Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story.
Warning: There will be angst, and yaoi in this story (boy x boy) though very little. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Also, slight warning for language. Please excuse any mistakes I may have missed.*
She was happy, walking down the streets, humming cheerfully. She was on a mission with Gray-sama, she was a part of Fairy Tail, and she couldn't possibly be happier. She smiled as a gentle wind caressed her hair, dress flapping slightly in the wind.
It was starting to get dark, but she didn't want to return to the inn without getting the perfect gifts for her friends. Gray-sama was trailing behind her, hands in his pants pockets, his shirt was missing. He seemed to be bored, though in truth, he was slightly interested in what Juvia wanted to get everyone, and why.
The truth was, Juvia just felt like showing her appreciation to all of her friends. She just wanted everyone to know how much she appreciated not only them, but also them excepting her into the guild. Especially her Gray-sama.
Although, the big question was, what to get everyone? She had been saving up for months to get everyone a present, but she hadn't even thought of what to get. She considered getting Erza new armour, perhaps finding Lucy a new key? But what about everyone else?
A shop to the right caught her attention. Stopping, she stared at the shop. It had lights hanging around inside, dream catchers and other such things. It was a fortune telling shop. Intrigued, she turned to Gray. "Let's go in here, Gray-sama!"
Gray gave a slight wary look at the shop, but followed after the excited bluenette nonetheless. Once inside, the two went separate ways, browsing the strange trinkets the shop had.
"Can I help you?" A hoarse voice asked.
Juvia turned, looking down at a short, old woman.
She smiled kindly. "No, thank you, Juvia is just browsing,"
The old woman nodded, watching as Juvia moved away.
Her gaze turned to the young man also browsing about in her shop. She stared at him for a while, until she could sense he was starting to feel uncomfortable. She then moved behind the counter and took a seat.
Juvia nearly squealed at the sight. It was a fortune telling lacryma. She had heard a lot about it, and it's success rate. It also had sound, which was apparently a big factor into the whole fortune telling thing. It looked like a crystal ball.
A wizard was required to sit in front of it, hover their hands over it and focus some of their magic into it. A picture would project off of it, almost like a movie, and show a scene from that particular wizard's future. It could be anything from a few minutes long, to only a simple fraze.
Juvia checked the price. It was expensive, but it would work out a bit cheaper if she bought this instead of a present for everyone in the guild. It would also save her a massive migraine from having to think over what to get everyone. Anyone would want to see their future, right?
Smiling, Juvia picked it up carefully and headed towards the counter, smiling politely at the woman as she paid, listening as the woman gave her instructions on how to use it. Once it was put into a box with plenty of tissue paper to prevent it from breaking when Juvia travelled, the woman put it in a bag, excepted Juvia's payment, and sent her off.
Gray shook his head as Juvia paid. She was crazy, spending so much money on something that probably wouldn't work. Though, he did appreciate the happy smile she wore as she left the store. He followed after her, about to open the door.
"A great loss will befall you and your guild," the woman spoke up.
Turning to look at her over his shoulder, the two stared.
Shrugging, he turned and left the store, thoughts barely lingering on the words of the old woman before he let it slip.
A few weeks later, Juvia found the box where she had stashed it under her bed for safekeeping. She had wanted to use it as soon as she got back to the guild, but they been so caught up in requests that it slipped her mind.
But now that it had finally settled down a little, she knew it was the perfect time to set up a sort of party and have everyone see their fortunes. Smiling, Juvia put it back where she found it and got ready, heading for the guild.
The guild was as lively as always, some were drinking, Natsu and Gray were fighting again. Juvia smiled as she headed over the bar. She figured that if she told Mira, the barmaid would tell everyone else and everything would work out.
"You seem very happy this morning," Mira said as she whipped down a glass.
"Juvia found a gift she wanted to give to everyone, but forgot about it," she said as she sat down.
"Oh?" Mira turned to her in surprise and interest. "What is it?"
"A fortune telling lacryma," Juvia said with a smile.
"Really? I've heard about those, they apparently really work," Mira stated as she poured a drink for Juvia.
"Mhm." Juvia nodded. "Juvia figured she can ask Mira to ask everyone if they wanted to partake? She wants to hold a party, with snacks and drinks, let everyone have a turn with it?" She asked.
"Of course! But are you sure you want everyone to use it? It must have cost you a lot," Mira asked, unsure.
Juvia nodded enthusiastically. "Juvia bought it for everyone to use! At first, she wanted to buy everyone something special, but then she couldn't think of anything, then she saw the lacryma and thought everyone would like to us it. Everyone wants to see a part of their future sometime,"
Mira smiled brightly at the thoughtful girl. "Of course! I'll ask master if we can just do it here after hours! I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I'll invite everyone over and make snacks,"
"Really? Thank you, Mira-san!" Juvia thanked happily before running off towards the job board.
She searched for a job that she could finish by tonight. Once she found one, she briefly showed it to Mira before she ran off, excitement coursing through her. Mira giggled after the girl before she went into the office, asking the Master's permission in using the guild.
Once she got the Master's approval, she started telling everyone about the party while also thinking of what snacks to make.
"A fortune telling party?" Gray asked, sounding bored.
"That sounds boring," Natsu added.
"Well I think it sounds fun! Count me in!" Lucy cheered a little.
"A party? Does this fortune telling lacryma actually work?" Erza asked curiously.
"Is it that stupid thing Juvia bought on our last mission?" Gray questioned, leaning forward, placing his chin in his hand, arm resting on the table.
"I'm not sure of it really works, but Juvia's so excited about it. She just wants to show everyone how much she appreciates them," Mira said.
"Very well, I will come to, and so will Natsu and Gray," Erza stated.
The two turned to protest, but shut up quickly with a death glare from Erza.
Quite a lot of people agreed to come, some even waiting anxiously for the time to party. Juvia showed up briefly at the guild to tell Mira her mission went well before she returned home to shower and get the fortune telling lacryma. She was so excited.
When she arrived back at the guild, everyone was sitting around, waiting for her. The tables had been moved aside, blankets thrown on the floor for comfort, different foods and drinks scattered about. Juvia smile as she walked into the room.
The blankets were thrown in a sort of half circle, with a blanket in the middle, facing a wall, the light were off the. Juvia assumed that's where the wizard watching their fortune was to sit, and sat the lacryma down in front of it, so that it could reflect onto the darkened wall.
She looked around the room, some members were already lazing about on the blankets, some were still sat at tables or the bar, drinking. Even the master was there, sitting on the bar, drinking.
"Hey! Juvia, look who's here!" Cana called, waving her over, only seeming a little drunk.
Juvia smiled and walked over towards her, only to spot two people she didn't think she'd ever see again, or at least, not so soon.
"Hey! Hope you don't mind us crashing your party, Natsu invited us," Sting said as he waved, grinning.
"Of course Juvia doesn't mind! Any friend of Natsu-san, is a friend of the guild and Juvia's!" She said, bowing a little.
Sting grinned a little wider, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes closed.
"I don't think we've ever officially met. I'm Sting, this is Rogue." Sting gestured to the raven by his side before holding his hand out.
Juvia smiled brightly, gently taking his much larger hand. "Juvia is pleased to officially meet Sting-san and Rogue-san!" She said cheerfully.
A light blush dusted the blond's cheeks. Rogue merely nodded at the girl, not saying much.
"Alright let's get this party started!" Cana cheered as she threw an arm around Juvia's shoulders, dragging the bluenette off, leaving Sting, blinking dumbly at the spot she had been before he followed everyone else, who were all taking seats on the blankets strewn about.
The twin dragon slayers took seats next to Gajeel, who was sat next to Levy, who was sat next to Lucy. Natsu was next to her, then Gray, an open spot he had saved for Juvia, and Erza. Lector, Frosch, Happy, Lily and Carla were sat in front of them all.
"Who's gonna start?" Cana asked.
"Shouldn't Juvia start? This was her idea after all," Lucy asked.
"No, no! Juvia doesn't want to start!" Juvia protested.
"Why don't you choose someone then, Juvia? And then after that person went, they choose someone?" Mira suggested.
"I like that idea!" Cana cheered, still holding Juvia captive near the lacryma, taking a sip from her mug.
"Okay. Juvia chooses," she trailed off, looking everyone over, "Evergreen,"
Ever looked shocked, sure Juvia was going to choose Gray, as was everyone else.
Slowly, she stood up and walked to the blanket, sitting down once Cana and Juvia left, taking their own seats. Mira quickly told her the instructions on how to use it. Everyone held their breaths as Ever hovered her hands over the lacryma, briefly closing her eyes, focusing some of her magic into the ball.
There were surprised whispers when the ball glowed briefly before a light shot onto the wall, creating a screen on the flat surface as an image formed. The scene showed a lovely house with a nice garden. It quickly cut to a scene in the bathroom, where Ever was sat on the closed toilet lid, arms resting on her knees, hands clasped, head hung. One knee was bouncing up and down.
It was silent as everyone watched, nearly jumping when a sudden 'ding!' broke the silence. The Evergreen on the screen raised her head, visibly taking a deep breath, reaching with shaking hands towards something out of the screens visual. She brought her hands back, revealing a pregnancy test.
Everyone gasped as Ever gaped, feeling horror enter her mind as the screen showed the test was positive. The Ever on the screen clamped a hand over her mouth as tears fell down her cheeks. She suddenly looked up, a happy smile on her lips as she stood up from the toilet seat, ripping open the door.
"Elfman!" Her voice called before the screen turned black.
It was silent for a few minutes longer before Natsu starting laughing at a blushing Elfman. Ever was just as flushed as she retreated to her seat.
Even the master was chuckling from where he was still sat on the bar.
"Who do you chose, Ever?" Mira asked sweetly.
Evergreen, still red, waved her hand furiously. "Anyone, I don't care!"
"Can I go?" Lucy asked hopefully.
When no one objected, Mira nodded, readying for another show.
Lucy excitedly ran to the lacryma, sitting down, and hovered her hands, focusing her magic, she watched the wall with eager eyes. The screen appeared, a little out of focus until it zoomed in on Lucy's face, focusing. She seemed to be looking down at someone, but the screen was focused only on her head.
Her hair was wet, sticking to her face, a few scrapes on her skin. Her teeth were clenched as tears fell from her eyes.
"No! Stay with me, please!!" She pleaded. "You don't get to leave us now! Not me, not Gray, or Erza, or Fairy Tail!! Please, just wake up, okay? You're too young, too precious to leave us! Do you hear me? Wake up!!!" Tears fell freely before the screen turned black.
It was silent as everyone glanced towards Natsu, assuming it was him Lucy had been talking to. Confused, Lucy stood, walking back to her seat.
"So, who's next?" Mira asked in an attempt to distract everyone.
It worked. Everyone turned to her, before glancing around.
"Mind if I go?" Sting asked, slightly raising one hand.
"Sure!" Mira said, smiling.
Grinning, Sting stood up, making his way to the blanket. Sitting cross legged, he did as everyone else had, watching as the screen appeared again, focusing in on a table in a nice little restaurant.
The table was next to the window, revealing that the sun was beginning to set. At the table, sitting across from each other was Sting himself and...
"Is that Juvia?!" Natsu yelled suddenly.
Juvia was, indeed, sat opposite of Sting. She was clutching both of his hands in her own. A closer look revealed the sad expression on her face as she briefly glanced to the side of the table before looking back up at Sting.
The cheek facing them was a little redder then the other. Sting's hair had fallen over his eyes, enabling them from seeing his own expression.
Juvia then let go of his hand, standing up. Placing her hands on the table for balance, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Sting's forehead. Some of the older members of the guild whistled as a surprised look crossed the face of Sting on screen.
"Sting will be alright, Juvia knows," she said before smiling a little and walking away.
Sting stared forward in surprise before he turned and watched Juvia walk away, a smile stretching on his lips before the screen turned black.
"Whoo! Sting!!" Lector cheered.
Sting blushed a little as he took his seat. Juvia was blushing, too, at the unexpected moment. Gray had his arms folded, a shadow over his eyes as the temperature around him dropped slightly.
"Alright, enough! I will go next," Erza said, cutting off some of the cheers.
Erza took the seat in front of the lacryma, focusing magic into the lacryma. The screen appeared again, focusing in on Erza standing in a slightly dark room.
Her head was bowed forward, hair hanging in front of her eyes, fists clenched at her sides. It was silent as everyone waited to see what would happen. A small thud broke the silence as the Erza on screen fell into the wall behind her, resting her weight against it and sliding down.
As she slid, she pulled her legs to her chest, hugging them. Her red hair fell out of her eyes, revealing her saddened expression. There was no sound as Erza sat against that wall, staring sadly at a spot in front of her. Suddenly, her eyes widened a little.
Her fists clenched as tears started to roll down her cheeks. She kept staring at a spot before she clenched her eyes shut and buried her face into her knees, shoulders shaking as she cried. A broken sound, muffled by her knees, were the last thing they heard before the screen turned black.
Erza frowned as she stood up and went back to her seat. There was only one thing that would make her cry like that, or rather, one person. Which would mean that something was going to happen to Jellal.
"I want to go next!" Natsu shouted, moving to get up, only to be punched by Gajeel.
"No way, Salamander, I'm going next," Gajeel said, grinning.
Natsu turned to argue, but was stopped when Gajeel took the seat, the screen appearing.
It was dark, stars glittering and the moon full. Gajeel and Lily were sat side by side on a railing of some sort. It was silent between the two before Lily broke it.
"What will you do now?" He asked in concern.
Gajeel was silent for a while longer.
"I dunno," he stated.
Lily stared up at his partner, who seemed to be staring off in the distance, lost.
"I think...I think I'm just going to leave," Gajeel said, frowning a little.
Lily quickly looked up at his partner. "Leave?" He asked in alarm.
"Yeah." Gajeel nodded. "I want to quit the guild and just...leave. I don't know where I want to go, but anywhere is better than here. There's too many memories here and I don't like it," Gajeel said, shoulders drooped, voice saddened.
This caused some of the other members to sit straighter in alarm, confused as to why their iron dragon slayer would want to leave.
"Gajeel," the Lilly on screen muttered softly.
"I mean, why stay, when the reason I joined in the first place, is gone now? I didn't realise it back then, but I wish I did. She was the reason why I joined Fairy Tail in the first place. She loved this place with all her heart, and I don't want to stay if she's not here," Gajeel explained, smiling a small, sad smile before the screen turned black.
"Bastard! I knew you were going to betray us!" Natsu yelled.
"Hey! I wouldn't do that!" Gajeel shouted back before the two started a fist fight, most forgetting about what they saw, except for Juvia. She would talk to Gajeel later.
Cana stumbled over to the lacryma, nearly falling on top of it. Everyone settled as the screen appeared again. It focused on someone's feet as they walked in a dark hall, climbing steps. It zoomed out, revealing Gildarts, no doubt walking towards Cana's apartment, a sombre expression on his face.
He came to a stop in front of a door, the hall was dark. Raising his fist, he knocked. Inside, Cana was laying on her couch, expression sad as she hugged a pillow to her chest.
"Cana, sweetie, open up," Gildarts' voice came through the door.
Cana didn't answer. Gildarts sighed before knocking again.
"C'mon, Cana. You knew her as well as the rest of us. She wouldn't want you to stay cooped up in here forever," Gildarts said.
Cana buried her face into the pillow, body shaking.
"Cana, baby, I know you're hurting, we all are, but the least you could do is go to her funeral, we owe her that much,"
The screen turned black, everyone alarmed. Funeral? Someone was going to die?! But who? Who could possibly die?
Cana stumbled away, starting to drink from her second barrel as she smirked, pointing at Rogue.
"You're up next, pretty boy," she slurred.
"Thanks, but I don't feel like doing that," Rogue declined.
"Oh come on, Rogue, have a little fun for once," Sting said, shoving his friend a little.
Rogue sighed as others started to prod at him, causing him to eventually stand up and go to the lacryma.
The screen appeared, briefly zoomed in on Rogue sitting at the bar in Fairy Tail.
Zooming out, it was revealed that Juvia was sat next to him, excitedly chattering about something. There was no sound, thus no one could hear what she was saying. The screen briefly flashed to Sting, who had an arm thrown around Natsu's shoulder as they clinked their beer mugs together.
The screen shifted to the rest of the guild, Gray sitting at a table with Lucy, smiling as the blond spoke to him, Erza sat across from him, enjoying a piece of strawberry cake. The Exceeds were all together, smiling. Gajeel was sat next to Levy, trying to seem grumpy instead of interested in what the girl was telling him.
A bunch of other couples were strewn about, talking and smiling. Suddenly, his attention turned back to Juvia, who had heart eyes as she seemed lost in thought, no doubt fantasizing about Gray. Rogue watched her for a moment longer before he smiled, the screen turning black.
"That was stupid!!!" Natsu yelled, one fist clenched.
"Think you can do better?" Gajeel challenged.
"Of course!" Natsu yelled as he stood and walked to the lacryma, sitting cross legged, he held his hands out and focused.
The screen focused on his figure, then zoomed in on his face. There seemed to be a strange tube behind him. His lips were parted, eyes slightly wider than usual, expression sad. They watched as tears gathered in his eyes, a shaky breath leaving his lips as they started to roll down his cheeks.
Just before the screen turned black, Natsu opened his mouth on screen, face contorting in pain.
"JUVIA!!!!" He screamed.
Everyone jumped at the sound, it was piercing, filled with pain and loss.
Natsu jerked away from the lacryma, the screen disappearing instantly. Shaken, Natsu walked to the bar, eating some snacks as other members went, showing some funny futures, as well as cute ones. He was mostly lost in thought, wondering why he would ever scream Juvia's name like that.
He turned his attention back as the room grew quiet, Levy sat in front of the lacryma. The screen showed Gajeel's boots as they walked through puddles and wet streets, it was obviously raining.
"Gajeel!!" Levy screamed.
The Gajeel on screen turned around, stopping as he stared at a panting Levy, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.
"I don't want you to leave," she said, out of breath.
"Why?" Gajeel asked, not seeming very caring.
"I know you miss her, I do too, everyone does, but Gajeel, you know she wouldn't want you to leave the guild! So please, stay!" Levy begged, tears rolling down her cheeks.
The Gajeel on screen sighed visibly before shaking his head turning to leave.
Levy ran forward, the sound of her footsteps causing Gajeel to stop as she collided with his back, arms wrapped around his stomach.
"I know that you're hurting, but leaving isn't going to make it better. I know it's hard, there are so many memories of her here, but it's better than going somewhere where she isn't a part of anything," Levy said, arms tightening around him.
Gajeel seemed a little frozen before he sank to his knees, hands on his thighs as he stared at the dirt. There was a quick shot of his face, tears dripping onto his thighs as he clenched his teeth. Levy held him tighter as his body shook.
"I've got you," she whispered before the screen disappeared.
Gajeel was blushing a little in embarrassment as some of the members laughed. Natsu frowned. Why was everyone laughing? Did none of them believe any of this was true? Didn't they realize how serious this was? Some of their futures indicated that someone was going to die.
Wendy went up next. The screen showed her from behind. There was a blurred body in front of her, nothing recognisable of it. It then turned to Wendy's front. She had a horrified expression on her face, eyes impossibly wide with tears swimming in them.
The screen zoomed out a little to show that Wendy was staring at her hands in horror. Her blood stained hands.
"No," the Wendy on screen whispered in despair, "I couldn't save her,"
She started to cry almost hysterically, hands tugging at her hair, blood smearing on her face before the screen disappeared.
After that, more people went, more interested now. At one point, Gray had went. Natsu had sat at the bar, watching in interest as his friend and rival went up. The screen appeared, showing Gray sitting on his bed, the room dark, he wasn't wearing a shirt.
His hands were gently gripping his pant legs. The screen changed quickly. The image was blurred at the edges, the colour slightly off, as if the Gray on screen was having a flashback. Gray turned, watching as Juvia ran up to him, waving and smiling happily.
She came to a stop in front of him, smiling as she spoke. Again, there was no sound. The screen cut back to the dark room. Gray clenched his teeth, hands gripping his pant legs tightly. Eyes clenched shut, Gray raised one hand to his cover his eyes. A single tear fell from between his fingers before the screen disappeared.
Juvia secretly panicked at this, ignoring as some of the other members went on. Why had a memory of her caused her Gray-sama to cry? Had she hurt him somehow? Whatever it was, she had to prevent it from happening.
Most everyone had gone when they started chanting for her to go. Reluctantly, Juvia walked towards the lacryma, sitting down on her legs, she brought her hands closer. She felt unnecessarily nervous. Most people had went and sat at the tables again, drinking and eating, but they were all staring expectantly at her.
The screen appeared. It was zoomed in on her. She seemed to be in a cave of some sorts, on a mission, no doubt. The top of her dress was torn, showing quite a bit of her chest. There were a few scratches on her cheeks, a blood smear near the corner of her lips, her hat was missing. Her right arm was raised above her head, holding something out of view, bruises and scratches littering the skin.
She had quite obviously been in a tough fight. She had tired mark under her eyes, no doubt from magic depletion. Despite this, she was smiling.
"Words cannot express how happy Juvia was getting to know all of you, to be a part of Fairy Tail. She loves all of you, more than you know,"
Everyone clapped as the screen disappeared. Juvia smiled a little as she stood back up, everyone thanking her for the gift she had gotten them. After that, the true party began. Everyone drank, fought, laughed. For just one night, they forgot their worries and moved on.
Weeks later, things were back to normal, most having chosen to forget about what the lacryma showed them and those that did remember, just chose not to think about it. They went on missions as usual, going about their daily life.
Juvia, though, found herself occasionally thinking about it, wondering who's funeral Cana was apparently going to refuse going to. And why Erza and Gray had cried. Why Natsu had screamed her name in such a way.
She would quickly rid herself of these thoughts and busy herself with other things. She had been practising her baking and was getting quite good. Currently, she was baking a strawberry cake for Erza. She had noticed that the redhead seemed really off lately, so she was making her favourite treat in an effort to cheer her up.
After a few hours, she boxed the perfect cake and carried it to Erza's room, gently knocking on the door, patiently waiting for the redhead to open up. The door opened, revealing a surprised looking Erza.
"Oh, Juvia? Can I help you with something?" She asked in surprise.
"Juvia baked this cake for you, Erza-san. She's noticed that you seem upset lately, and hoped some strawberry cake would make you feel better!" Juvia said cheerfully as she handed the box over to her red haired friend.
Erza smiled, gently opening the box to peer inside.
"Thank you, it looks delicious," Erza said as she closed the box again.
Juvia nodded.
"And remember, if Erza-san ever wanted to talk or needed help with something, Juvia is always here, anytime!" Juvia said.
Surprise crossed the redhead's features again, before smiling softly. "Thank you, Juvia, I'll keep it in mind," Erza thanked.
Juvia smiled brightly, bowing a little before leaving. Erza ate the entire cake that day.
Juvia hummed as she walked to the guild, feeling content. Once she arrived, she made a beeline for Gray, greeting him happily. He merely grunted at her before he left. Juvia deflated, shoulders drooping. Ever since Gray saw his future, he would brush her off, or answer her with one word sentences. It was painful, but she refused to give up!
The next day went much the same, with her reminding Erza that she was there if the other needed to talk. Erza kindly thanked her and she would leave, go to the guild, try to talk to Gray, and be brushed off. She would then go and find a job and leave.
For weeks it went like this. Both Erza and Gray seemed to get annoyed with her, a lot of the members seemed to want to avoid her, or were too busy to talk to her. Even Gajeel started brushing her off, though she tried not to take offense.
One morning, as she opened her door to leave, there was a note stuck to her door. Confused, she took it off, reading it. It was a threat. Someone was threatening her life, telling her that she would soon be theirs and that her days were numbered, she should enjoy her last few days with her friends while she still could.
She rushed to Erza's apartment, figuring she would be the best person to tell first, note clutched in her hand.
She knocked, waiting anxiously. The door opened, and instantly she could see the red head was in a foul mood.
"Erza-!" The door slamming in her face cut her off.
Juvia stood there, a look of disbelief on her face. Hands shaking, she took a step back before running back to her apartment, tears running down her cheeks. Eventually, she ventured out of her apartment, anxiously walking down to the guild. She went to Gray, wanting to talk to him, tell him that someone had threatened her life, but was brushed off once more.
Depressed, she wandered over towards the bar.
"You look down, are you okay?" Mira asked, pouring drinks.
"Can Juvia tell you something? Something important?" Juvia asked after a moment's hesitation.
"Of course," Mira said.
Juvia looked around before leaning closer. "Someone is-"
"Hey Mira, can we get some drinks over here?!" Someone yelled, cutting her off.
"Coming right up!" Mira answered, gesturing for her to wait before leaving with the drinks she had been mixing.
Mira chatted with them for a little while and by the time she came back to the bar, Juvia had already left. She was walking home, disheartened. No, she would deal with this problem on her own, she was being an inconvenience towards her friends, and she couldn't allow that anymore.
She was a grown woman, she could handle it. Still, once she got home, she placed the note on her desk and opened a drawer, pulling out a few sheets of paper, she slowly started to write. Just in case, just to be sure, she would leave all of her closest friends letters, in preparation for something terrible, just to be sure she wouldn't leave her friends with anything unsaid.
As the weeks passed, nothing changed much. She had gathered a small pile of threatening notes that were stacked on her desk, as well as a stack letters to her friends. She only had two left. Currently, she was walking with an annoyed Lucy back to the blond's apartment.
Lucy had been in a bad mood and Juvia offered to listen, but ended up being the one talking, annoying Lucy further than she already was. Juvia couldn't help it, she had been feeling so lonely lately, and at the first sign of someone wanting to spend time with her, she just couldn't shut up.
She kept calling Lucy her Love Rival, oblivious to how tense Lucy would get every time she called her that, accompanied by her whining about how everyone kept ignoring her, especially her Gray-sama. She then accused Lucy of being the cause of it.
At the accusation, she used her nickname, Love Rival, again, causing Lucy to snap.
"Will you stop?!" Lucy yelled, turning violently.
Juvia, surprised, didn't dodge when the back of Lucy's hand connected with her right cheek.
Caught off guard, Juvia didn't have her water body activated. The hit stung, causing her to stumble a little, trip over some empty cardboard boxes, she fell forward, her temple connecting with the corner of the wall of a shop they were passing. Juvia landed on her side, hands catching herself before her torso could connect with the ground.
Lucy gasped, hands covering her mouth in shock. "I'm so sorry Juvia! I didn't-" she cut herself off as Juvia looked up at her.
Her right cheek was bright red, but what stopped Lucy was the blood leaking from a large cut on her temple.
She had honestly never seen Juvia bleed before. Juvia had tears in her eyes as she stared up at her in betrayal. Lucy moved forward to help her up, hug her, apologize, anything to get that look off her face, but stopped when Juvia flinched away from her.
She stared with wide eyes. Juvia quickly got to her feet before taking off, running at an impressive speed away from Lucy. Once at her apartment, she slammed the door shut, leaning her weight against it, panting.
She stayed like that for a few minutes before she slowly walked to her bathroom. She cringed at the sight of blood on the side of her face. She spent the next twenty minutes cleaning the wound and blood off, adjusting her hat and hair so that no one could see the wound.
She spent an hour writing another letter before she got up and left her apartment, mindlessly walking around. As she was walking, lost in thought, she spotted Sting in one of the restaurants. She stopped, staring at his hunched over figure before she entered.
"Mind if Juvia sits here?" She asks quietly.
Sting looked up in surprise before he forced a smile, shaking his head and gesturing for Juvia to take the seat opposite of him.
Juvia smiled her thanks and took the seat, interlocking her fingers in her lap as she stared at the table. It was quiet between the two.
"What's wrong, Sting-san?" Juvia asked after a while of silence.
Sting glanced up at her, almost as if he had forgotten she was there, before he sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I'm just worried," he said.
Juvia observed him for a moment. "About?" She asked carefully.
Sting hesitated a moment, opening and closing his mouth. She waited patiently, if Sting didn't want to tell her, then that's fine too.
"It's Rogue," he finally answered.
Juvia opened her mouth to ask what happened with Rogue, when he cut her off.
"I think I'm in love with him!" He rushed, a panicked, pained look on his face.
Juvia made a strangled noise, not having expected that.
"O-oh." She breathed.
Sting ran his fingers through his hair before letting his hands fall on the table. "Tell me, what should I do?" He asked in desperation.
Juvia was silent for a moment.
"Juvia is sorry, Sting-san, but it would seem she isn't the best person to ask for love advise," she said quietly.
The despair on his face was enough to make her heart skip a few beats. His head tilted forward, hair falling into his eyes. She couldn't read his expression.
When she tried and failed to make eye contact, Juvia reached forward, gripping his hands tightly. When he still refused to look at her, she looked to the end of the table, a sad look on her face. She looked back up at him and let go of his hands, placing her own on the table for balance as she stood, leaning on the table, she pressed her lips to his forehead.
Sting's eyes widened in surprise, head tilting back to look up at her as Juvia pulled away.
"Sting will be alright, Juvia knows." She smiled a small smile before she left, walking towards the door.
Sting turned in his seat, watching as she walked away, a smile started to stretch over his lips.
"Hey!" He called.
Juvia paused, looking at him from over her shoulder.
"Why don't I walk you back to Fairy Tail?" He suggested as he stood up.
"Oh, Juvia doesn't want to inconvenience Sting-san," Juvia said as he reached over her and opened the door.
"Nah, don't worry about it, I've been meaning to stop by again anyway," Sting said as he shoved his hands in to his pockets.
Smiling, Juvia walked alongside Sting, the two talking freely as they journeyed. On the way, they met up with Rogue, who joined them in walking to Fairy Tail, telling them that Frosch and Lector had already left for the guild, and were probably already there.
Once they arrived, Natsu greeted the two dragon slayers with a wide grin and a loud greeting, instantly pulling Sting into drinking with him. Rogue invited Juvia to sit with him at the bar.
Later, as Juvia rambled about something he didn't care to listen to, he looked around the guild. Natsu and Sting had arms thrown around each other's shoulders, beer mugs clanking together as they grinned. Erza was enjoying some cake, sitting with Lucy and Gray.
He eventually turned to Juvia, who was no doubt fantasizing about Gray before he smiled at her. She seemed very happy at that time. That was when Sting tried to rope him into drinking. He looked back at Juvia, seeing her nodding and smiling at him encouragingly.
Juvia had, in fact, been fantasizing about Sting and Rogue together. After Rogue left, she slowly moved to the guild doors, watching as everyone happily chatted and drank together. They all seemed so happy. She turned and left, knowing no one would miss her if she were gone.
Two weeks later, Juvia woke up, contemplating whether or not it was worth it to go to the guild. Deciding it was time for her to go on another job, she did her usual morning routine. Once she opened her door and spotted the note, she sighed.
'Soon'
That single word had her heart nearly beating out of her chest. Quickly, Juvia calmed herself down, telling herself that it was just someone trying to scare her. As she walked to the guild, she constantly jumped at even the littlest of noises. She was scared.
"Juvia!" Mira called once she entered the guild.
Juvia jumped at the sound of her name, whirling around to face Mira. The barmaid smiled innocently at her, despite her strange behaviour.
"The master wants to talk with you as soon as possible," Mira informed.
"Thank you, Mira-san," Juvia said.
Nodding, she walked towards the master's office, knocking gently.
"Come in," she heard.
Opening the door she was surprised to see that she wasn't the only one the master wanted to talk to.
"What took you so long?" Gajeel questioned.
That had been the first words he had spoken to her in weeks. Juvia frowned at him. Inside the master's office were Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Lily and Gajeel.
"I'll get straight to the point. This request came in today, and it's requesting all of you," the master stated.
"All of us? That's odd," Erza said, crossing her arms.
"It is. Might even be a trap, but we can't take the risk. The place is only about an hour away by train. You'll meet up with the client there and have him debrief you on the mission. Leave as soon as possible. Also, I have read that they have requested Sting and Rogue as well. They will be meeting you all there. Be careful," the master ordered.
They nodded, leaving the room to go and pack their things. Juvia was lost in thought as she packed. The master suspects it might be a trap, could it be the person that was after her? If so, then why request the others? No, it couldn't be the person after her.
She sighed as she left, locking the door behind her. She felt comforted by the fact that so many other powerful wizards were going with her. In the distance, she could spot her Gray-sama walking towards the train station.
"Gray-sama!!" She called, running up to him while waving, smiling happily.
Gray turned to look at her, slowing his pace for her to catch up.
"It's been so long since we went on a job together, don't you think, Gray-sama?" She asked, still smiling.
Gray stared at her, and for a moment, she feared he would brush her off again.
"Yeah it has been," he said with a smile.
He was nearly blinded by the ecstatic smile that stretched over her lips then.
The two walked to the train station in relative silence, which surprised Gray, but he wasn't complaining. Sometimes Juvia talked too much. Juvia would have loved to talk to her Gray-sama, but instead chose to enjoy his presence instead. She had a bad feeling, and if something were to happen, she just wanted to enjoy her time with her friends.
Everyone else was already there waiting for them when they arrived. Natsu, of course, teased Gray by saying Gray and Juvia had went out on a date. This of course irritated Gray as it usually did when someone mentioned him and Juvia dating. He pointedly ignored her after that, even on the train, and that saddened her.
The train ride was silent, with Gajeel passed out in her lap from motion sickness, she busied herself by playing with his hair. She felt uncomfortable talking to Erza or Lucy, afraid that she might annoy one of them. So she sat there, quietly fiddling with Gajeel's hair.
Once there, they met Sting and Rogue by a motel near where they would meet up with their client. They spoke, asking if the two dragon slayers knew what the mission was about. Juvia stood to the side, observing her friends with a sad smile. Sting caught her eye before he left the others, walking to her and grabbing her arm, dragging her off a small distance.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked once they were a safe distance away.
"Juvia is just nervous about this mission," she said as he let go of her arm.
"Well, I mean it's all pretty suspicious I guess, but no need to be scared over," Sting said, crossing his arms.
Juvia had her hands clasped in front of her, seeming nervous.
"Juvia is just worried something is going to happen," she said softy.
Sting rose a brow in question, arms falling back to his sides. "What do you mean?"
Juvia looked up at him before glancing back to the ground.
"For the passed couple of weeks, someone has been sending Juvia notes, threatening her life," she admitted.
"What?!" Sting yelled in shock, grabbing both of Juvia's upper arms. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" He asked urgently.
"Why does Sting assume Juvia didn't tell anyone?" She asked, placing her hands on his chest. The two had unknowingly gained everyone else's attention.
"Because if you had, I know Makarov wouldn't have allowed you to go on any missions, never mind one as suspicious as this!" Sting yelled, shaking her a little.
Juvia stared into his worried eyes.
"Sting shouldn't worry, Juvia is sure she will be okay on this mission, she has you and everyone else to protect her," Juvia said, smiling softly.
Sting frowned before he sighed, closing his eyes briefly. Letting her go, Sting opened his eyes again. Juvia smiled as he let her go before reaching forward, stepping into the blond's personal space. Sting's eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders.
Shocked, he slowly wrapped his arms around her back. Juvia was smiling with her eyes closed. She had a bad feeling about this mission, but she was sure everything would be fine, she had all her friends there with her.
"Sting must promise Juvia, that no matter what happens, after this mission, you will tell Rogue-san your feelings," she whispered into his neck.
Sting turned his head a little, his face brushing against her soft hair.
"I will," he promised, determinedly.
Juvia squeezed him a little.
"Promise?" She asked softly.
"I promise," Sting stated.
Juvia smiled as she released him, turning and walking away, ignoring everyone's odd stares. She had hugged another man just now, after all.
But now she had assurance that Sting would admit how he felt, and she could not help but feel happy about it, fantasizing about their relationship as they walked to their clients house.
Their client was a small, nervous looking man, seeming shocked at the amount of wizards that came on this mission. He invited them into his house, where Sting sat down opposite the man, and gathered all the information they needed.
There had been sightings of a monster, looking awfully similar to a dragon, going in and out of a cave nearby. It would apparently steal the farmer's livestock, but had now moved on to stealing old people and children. The people were all in a panic, far too afraid to go outside, which is why the streets were so barren.
With directions to the cave and reassurance that the thing would be defeated, the wizards left the house, deciding to go to the cave then. Erza was frowning as they walked. Something seemed off about this.
"I'm not sure if we should go inside," she spoke up as they neared the cave.
"Why?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Something just doesn't feel right about this mission," Erza mumbled.
"You got that right. I couldn't smell any other people around except our client," Sting stated, glancing at Juvia.
"That and the buildings seemed too old and broken for anyone to live in," Gray said, shirt missing, hands in his pockets.
"So what? You guys just want to abandon the mission?" Gajeel asked.
"We can't do that! What if people really need us?!" Natsu yelled.
"Juvia agrees," she said, surprising them.
Usually she would agree to whatever Gray said, but now, she felt the need to go inside. She remembers her own future the lacryma had shown had been inside a cave. She needed to know, was it this one?
And if so, what would happen? In the lacryma, it had been obvious that she had been in a fight, but the question bothering her was, where was everyone else? She had quite obviously spoken to someone, someone she loved, someone from her guild.
Staring up at the cave, Juvia simply walked forward, ignoring everyone's calls for her to come back.
"Shit!" Sting cursed before running, wanting to catch the girl before she entered the cave.
Everyone ran after him, though he was too late to stop her.
Inside, the cave seemed to have millions of tiny lacryma stuck to the ceiling, creating a blue glow, guiding them along. Juvia's heart pounded in her chest as Wendy and Lucy stared up at the ceiling in awe, appreciating the beauty of it all. Normally Juvia would be doing the same, maybe even hug Gray's arm and fantasize about something romantic.
She was nervous, walking in front of everyone, her hands clasped together in front of her. She walked, imagining different scenarios of what might happen, but none of them came close to what really happened. As they walked, they came across a large room, but bedore they could even look around, everything turned dark.
Juvia recognized this magic as that of which Simon had used when they had taken Erza. There was the sound of chains and then everyone yelling. Juvia whirled around, though she couldn't see a thing. After a small while, the darkness crept away.
Juvia gasped. Everyone were stuck in strange tubes. The exceeds were unharmed and seemed a little dazed, but otherwise alright and not stuck in a tube.
Erza was quick to summon a sword, stabbing at the glass of the tube, it didn't even crack.
"What is this?" Erza asked, already seeming out of breath.
"Don't worry, Juvia will get you out!" Juvia yelled as she started running towards Erza.
"That won't work, my dear Juvia," a voice spoke.
Juvia froze in her spot, eyes widening as she recognised that voice.
"No fucking way," Gajeel said in disbelief.
"Master Jose!" Erza said in surprise as the man came into few, creepy smile in place.
Juvia turned around to face the man, fear gripping her. She wished she never walked into this cave.
"Juvia watch out!" Sting yelled.
A blur raced towards her, arm stretched out. Shocked, Juvia was unable to dodge. A blade cut at her chest, tearing a piece off at the left side of her chest. The person the placed their hand down on her skin.
Juvia shouted and jumped away, skin burning where she had been touched. Pulling her hand away, Juvia spotted a red glowing mark. She couldn't make out what it was supposed to be, but this reminded her of Meredy's magic.
"What the hell do you want, you creep?!" Gajeel yelled.
Juvia was stood just in front of his tube, staring at her old guild master in hate.
"Juvia," Jose answered simply.
The shock on everyone's faces was so amusing. Jose chuckled.
"You see, my dear Juvia, I'm curious," he said as he took a few steps closer.
"In Phantom Lord, you were such a dull little girl, so gloomy. But now, ah, you've grown into such a beautiful young woman. I'm intrigued, really. I want to see just how much you've improved," Jose said, grinning.
"But why Juvia? Why not Gajeel-kun?" She asked.
"We all know Gajeel is powerful, I'm more curious to see what you would do in a situation like this," Jose answered.
"Situation like this?" Erza questioned.
"A situation where your friends' lives are on the line." Jose smirked evilly as Juvia's eyes widened. "You see, those tubes are filled with magic draining lacryma. The longer they stay in there, the more it saps away their magic power. When their magic is completely depleted, the tube will fill with water and drown them," Jose explained.
Juvia felt panic settle.
"What does Juvia have to do to save them?!" She asked urgently.
"Simple. Defeat me in battle, and I'll set them free," he stated.
Defeat him? A former guild master and one that previously held the title wizard saint? It was impossible.
"They are connected to you, Juvia. The longer you taje to defeat me, the closer to death they are," Jose said, still smiling.
Juvia glanced at her friends. Some of them were desperately trying to break out. She caught Gajeel's eye, he seemed worried, until he grinned at her.
"You've got this, Juvia," he assured.
"You just focus on beating that guys ass and we'll focus on breaking out of here!" Natsu said, nodding at her with a reassuring smile.
"I know you can do this," Gray added.
Juvia felt her heart skip a beat as she summoned her magic.
"Water slicer!!"
Jose smirked as he dodged, summoning his own magic. He had always been intrigued by Juvia's water body, and now, he wanted to test the limits of it.
The other's tried breaking out, used some of their most powerful spells to try and break the tubes' glass, but nothing seemed to work. Soon, they were panting, trying to think of something to do. Lily had even entered his battle form to try and break the glass with his sword, but that too, seemed futile.
Juvia didn't seem to be fairing any better, sje already had multiple cuts and bruises, her dress torn. What worried her was the other person that stood just at tbe edge of the shadows, occasionally, he would dart forward and attack her, keeping her more alert than she had ever been.
The sound of Lucy crying out and collapsing to the floor of her tube gained Juvia's attention.
"Lucy!" Happy, Natsu and Erza yelled.
Happy ran to her tube, pressing his paws to the glass as she panted, laying on her side.
"It's no use, I'm all out of magic power," she said, exhausted.
"Hang in there, Lucy!" Natsu yelled and proceeded to try and break out once more.
Juvia stared as water started to fall into the tube. The other's made shocked noises as they realized how little time they had left.
"Their lives are connected to you, Juvia. The longer you take to defeat me, the more of your friends will die," Jose reminded.
Juvia panted before she started attacking again. She had about one minute before the tube was filled, and after that, who knew how long Lucy could hold out before she drowned.
Her desperation didn't help her at all, it only served to make her fail even more. Jose delivered a vicious kick to her back, causing her to fly deeper into the cave, putting himself between her and her friends. Jose was cackling like a madman as Juvia tried to get up, but collapsed back onto the ground on her stomach.
"Lucy!!!" Natsu yelled as the blond floated in her tube, eyes shut tight as she desperately held her breath.
"Get up, Juvia!" Gajeel yelled as he slammed his iron covered hands into the glass.
Juvia took a moment to think. Jose kept saying that her life was connected to them, and the longer she took to defeat him, the higher the chances of them dying. But, what if Juvia didn't have any magic power left, would that free them? No, it couldn't be that easy. It never would. Her eyes widened as realization hit.
Struggling to her feet, Juvia couldn't help but smile. Oh, the irony. No one wanted to believe that the future telling lacryma really worked, but it all made sense now. Juvia struggled to her feet, raising her right arm above her head, she smiled. Her dress was ruined, barely covering the necessities
Her skin was covered in cuts and bruises, a blood smear near the corner of her mouth. Despite this, she still smiled. Jose looled at her in confusion as the others stilled, watching her.
"Words cannot express how happy Juvia was getting to know all of you, to be a part of Fairy Tail. She loves all of you, more than you know," she said.
Sting's eyes widened, almost instantly recognizing the words. Erza also seemed to recognise it.
"And that is why she must do this. To save all of you, Juvia will make the ultimate sacrifice, so that you may live," she smiled brightly as her magic formed a sort of water sword around her right hand.
"No!!" Gray screamed as Juvia brought it down.
"Juvia stop!" Erza yelled.
Their words didn't stop her. If this didn't work then so be it. They probably would have died anyway, then, because Juvia wasn't strong enough to defeat Jose.
The sword pierced her in her stomach, blood splattering everywhere as it dribbled down her chin. She still smiled. Wendy screamed, eyes wide. Then, the tubes opened, spilling Lucy and the water out onto the ground.
Natsu stood there, expression sad, lips parted, eyes slightly wider than usual as tears swam in them. A shaky breath passed his lips as the tears started to fall along with Juvia. Her magic disappeared as a relieved smile settled onto her lips as she fell to the side. They were safe, and that was enough for her.
"JUVIA!!!" Natsu screamed.
It was full of sadness, heartache and loss. They all started running towards her, Rogue turning into a shadow, moving across the cave grounds in order to reach her faster. He was able to catch her just before she hit the ground.
"Juvia, can you hear me?" He asked calmly as he gently laid her on the ground.
Wendy fell to her knees, touching the wound with her hands before she tried to heal it. She didn't have much magic power left, but she should be able to stop the bleeding, at least.
"Rogue-san?" She asked, voice weak as she opened her eyes, managing a small smile.
Lucy appeared by her head, hair wet and dripping all over the place. She had tears in her eyes, but still managed to smile at the dying girl.
They were all surrounding her, holding their breath as Wendy healed her. Erza was glaring at Jose, Sting also facing the man, not wanting to risk the man capturing them again. Natsu was still standing near his tube, watching everyone.
Rogue left Juvia's side, instead moving to Sting's side, prepared for a fight. Juvia just kept smiling at Lucy, who smiled back at her, despite her tears. Juvia wanted so badly to at least see her Gray-sama one last time, but Lucy's smiling face was alright, too.
Gray appeared at her side, gently taking her hand. He wanted to beg her to stay awake, to stay with them, not to leave them. Leave him. He couldn't lose another person he loved. He just couldn't handle it.
"G-Gray-sama," she whispered weakly.
"You're going to be okay, Juvia, just hang in there." He tightened his hold on her hand.
Juvia smiled as her tears slid down her temples and into her hair.
"J-Juvia is so h-happy. She gets to see her friends one l-last time," she said.
"Don't talk like that! You'll be fine!" Gajeel shouted as he appeared next to Lucy.
"Juvia is happy that everyone is okay. She was afraid that L-Lucy wouldn't make it." She smiled. "Juvia f-finally gets to h-hold Gray-sama's hand,"
Gray couldn't help but laugh a little at that, despite his own tears that were threatening to fall.
"What do you say we go out somewhere after this? Just you and me, Juvia," Gray said, attempting to keep the girl awake.
"Juvia would love to, Gray-sama," Juvia whispered as her eyes drooped.
"Stay with us, Juvia, c'mon," Gray urged.
"Sting must remember his promise to Juvia," she stated, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Sting turned his head to look at her in surprise, before he forced a smile.
"Of course! I don't break promises!" He stated.
Juvia smiled in relief ad her eyelids started to fall, far too heavy for her to keep open. "Juvia is so relieved,"
Wendy's eyes snapped open as Juvia's closed. There was silence after that as everyone stared, eyes wide, disbelief coursing through them.
"No," Wendy whispered in despair, staring at her blood covered hands. "I couldn't save her,"
A few shuddering breaths left her before she was crying hysterically, hand tugging at her hair, blood smearing onto her face.
Lucy started crying as she moved her head to hover over Juvia's.
"No! Stay with me, please!!" She pleaded. "You don't get to leave us now! Not me, not Gray, or Erza, or Fairy Tail!! Please, just wake up, okay? You're too young, too precious to leave us! Do you hear me? Wake up!!!" Lucy yelled, sobbing. "Please, Juvia,"
A shadow was covering Natsu's eyes, tears sliding freely down his cheeks. Gray stared with wide eyes, memories of Juvia flashing in his mind. She was always smiling at him, tried protecting him. She always tried to make him happy, and he never seemed to appreciate it, but he did.
He always did. Black marks started to form on the right side of his body as blind fury filled him, the temperature dropping as he stood, hands fisted at his sides. Fire enveloped Natsu's body as he turned to face Jose, who grinned at them.
Erza was the first to charge, attacking almost blindly, but was still able to keep a clear mind. Rogue and Sting attacked the other person, which turned out to be their supposed client. Gajeel just sat there next to Juvia, staring at her lifeless body, not moving an inch.
"Calm down, child," Carla said, appearing next to Wendy.
It took a while, but Wendy was able to calm her breathing.
"Try again," Carla ordered.
Calming her shaking hands, Wendy started to use her healing powers once more.
The cave was slowly starting to collapse around them from the fighting, but Wendy ignored it. She concentrated, not able to help the desperate hope that filled her. Her eyes snapped open when Juvia took a shallow breath.
"She's still alive!!!" Wendy announced.
Relief filled them, but the battle didn't stop.
"We need to get out of here!" Gajeel shouted.
He moved forward, scooping Juvia up into his arms, ignoring the puddle of blood that surrounded her.
Gajeel, Wendy, Lucy and the exceeds ran out of the cave, barely making it out before the entrance collapsed. They waited a small while as Wendy continued to try and heal Juvia. A few minutes later, a pillar of flames shot out of the entrance.
They walked out, Rogue supporting Sting as Erza used one of her swords to support her.
"Is she alright?" Erza asked.
Wendy nodded. "She's alive, but I don't have enough magic power to completely stop the bleeding,"
"Alright. We should go to the nearest hospital then," Erza stated.
She still couldn't believe Juvia had done that. However, she could understand it, she had once done something similar at the Tower of Heaven. Juvia had sacrificed herself to save Lucy, to save all of them.
The nearest hospital had been in Magnolia. They had taken the first train, got a few strange looks, but most people just ignored them. Once off the train, Gajeel carried Juvia to the hospital, where they took her into surgery. While they waited, the doctors also looked at them.
Hours later, the doctor appeared, leading them all to an empty room where he delivered the news. Juvia was in critical condition, and the chances of her making it out alive were slim to none.
They walked to the guild in grim silence, Sting and Rogue following behind. They opened the doors to the guild, the atmosphere seemed to darken the moment they stepped inside. The master was sat on the bar, as usual. Mira turned to greet them
"Oh my goodness, you're all in such bad shape, was the mission harder then you expected?" She asked, a kind smile on her lips.
No one answered.
The entire guild was there, even Laxus and the Thunder Legion.
"Where's Juvia?" Mira asked, a puzzled look on her face.
It was silent until Wendy burst into tears, hands covering her eyes as she slid to the floor, sobbing. Sting fell to his hands and knees, head bowed as tears fell onto the guild's floor.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please, forgive me! I couldn't protect her! I swore I would protect everyone on this mission, but I couldn't, please, I'm sorry!" He begged.
Everyone tensed.
"What?" Mira asked, eyes wide. "Where is Juvia?" She demanded firmly.
"In the hospital," Erza said softly.
"The doctor said that she won't make it," Lucy whispered, voice breaking a little.
The guild whispered as the master ordered them to his office, where he waited until they all calmed down enough to tell him the entire story.
He sighed once Erza finished explaining. He would personally go to the hospital to find out what the doctor had said. His children were in too much shock to remember the conversation. Sting then begged for his forgiveness again, blaming himself for Juvia getting so severely injured.
Makarov cut him off, telling him that it wasn't his fault, that Juvia had consciously made the decision to do what she did to save their lives. No one was at fault. He then told Sting and Rogue to stay there for a few days. Rogue agreed, thanking the man. Makarov then stood, leaving to go talk with the doctors.
Mira served them drinks to help them calm down. She recommended a nice hotel not too far away that was reasonably priced for Sting and Rogue to stay in. Lucy was the first to leave and go to her apartment, almost instantly falling asleep.
Not too long after, the others did the same, going to their respected homes to rest and calm down. Rogue led Sting to the hotel, requesting a room. He wasn't even bothered when they entered the room and realised there was only one bed.
Sting shed himself of his shirt, shoes and pants, passing out on top of the sheets, breathing deep and steady as he slept. Rogue sighed as Lector and Frosh went to snuggle up with Sting in an effort to comfort the blond.
Picking up Stings clothes, he folded them neatly and placed them on a chair before he shed his own clothes. He didn't bother trying to struggle with Sting to get him to climb under the sheets.
He settled on his side, staring at Sting as he slept. The blond had fallen asleep on his stomach. Reaching forward, he gently ran his fingers through Sting's hair, smiling when the blond made a sound of appreciation.
Not long after did he fall asleep too, far too tired from the days events to stay awake.
