going to come but she haven't been able to use her card magic yet.

She didn't care at the moment. She closed her eyes and forced everything out to try to activate the card.

'Please! Please! Please!' It was small but something came out of the card and splashed onto Laxus. He panted softly, breathing a little easier now. She was still forcing herself but he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"It's enough. I'm fine for now." She stopped at the squeaky voice of the boy in front of her. She giggled a bit and he blushed, trying to run. She twisted her hand and grabbed his wrist.

"Stay," she said pleadingly as she leaned on him. He looked at her in shock but let her. He didn't speak again though. "You sure you alright?" He nodded but she couldn't see.

"Yea," he mumbled, ashamed of his voice.

"Is that why you never talked to me?" He blushed at that but didn't say anything. She giggled. "And here I was thinking that the great Laxus Dreyar didn't want to mingle with a commoner."

"That's not true!" He blurted and she looked at him with a smile.

"Let's be friends!" The sincerity in her eyes warmed his cold heart. He smiled and nodded.

They were friends for three years. When in the guild, they didn't react much to each other but they spent time in private together. He would spar with her and even give her pointers.

"Ne, Laxus...," Cana called out one day. He looked at her and she bit her lips, crawling in his embrace. He looked at her, letting her just relax there. "No matter what happens, promise me that we'll be together?" He pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I promise," he said and extended his pinky.

"Laxus, I'll be your bride in the future." His cheeks flushed and Cana giggled as she sealed their pinky promise.

Cana was prepared when Ivan Dreyar was exiled from the guild. She was also prepared for Laxus' change. Her heart pained but she had other friends in the guild now while Makarov had appointed Freed Justine as Laxus' partner. When Laxus beat her thoroughly at the S Class Wizard Examination, she knew that she lost her best friend.