Hey guys, just a little note for anyone reading my other stories (mainly Juvia in Wonderland) I know I said Valentine's Day but school hit me hard and I was having a really tough time and then I lost inspiration. I will continue it, just it might not be anytime soon, along with my other stories. I am trying though, and support is greatly appreciated.
Anyway, if you do enjoy any of these stories please review!
"Gran-gran!" A little girl piped up as she grabbed the edge of her great-grandmother's bed and jumped a few times to try and get up.
"Now Julia, if I let you up will you promise to be good?" Her mother said coming into the bedroom not too far behind the little girl. Julia nodded quickly, her dark blue curls bouncing along with her nods. Doing as she promised, once she was helped up onto the bed she snuggled up to her great-grandmother. The frail old woman laughed as she wrapped one arm around the little girl, but her laughs quickly turned into a fit of coughs.
"Grandma." Julia's mother said quickly moving to her grandma's side, handing her a glass of water which she passed off.
"I'm fine Rae, you don't need to worry over me so much." The old woman insisted, leaning up further to kiss her granddaughter on the cheek, "Is Neil on a mission?"
"Yes, we've got to prepare for Julia's new brother or sister, so he's doing as many missions as he can." Rae said gently brushing her hand over her stomach. It wasn't too large, but it was swollen enough to be able to tell she was pregnant.
The old woman smiled fondly, "I remember your grandfather used to do the same just before Naida and your father were born."
"Was that Grandpa Gray?" Julia asked innocently looking up at her great-grandmother with big eyes.
"Yes of course. Although I do recall your grandpa Lyon doing something similar before grandma Melody was born."
The year was X868. Juvia's blue hair had long since faded into thin white locks, her flawless pale skin began to sag and wrinkle and she was the last of the old generation of Fairy Tail to be left standing. The thought of her being part of the old generation amused her slightly, it still felt like yesterday when Master Makarov was the old generation, and Juvia was just entering the new generation. But here she was, on the brink of bringing an end to the old generation. She could feel it was almost her time to go. The water was finally drying up within her, and she was almost ready to let go. Almost.
First she had a few people to say goodbye to still.
"Mum and Dad are on their way soon. They and aunt Naida still has a few things to take care of at the guild and then they will be over."
"Call them and tell them to stay there. We're going to head to the guild." Swinging her legs off of the bed, Juvia pushed herself to her feet only to stumble a little. She was the last one standing in a manner of speaking.
"You can't grandma-"
"Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders?" Juvia asked smartly.
"Yes, you did but-"
"Exactly. Now I'm going to the guild whether you accompany me or not."
Being married to Gray for so many years had certainly rubbed off on Juvia, even after six months of living together she had picked up his stripping habit. No one liked to think of the damage that over fifty years did. Julia latched on to Juvia's free hand as the little girl walked her to the Fairy Tail guild hall, Rae not too far behind. Thankfully after their two children had grown up, her and Gray moved into a smaller house, closer to the guild. Juvia enjoyed visiting the guild. She wasn't much use to anyone anymore, but the children there loved to hear the stories firsthand about Fairy Tail's 'golden era' as they called it.
She would tell them of the battles Fairy Tail fought, of Zeref and Acnoglogia, and of all her friends whom she missed dearly. Maybe today, she would tell them one last story.
When the entered the guildhall she was meat with a bombardment of cheers and welcomes. It had been a while since Juvia visited the guild hall, her failing health was making it near impossible.
"Juvia! I'm so glad to see you're feeling better." The guild master Yury Dreyar greeted as he and Rae assisted her to a chair. She still couldn't believe the cheerful Yury was the son of Laxus, but she could defiantly see Makarov in him.
"Mum! What are you doing here?" She heard her son Silver yell as he rushed over to her, leaving his wife Melody behind as she spoke with her sister-in-law Naida.
"Oh just came by to say hi." Juvia said casually. Silver leant down to her and she grabbed him around the neck to bring him closer and kiss him on the cheek.
"We were just about to leave." He told her giving her a quick hug before struggling to get back to his feet. Even though she was old, his mother still had a strong grip.
"Well I saved you the trouble. You can't use your daughter to keep me cooped up like I'm contagious. I'm just old not stupid."
Once she was settled in and comfortable, Melody appeared at her side with a cup to tea. Her daughter in law had the looks of her mother, save the silver hair and personality of her father. "How are you feeling?" Melody asked her as Juvia lifted the cup to her lips.
"I'm fine, you all need to stop worrying-" Juvia suddenly stopped and Silver pulled the cup from her hands.
"Mum?"
"I'm fine." She insisted again, her voice now suddenly hoarse, "You're trying to slip medicine into my tea again aren't you?" She asked Melody as she got her breathing back to normal, "I can smell it."
"It wasn't Melody." Naida said as she appeared beside her baby brother, "I thought I'd put enough honey to mask the scent."
"Well obviously not." Silver rolled his eyes as he put the cup aside. Juvia had been prescribed some horrible smelling tonic to help with her heart, but it tasted worse than it smelt so she refused to take it
"Hey!" Naida sounded offended as she punched Silver's arm.
"Don't fight. For Mavis sake you're over sixty." Juvia sighed at her two children. Even now they fought like they were toddlers.
"Don't remind me." Naida sighed.
"Grandma Juvy!" Juvia couldn't help but wince at the nickname. She looked past Silver and Naida to see her other great-grandchild and Julia's older brother, Erik. Not far behind him Julia came running along with some of the other children of Fairy Tail, "Can you tell us a story?"
"Tenrou Island S Class Trials!" One shouted.
"No! The Avatar incident!" Another insisted.
"The Grand Magic Games is the best. I wanna hear it again." Erik said.
"How about I tell you about the battle of Fairy Tail." Juvia suggested as the kids all sat on the ground before Juvia. Melody and Naida stood off to the side watching over them while Silver went off to make his mother another cup of tea, this time with more honey.
"Yeah, that was your first big thing at Fairy Tail wasn't it gran-gran?" Julia asked.
"As an official member yes." And Juvia began the story. She began on the morning of the Harvest Festival before moving on to the Miss Fairy Tail contest. By the time the girls were turned to stone everyone was fighting each other Juvia had the kids hanging off her every word.
Just as Silver put her new tea in her hand, Juvia had gotten to taking down the thunder palace. That was when it happened. No one had a second to react when Juvia suddenly stopped speaking. She found herself unable to breathe and soon, fell from her chair, her tea cup slipping from her hands and smashing to the ground.
She had enough time to hear everyone screaming out her name before she slipped into darkness.
When Juvia's eyes were finally open again, the first thing she saw was the blue sky. Sitting up she was amazed to discover her joints no longer hurt. Gaping in amazement she looked at her hand to see the flawless, creamy complexion she hasn't seen on herself in years.
She looked around, and all she saw was yellow grass as far as the eye could see. Juvia knew where she was now. She was dead.
"Not quite." A beautifully familiar voice echoed through the wind. Her head whipped back and forward a few times trying to locate the owner of the sweet voice and then, before her, his body faded into view.
"Gray…" Juvia couldn't believe her eyes. It had been nearly seven years since the passing of her beloved husband, and here he was standing before her once again. Quickly hoping to her feet, Juvia ran to throw her arms around Gray, the spirit of her youth once again infecting her.
She could feel Gray's chest rumble against her cheek as he chuckled, "I've missed you." He then said planting a kiss on her blue hair.
After a few more moments, Juvia looked up at him, keeping her face near his chest, "Does this mean-?"
"Not quite." He cut her off, "Soon though. This isn't the afterlife, this is limbo. The world seemed to be grateful for everything we did in our youth as members of Fairy Tail, so they're giving us a chance to go back for a moment and say a proper goodbye."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I will be your guide. Gajeel and I fought over who should be your guide, and even Lyon tried getting in on the argument. Meredy was about to step forward and do it but eventually they realised it should be me."
"Guide to where?"
"You'll see." Gray's gaze broke from hers as he looked around, "We're here." he announced. Juvia spun around taking in the new scenery, not having even noticed the change until Gray pointed it out.
She was in a familiar hall, one she hadn't seen in many years but she knew well. By a large wooden door sat a small girl, with tight blue curls as she spun a pink umbrella on the ground. Juvia knew the little girl. It was herself.
Juvia remembered this day, she was five and her parents were dropping her off at a boarding school. The month after that was the day Juvia's rain began to curse her world, but she still wondered why her parents abandoned her. Every holiday, there was no one there to take her home, and it was at that school she remained for the next ten years.
"Why are we here?" Juvia asked.
"This was the day that helped you become the woman you are today." Gray explained, but Juvia still found it a little vague.
"I thought that day was the day I joined Fairy Tail."
"That was a significant moment in yours and my life as well, but not the start. If you didn't experience all the pain of abandonment you never would have joined Phantom, we never could have met and you never would have been able to appreciate those around you like you do."
"What was yours?"
"The night Deliora attacked and my parents died. It was actually my father that led me through. He told me that if you kicked it before I did, he would guide you. Now shush."
Juvia laughed and wrapped her arms around Gray's bicep, an action he was long used to by now as they watched.
Juvia smiled quietly to herself as her legs kicked back and forth and she spun her little pink umbrella between her legs. She had been begging her parents to let go to school, and now that she was finally old enough, they were letting her go. They were hesitant at first, as they were afraid that she wouldn't receive proper teaching in her magic, but this morning they had woken her up, saying to pack her things as she was going to school.
Her parents came out from the door beside her, and she jumped up excitedly.
"Be safe." Her mother said bending down to her height and wrapping her arms around her, "And know your father and I love you."
Her father then patted her on the head and that was it. The last time Juvia saw her parents.
Rubbing her face in Gray's shoulder, Juvia attempted to rid her eyes of the tears. Soothingly, Gray ran his hand up and down her back, something they both missed.
Peeking out from his arm, Juvia watched as the scene changed over and over. To the first day of rain, the moment she met Bora, when Jose found her, when she made friends with Gajeel, all up until she re-watched the moment her and her beloved Gray met.
"Every person, and hardships in your life has helped shaped you into who you are, and you have shaped the lives of so many people. Especially me." Gray spoke.
And then they watched her relationship with Gray, and all the other members of Fairy Tail grow. Slowly, she began to affect them all. Gray became less cold, Meredy as she gave up her quest to kill Gray, Lyon turning into a ball of mush, pushing Gajeel towards Levy, making him realise how much of a mush ball he was and so many others.
She always knew it, but once again she saw how much they affected her. Juvia was a happy child, then she was abandoned and her optimism fell, no one liked to be around her and she became cold and distant, not attempting to make friends with anyone afraid of being hurt again. But then she met Gray, and he showed her the sun, and she wasn't afraid to love anymore.
The memories changed over and over again, there were so many, but Juvia remembered them all. Like one of the biggest days of her life.
It was the first time she had been scared of loving since joining Fairy Tail.
Juvia could hear the cheers of celebrations all around her and a weak smile pulled at her lips as she stared into the blue sky, "We won." She whispered quietly to herself, her voice unable to go much higher than that. After months of fighting, the war with Zeref and the Alvarez Empire, it was over.
It was over…
Her life was slipping away, she could feel it. Invel, that was his name Juvia recalled. The man had frozen her body of water, and thrown her out of sight. When she hit the ground, she shattered. She couldn't figure out how she was still alive. Struggling she looked around her, small puddles surrounded her, puddles of a water and blood mixture.
Slowly she had begun to reform once the ice had melted, but she was weak. By the time Gray had found her, she was nearly whole again, huge cuts were still missing as he cradled her head in his lap.
Her weak smile grew a little stronger, "I'm glad to see you're still okay Gray."
"Me? Maybe you need to worry about yourself for once." Gray scolded, but she could see his eyes filling with tears.
"But if I worry about myself, who is going to worry about you?"
"No one needs to worry about me."
"Then you're as bad as me."
"Just hurry up and kiss already!" Meredy called over to them causing both Juvia and Gray to flush bright red.
"We need to get you to a healer." Gray began to pick Juvia up, attempting to ignore Meredy.
The world around them went black, as Juvia's memory stopped there. She had passed out then.
"I really thought I would die that day." Juvia admitted to Gray.
"So did I. Lyon had to hold me down while the healers tried to help you."
Juvia looked up at him with wide eyes, "Meredy told me that, but I didn't believe her."
"You didn't believe anything she told you after she said I kissed you once they let me in." Gray paused for a moment and awkwardly looked away from Juvia.
"Which you did." She teased.
"Only on the cheek!" Juvia could see the pink on his cheek.
"And ever since then Lyon and Meredy teamed up to try and get us together." Juvia narrated.
Juvia had taken a strange job request. She couldn't remember what was written on it but it led her to Meredy.
"Please Juvia you have to help me." Meredy begged grabbing Juvia's hands.
"I never said I wouldn't, but you need to tell me what with."
Puffing out her cheeks, Meredy looked away, "Lyon." Juvia couldn't stop the 'aww' that came out afterwards, "But you can't help me just by yourself! This is a two person job, if it's just you he might go after you and me-" Meredy covered her face with her hands and shook her head.
"Maybe if you let me go back to the guild I can get Gajeel-"
"No!" Meredy quickly shouted, "I uh… Lyon would never buy that. You need someone who he would buy you being with so he thinks you're taken. I know! Gray!"
Juvia frowned. This seemed far too planned out.
As it turned out it was. Meredy was faking a crush on Lyon to get Gray and Juvia to go on a date. They pretended to get Gray to ask Lyon to come with him and Meredy on a double date, however Lyon and Meredy never showed up. It wasn't exactly how Juvia planned her first date with Gray to go, but she still found it heavenly.
Gray laughed at the memory. He wasn't there so he was unaware of how this all started, until now, "They really thought I had no game." Juvia shrugged, "Remember our second date?" Juvia nodded. It was the most perfect date ever. Gray picked her up at the guild, and the two walked around Magnolia. After they passed all of the best restaurants in Magnolia, Juvia's hopes were falling, until they made it out of town, and up onto a hill overlooking the town, where Gray had set up a beautiful picnic. Together, they watched the sunset and then watched the stars, which wasn't really Gray's thing, but he was told girls love it. "Well that was originally going to be our first date."
"I know." Juvia quietly squealed. It was something he told her the night he proposed, at the same location, five years later.
Gray was fidgeting all night, but Juvia chose to ignore it. This was their spot, and it was where Juvia was her happiest. The sun had dipped below the sky, but there was still a faint glow in the sky, and Juvia had laid her head in Gray's lap as he gently combed her hair with his fingers. Juvia was humming quietly to herself as she just enjoyed being with Gray.
"You remember our second date?"
"The second one you asked me on or the second one where it was just the two of us?"
"Just the two of us."
"Of course. It's my favourite day."
"Well, actually I'd been planning it for months, and was about to ask you on it when you took Meredy's request."
"Really?" Juvia tipped her head back a little further to smile up at him.
"Yeah. I can be romantic sometime."
"I never said you couldn't." She reached up and tapped Gray lightly on the nose.
"You might after this. But I'd rather not have Lyon and Meredy beat me to the punch again. It's been five years and I'm surprised they haven't yet, but…" Suddenly a ring appeared in her face. It wasn't anything fancy but it was enough to make Juvia shoot up and bump foreheads with Gray as she did.
"Oww-" They both groaned in pain, but Juvia was the first to recover. She threw her arms around his neck and tackled him to the ground, squealing just as he was recovering.
"Yes, yes, yes, YES!" She repeated over and over.
"So I'll take that as a yes then?" Gray laughed catching Juvia's face so he could look at her, only to have her press her lips to his.
"I swear the guild almost blew up at that news." Gray mused fondly. Juvia and Gray were the second to get married, right after Gajeel and Levy, who had actually started dating during the year Fairy Tail was disbanded. Juvia had planned a huge event, nothing was too much for the best day of her life, and Gray happily went along with it.
However on the day of the wedding, it rained.
Gray stood at the end of the aisle, impatiently waiting. Lyon was beside him, followed by Natsu and funnily enough, Cana, who had insisted on being a part of Gray's groomsmen rather than Juvia's bridal party. Even though it was raining, and Juvia had planned the wedding outside, together Lyon and Gray had created a huge ice roof to cover the large invited party. It looked like Juvia had invited all of Magnolia and then some to the wedding.
Five minutes.
Then ten minutes.
Juvia was late. How could Juvia be late? She had been looking forward to this day for months. Gray turned as he felt Lyon's hand on his shoulder.
"She's probably just trying to get her hair perfect." He could tell Lyon was trying to be supportive, but the stronger the rain got, the more nervous Gray got.
It was when he saw Meredy nearly running down the aisle that he snapped. Pushing past Meredy, Gray ran down the aisle and began to look for Juvia.
"That was your memory. Not mine." Juvia pointed out.
"I know, but I don't control what we see. When I came through I saw you."
"I still don't know why…" Juvia shook her head. Even to this day she couldn't figure out why she freaked out. Maybe it was seeing the rain that morning, it reminded her of when she was surrounded by nothing but rain and she was reminded of it.
"It all worked out in the end didn't it?"
Gray found her in their spot. She was dressed and ready, but when she left the guild to make the walk down the aisle, she bolted. Her makeup was pouring down her face, her once flawless dress was now muddied and her hair was plastered to her face, not much unlike Gray's.
Taking her hand, Gray brought her to her feet, before wrapping his jacket around her and then pulling her into his arms, "You're not the cause of the rain, and even if you are I still love you." He told her. It wasn't the first time he had to reassure her, and it wasn't the last.
Slowly, Juvia began to calm down. Her arms slipped around Gray's waist as she began to mumble apologies. He needed to stop her.
Pushing her out to his arm length, Gray bent down to her height, "Stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong. I just think you bit off more than you can chew. If you want we can have a smaller wedding on another day."
"Or we could have one right here right now." Lyon called out. He, Meredy, Makarov, Lucy, Natsu, Gajeel, Cana, Levy and all those close to Gray and Juvia appeared, each sharing umbrellas.
"You beat me to the punch again." Gray couldn't help but smile.
So instead of a huge wedding, with so many people that neither of them really knew, they had a wedding in the rain, surrounded by some of their closest friends. Everyone else remained dry under their umbrellas, but Juvia and Gray rejected any umbrellas, and were soaked as they were married.
"I think that it turned out better than we could have ever planned." Juvia said quietly.
It was another five years before they welcomed their first child Naida into the world, during those five years Meredy and Lyon married, along with Lucy and Natsu and Jellal and Erza. Two years later, Silver was born. They struggled to take care of the two young children, but they made it.
One of the hardest days in Juvia's life since having children, was watching Silver go. Given, he didn't go very far, but to think he was getting married himself made Juvia and Gray feel old.
Juvia gripped Gray with one hand, as the other wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue. Down the aisle came Melody, on the arm of her father Lyon and soon he was handed her off to Silver. Gray couldn't believe the day Silver said he was dating the daughter of Lyon, but Juvia was thrilled, so thrilled she threw them a party. Literally.
And a hop skip and a step away Gray and Juvia were grandparents. A little girl with light grey hair. It was a mixture of her father's dark hair and mother's silver hair and Juvia couldn't help but giggle at it. But she loved and spoilt her granddaughter, as did Gray who was smitten with her. She was named Rae.
Nadia never married, but she did go on to be one of the ten wizard saints, and Juvia was always proud to be Naida's mother, but after the day she was named… she still couldn't believe it.
Then something worse than the offspring of Gray and Lyon coming together happened. Rae married Neil, the grandson of Natsu, Lucy, Jellal and Erza.
Sadly, before Erik, their first son was born, Gray passed away.
It was the middle of the night and Juvia was curled up beside Gray as they slept. At least until she was rudely shaken awake.
"Juvia." Gray whispered in her ear to try and wake her up. Juvia groaned a little but turned to face him, slowly opening her eyes.
"What?" She mumbled rubbing her eyes. Before either of them could say anything more Gray kissed her. It wasn't as heated as they were years ago, they were nearing on ninety, but it was just as loving.
"I love you Juvia. Thank you for everything you have ever given me and done for me. I'm scared to think of what my life would be like if you were never in it." Gray wasn't one for random acts of affection, but when he did it still made Juvia's heart flutter. Sadly she didn't know this was his last.
She reached up and touched his cheek gently, "I love you too Gray. And I'd say you're welcome, but you probably gave me so much more in return."
Then, Gray laid back down, and pulled Juvia into his arms.
That morning, Gray had passed.
"That was you getting your chance to say goodbye. You knew you were about to die." Juvia observed, tears streaming down her face and voice breaking.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to panic or anything. I just wanted you to know that I love you. I still do." Looking up at him, Juvia smiled, but before she could say anything, her eyes opened.
She was in the guild infirmary, surrounded by her family.
"Mum you're okay." Naida cried throwing her arms around her mother, resting her head on her chest.
"You shouldn't have spat out your medicine." Silver said handing her a cup which again, Juvia pushed away.
"I love you all." Juvia said simply, "My children, my grandchild, my great grandchildren, and the children of all my friends. I've watched you all grow and one day you will find yourself in my position. I don't know how to do this but…" Juvia trailed off as she saw him in the corner. He was transparent, and defiantly a ghost but the stronger the image of Gray grew, the more Juvia knew she was fading.
"I will see you all again someday." She kissed Naida's hair, and then she was back in the yellow field, hand in hand with Gray.
"Now it's time." Gray told her and she saw everyone.
"We've been waiting for you Juvia!" She heard Meredy shout. Sadly the pink haired girl was one of the first to go, missing her own daughter's wedding.
"Now we can continue our adventure!" Natsu called waving the two over.
"And make some more memories." Gray finished.
Juvia couldn't wait anymore. She bolted for the group, dragging Gray along behind her. It was the end of one book, but the beginning of another.
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