I don't own Fairy Tail. And yes I realize this is long ago, but I couldn't help but post it since its been sitting in my docs. Enjoy and please leave a review if you liked or hated it!

To say her actions were unexpected was an understatement. They have had their doubts that she would be able to do what was necessary against Gray of all people. Be at all have their doubts that she could be levelheaded in the situation. On one hand, they were right. Her actions were anything but stable. And yet none of them could deem them unnecessary.

Their second infiltration of Avatar was just as direct as the first if not more. The team consisted of the three dragonslayers, the exceeds, Lucy, and of course Juvia. The first few fighters were chump change, but it seemed Avatar had learned it's lesson in dealing with Fairy Tail. They quickly sent out the big guns.

Jerome stood at the front, obviously taking the role of the leader. To his right, stood Braiya and Mary. Gray stood to Jerome's left. His eyes immediately found the blue of Juvia's, and his jaw clenched in response. Her gaze was blank and her stare steady. She seemed unperturbed by his appearance. Jerome spoke for the group, "Didn't you idiots learn your lesson last time?"

"Fairy Tail doesn't know-"

Natsu was interrupted when Juvia came to the front of the group, her eyes still trained on Gray's, "Juvia has no intention of fighting."

"Then, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place," Jerome raised a brow.

Juvia's eyes remained on Gray. "Juvia has questions for you, Gray-sama."

The ice mage said nothing.

"Juvia will ask her questions, and then Juvia will leave, but only if Gray-sama has properly answered them. Does this appeal to Gray-sama?"

"Oh my," Mary snickered, "you're old friends are funny if they think any of them will walk out of here alive."

"I agree Wicked Little Thing. Shaggy, I think it's time we teach these kiddies what position they're in."

Jerome pulled his sword from it sheath, "I think you're right."

Juvia rolled her eyes and finally turned her attention to the other Avatar members. "Juvia doesn't have time to deal with small fry like you. Dehydration Lock!"

The three other Avatar members found themselves trapped in the middle of rings of surging water. Jerome reflexively cut through it with his sword, and to his shock, he found no resistance. "Is this supposed to hold us back?"

"Oh, you are by no means trapped," Juvia almost sounded amused, "you can step out of the circle whenever you wish."

Jerome narrowed his eyes. The blunette was definitely hiding something. Before he could voice is suspicions however, he heard it shrill scream. His head snapped to his right. Mary had already stuck an arm out of the circle, which was quickly proving a dire mistake. All watched in sick fascination as Mary's arm shriveled up like a raisin. The small woman tried in vain to pull her arm back, but it was too late. The room came to a chilling silence as the limb turned to dust before their very eyes.

"Juvia's Dehydration Lock contains the moisture of a specific area, and anything that enters the circle will remain the same. However, if anything or anyone attempts to leave the circle the Lock will pull back the escaped moisture, leaving dust in its wake." Juvia explained, ignoring the shock of even her own guild mates. Her attention returned to the black haired Mage who haunted her dreams. "Juvia perfected it while you left her to rot, Gray-sama."

Gray was still staring at the pile of ashes that once been Mary's arm. He couldn't believe that Juvia was capable of this. Not the kind, gentle Juvia he left behind.

"Look at me, Gray-sama," she demanded. He complied, composing himself. In a more cheerful voice, she asked, "What do you say to Juvia's deal?"

"How am I to know that the others won't interfere, catch me off guard and drag me out of here?" Gray crossed his arms, flicking his gaze to the two male dragonslayers.

Gajeel spoke up first, "Juvia begged all of us for this chance. We won't let her lose it."

The ice and water mages gazed at each other. In her eyes, he saw nothing to support the small smile on her face. Rather, the warm oceanic blue of her eyes had turned cold and steely. Ironically, it was as though her eyes had transformed to seem more like his had once been. Was this change his own fault? "I want to add a provision."

Juvia said nothing, waiting for him to finish.

"For every question you ask, I get to ask one of my own."

"Fair play." He was surprised by her immediate answer. He thought she'd at least think it over for a few seconds. "So long as Gray-sama properly answers her questions, Juvia will show the same courtesy. And once both of our questions are answered, Juvia will leave as she has promised."

"Then, ask away."

"What is Gray-sama's primary goal?"

Gray frowned. Juvia already knew the answer to that. Not just because Natsu would have told her, but because she saw him. She saw his drive his focus. Why would she waste her time asking? He gave her the same answer he had given the rest of Avatar, "I will obtain the Book of END, and I will destroy END." She nodded. "Now, it's your turn. Why ask me what you already know?"

"Juvia merely wished to confirm the truth of her knowledge." She pondered the phrasing of her next question, "Is Gray-sama fully aware of what the black marks on his body represent?"

"I know its a countdown, one that means I'm running out of time," Gray glared at the black gunk consuming his body. "The more it takes over, the stronger I become, but the less of myself exists. I want to use this power, but I want to do it as myself. Why, are you worried about me?"

Juvia caught the teasing tone in his voice. Gray saw a spark in her eyes for a moment, "Is that Gray-sama's question?"

"No," he face grew serious again, "my next question is whether or not you intend to stand in my way."

"Only if Gray-sama intends to hurt our friends. Juvia will not accept or forgive such actions. That leads Juvia to her next question, why did you not allow Juvia to help you?"

Gray looked away from their shared gaze. "I couldn't ask you to turn your back on everything. There's no need to drag you into this fight. Besides, I realized that you would only hinder me."

"That's not true!" Suddenly, Juvia was ablaze in emotion. "Juvia has proven she can more than keep up with Gray-sama. We're two of the most compatible mages on this Earthland. Juvia would follow Gray-sama anywhere, and you knew that! So, why? Why would you abandon me like that?"

He knew what she wanted to know. She wanted some miracle answer that would make all the pain he caused her to go away. She wanted to know the Gray-sama she believed in was the real him. She wanted him to come back. She wanted him to be forgivable.

But he couldn't give her that.

In that moment, he was grateful that the darkness was devouring his remorse. It made was the tears springing to her eyes bearable to look at. It squashed the self-hatred that threatened to gnaw at his thoughts. It made focusing on his mission, not her blue eyes alive with passion, easier. He closed his eyes before it started to affect his judgement. "I've already answered that. Besides, it's my turn to ask questions."

Juvia didn't say anything, just wiped the unshed tears from her eyes.

"Oh, she's crying," Mary giggled.

"You really are wicked," Braiya shook her head.

"I wouldn't make fun of the woman who turned your arm to dust," Jerome warned. "Doesn't that hurt like hell?"

"Surprisingly, no," Mary stared at her new stub. "Actually, now that I think about it, I didn't really feel anything. Kind of a painless way to go."

"That's great," Jerome said sarcastically, "our deaths will be painless."

Juvia was beginning to find the other Avatar members annoying. She found it a nice reprieve from being sad. "If you're not quiet, Juvia can make the circles smaller and make them quick too."

"I doubt you have the guts," Mary rolled her eyes, "you goodie goodies tend to be all bark and no bite."

"She dusted your arm!" Jerome reminded the cat-eared mage.

"Not on purpose," Mary said.

And the whole room felt embarrassed on Mary's behalf.

Juvia wiped angry tears from her eyes, "Just ask your question, Gray-sama. After this, Juvia will leave you be."

"How much longer do you intend to wait for me?"

Juvia's face went blank again. The emotion fell from her eyes, and her voice stabilized. She looked straight at him. "Juvia followed Gray-sama to Fairy Tail because he inspired her. She stayed because she wanted to know the kind of bond Gray-sama shared with everyone. But Juvia also wanted to stay by the side of the man who stole her heart. Even though Gray-sama let Juvia knew he may never return her romantic feelings, Gray-sama was someone Juvia put all her trust in. For the first time in her life. Because of that, that beautiful feeling of being able to trust, Juvia was willing to be nearby Gray-sama for the rest of her life." Juvia's brow furrowed, and her hands clenched. "But now you've ripped that feeling from me. You abandoned Fairy Tail, you abandoned me. And as a result, you ending up re-teaching me something I should have never forgotten."

Juvia took a deep breath, turning her eyes to the ceiling, "I am not meant to be by the sides of others. So, the answer to your question is no. I have no intention of waiting for you or anyone else. Ever."

"Is that so?" he muttered. Now Gray felt angry at himself. Had his leaving really made her so jaded?

"And to prove my commitment," Juvia raised her hand up, "I intend to separate myself from Fairy Tail through my actions."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Gray raised a brow, worried about what exactly she had in mind.

"Fairy Tail doesn't kill," she stated simply.

With a snap of her fingers, Juvia's Dehydration Locks closed in on the Avatar members, turning all three into dust.

Natsu roared, "Juvia, this wasn't part of the plan!"

Suddenly, the members of Fairy Tail found themselves inside of their own Dehydration Locks. "Didn't you hear? I'm cutting my ties with Fairy Tail, and that will be much easier if there is no more Fairy Tail."

They barely had time to register her statement before she closed the circles in on them. Gray couldn't believe his eyes. Was this really Juvia in front of him? "What the hell are you doing Juvia?!"

"De-attaching myself," Juvia said calmly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he screamed, desperation in his eyes as he flew to grab her shoulders. "Think about what you've just done. These were your friends Juvia, people who loved and cared about you! This isn't you! You are not a killer! You don't betray your friends! You aren't my Juvia!"

"And what about you?" Juvia challenged, "We thought you'd never betray your friends. We never thought you would turn against your nakama! At least I have the the excuse of coming from bad stock. I wasn't a good person before I joined Fairy Tail!"

"That's bullshit! People don't really change at their core," Gray retorted, "people who are good will always be good on the inside. They get lost but they don't just lose their conscious, their beliefs. I know you know that this is something you'll never be able to forgive yourself for. And that continuing this way will only make it worse for you."

"Is it the same for you?" Juvia narrowed her eyes. "Will Gray-sama always remain good at his core? No matter what?"

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you are a good person-"

"No it does matter, Gray-sama!" Juvia burst. "Juvia needs to know that if Gray-sama's unshakable faith can pan out so can hers."

"Fine," he huffed, "it's possible, but you can't-"

Suddenly, soft, full lips were crashing onto his. He was too shocked to respond before they were gone, but even more shocked to see Juvia's face, full of life, bearing a smile. "That's all Juvia needed to hear."

"Wha-?"

"Juvia needed Gray-sama to remember that faith in your nakama is something we share," Juvia smiled. As she continued, she drew water out from her body, directing it to where the piles of ash that used to be their friends. "So as long as Gray-sama believes in Juvia, Juvia will not let him down or stop believing in him. And so will Fairy Tail."

The water fell on the piles. The water and dust mixed to reform the dusted Fairy Tail mages. Natsu was the first to speak, "Sweet Mavis that feels weird."

Gray was flabbergasted, "But you were dead! What the hell is going on?!"

Juvia, still smiling, "Don't you remember, Gray-sama? Juvia would use her Dehydration Lock on food when we went on missions together. Juvia's Dehyrdation Lock is more for storage and maintaining that it could be used to hurt. The other members of Avatar can be revived just be adding water."

"We needed a sign that you were still on the right side," Lucy explained. "We set this up when we told Juvia about your involvement in Avatar. She insisted that you must have your reasons. Even when most of us were ready to give up on you. She was the one who came up with this plan, said you just needed a bit of a shock."

"Juvia..." Gray looked at the now fidgeting water mage.

"Juvia knew if Gray-sama wasn't bothered by Juvia's actions, only then could she begin to doubt Gray-sama. Because only then could Juvia believe that you weren't her Gray-sama," she explained. "Juvia just hated thinking that Fairy Tail could doubt Gray-sama."

Gray's eyes softened a bit despite the confusion on his face. He didn't really know what to say. This was all so unpredictable, all so Fairy Tail. He just started to laugh, free and open the way Fairy Tail had taught him. "You guys are insane."

Natsu grinned, "We know."

"And you love it," Lucy added with a wide smile.

"And we love you, Gray-sama." Juvia smiled.

Gray let himself bask in the beauty of her warm oceanic eyes and perfect smile. "I still can't come back. Not yet."

"Juvia didn't come to rush you."

Gajeel spoke, "If there's something you need to do, then do it."

"Just remember Fairy Tail is your home and your family," Wendy added.

"And family will always back you up and wait to welcome you home," Juvia concluded, "So take the time you need. Complete your mission, but remember that we're waiting for you."

"Especially 'your' Juvia," snickered Happy.

"Then, get out of here before I have to wake up the dusty trio," Gray sighed. "And there are gonna be more forces coming if the four of us don't get back to the main rooms."

Natsu nodded, tossing a bag to the ice mage, "We brought some ashes to help you cover for you."

"Thanks, flame brain," Gray nodded.

"Don't thank Salamander," Gajeel growled.

"Gajeel's right," Carla said, "the idea was all Juvia's consideration. Now, I suggest we get going. I think I hear footstep coming from behind Gray."

The group nodded and turned to run. Juvia was ready to run with the rest of the team, but was held back by a firm but gentle grip on her hand. "Thank you, Juvia. And I'm so-"

"Gray-sama," Juvia muttered, "this is something you should tell Juvia when you're back."

"I'll be back soon. Your Gray will come back soon."

He let go of her arm, and she turned back for a moment as she wore a blazing smile. She mouthed two words as she disappeared behind a corner, "I know."