OMG, Okay so what had happened was my computer sucked right? lol Im back though! Sorry it took me so long but I haven't forgotten! (:

This chapter is a little rough on emotions and drama cause well what's a story without them? Please let me know what you think!

ENJOY!

JUVIA'S POV

I awoke to the sound of the door opening and snuggled deeper in bed. For some reason I couldn't quite place in my haze why but the bed felt more comfortable than ever before. Waiting for my handmaiden to gently call my name as always, I yawned and suddenly was wide awake. Levy wasn't going to be the one to wake me up judging from the smell coming off the bed.
"I can hear your breathing changed. You're safe." Natsu's voice came from the quiet. I slowly sat up and seen him sitting in a chair slumped over forward, his elbows on his knees. Bandages peeked out wrapped along his shoulders and left arm. He winced sitting up straighter in the chair sighing loudly when his back touched the chair. Eyeing the room, I realize I'm definitely not in my room where I'm positive I would've gone to bed at. The room was massive, at least double the size of my room. It was even complete with a blazing fireplace and sitting area where Natsu watched me try to piece together what had happened.
"Where-" I started before a voice cut me off coming from the other side of the room. He walked out shirtless with a towel draped across his shoulders and his hair still dripping with wetness.

"You're in my room. We're home." Gray said simply not making eye contact with me before walking to sit by Natsu.

"But how. . ." With that, both men turned to me eyes suddenly wide.

"You. . . don't remember?" Natsu asked quietly. I froze and began recalling what I could remember last. I remembered the sandy desert and then other things. My hand reached up to left side of my neck and felt the frozen icy burn of the mark that resided there.

FLASHBACK

He decided to tease a little and let his hand tangle itself in my hair. Gently, Gray tugged my head back and laid a small kiss on my neck. He bit down slightly, but I felt no pain over pleasure and the cold feeling of him so close. He laid another kiss there and I swallowed hard before he pulled me from my raging and racing thoughts.

"You look like you enjoyed that." Gray laughed as he looked down at her reddened cheeks.

"You're right. We should go back. I did tell him we'd be right behind afterwards." Managing to change the subject from how badly obvious my feelings were apparent.

"Yeah, I have a feeling your friend won't be happy with how things played out just now." Gray turned away from me me but glanced over his shoulder.

"Gajeel? Why?"

"He doesn't seem too fond of me."

"And are you fond of him?" I asked and he looked away from me again.

"Not so much, no."

"He's rough around the edges, but means well. He's always been there for me."

"No? So you don't think he'd rather you marry the Dragon of Light?"

"It isn't his choice just as our arrangement was not our choice."

I sighed as I placed my hands on his shoulders from behind. He scoffed at my answer and placed a hand over one of mine.

"When we're wed Juvia, I want Natsu as your guard, I sent word for him awhile back, I figure you have the same sort of past with him as well. He should be here by tonight."

"Gray-sama-"

"Gajeel can be too, I'm not saying he can't. I would just appreciate someone I know and trust to be around you when I can't. He's crazy but he's my best friend." Gray reasoned.

"I accept your terms Gray-sama. I accept the ideal of me taking on a demon. I must admit you make those black sheets of yours sound like the ideal place to be Prince." I gave him a small smile and began walking back towards my horse.

"I know you haven't ever . . .done . . .anything-" I stopped and tenderly turned to watch him stumble over choosing his words. "I had my father cancel the bedding, but that doesn't mean that I don't hope for that. Whenever your ready for it, we can whether that's tomorrow or months away. I just don't want you misunderstanding the process. When we do- that's how the demon will get to you. Through me and that mark." He sighed watching my face. I was definitely blushing talking about the elephant in the room. Why was fighting him so hard? Why is it that while this conversation worries me the excitement of it is equal to the nervousness?
"I've already marked you." He stated. "Nothing with a sensitive nose will dare bug you now."

"How? When did you-" I realized as my hand shot up to cover my neck. I stopped and took a deep breath.

"Yup. Marked. Make your way home Princess and clean up. I've got a quick errand to run and I won't make it to dinner tonight." Kissing me once more he turned and walked away.

END

"I. . " I looked back towards them. "I remember being in the desert with you. I remember this." Rubbing the spot, I felt the cold burn and realized it didn't hurt the way it had before.

"That's it?" Gray questioned.

"Gray what happened? How did I miss the two week journey here? Are you and I. . . "

"No. We aren't married yet. There. . .was an attack, Juvia. Not many people made it out of the castle in time."

Instantly I could feel tears start to flow down my face as I processed everything being said to me.

"Ga-Gajeel? Is he? Levy? My uncle?" I couldn't keep up with the horrifying thoughts swarming me. My friends, my home, my family. How do I have no memory of this?!

"There was an attack because of me." Gray's voice drew my glum expression from my lap towards him.

"I'm sorry, but your uncle didn't make it. Gajeel and the woman he carried out are in the medical wing. We brought everyone alive here from your castle." Natsu watched my face twist in attempting to feel the joy of my best friends being okay, but the painful loss of the only other surviving member of my line. He continued, watching my reactions carefully. "There's a constant battle here for now. They attacked hoping to destroy the chances of the marriage and what it would do for Gray's rise to power. The rival clan I've recently gained just enough intel to learn. . . their leader is my brother." I thought I was confused before. I didn't know where to start. I stayed silent, while my brain couldn't stop screaming. Are my friends hurt? My home? My homeland and the people? And did Gray say this was his fault? Was he right to be looking ashamed at me or was this an attempt at a personal blow? What had this marriage gotten me into? Can I really marry a man who says this is his fault while so much of me has been instantly destroyed? A door closed in the distance and I snapped back enough to see that Natsu had left, and Gray made his way to me. Taking my hand he spoke slow and sure.

"I understand doing whatever you need to to process this. I promise we're gathering our intel together now for a counter strike. I had no idea they had demons in their array capable of this. I'm so sorry Juvia." Gray's hand squeezed mine and the guilt he felt was beyond apparent. Almost as apparent as those tears in the corners of his once gleaming eyes. I wanted to tell him that everything would be okay and to comfort him but how could I? How can I say those words to him with how I feel right now? Would they mean something to him or would they just be empty dreary words? Thunder roared outside and I could physically hear my lack of control over my emotions as a pitter patter began to hit the windows. "One of the ways the mark works is it gives me or you some control of the other. You were. . . hurt. The mark healed most of your injuries, but still you've been asleep for nearly three weeks now. I know this is a horrible awakening for you, but I was starting to worry you'd never wake up again." Gray's voice cracked softly as his other hand found it's way to my face and cupped my cheek.

"Thank you for healing me." Were the only words I could find for a moment as I fought the tears that begged to fall. "And thank you for protecting my people as well." I forced a small smile at him. "You'll make a wonderful king someday."

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! I put your entire nation at risk!" Enraged, he punched the table next to the bed. I glanced in shock at the wood that had caved into itself and fallen over. Never in my life had I been presented with such a noble. It wasn't even his nation of people who were mostly hurt, yet here he stood filled with such rage for what happened. The black markings peeked out from the top of his pants and made its way up to his face ever so slowly.

"You did nothing. Our parents made this arrangement set in stone for you to be the King of all demons. Their reaction to a rivel's new power is one of eradication and not politics. If anything-" I gazed up at him. "It's my fault for not being able to protect my people. I don't even know what happened, and yet so many people. . ." I paused taking a shaking breath to steady myself and dig deep to find the raging dragon in my heart. I summoned up all the conviction I could muster and what do you know my tears managed to stop as well.

"Tell me about our counter strike My Prince. Give me your demon and I'll fight alongside you. I will show them eradication."

I meant every word.

GRAY'S POV

She still. . . wants to? I stared wide eyed at the girl or one could say woman in front of me. She still planned to marry me? I thought I had lost her multiple times in these past weeks. Times I thought she'd never wake up. Others when I swore if she did, she'd be so livid or broken that she couldn't stand the sight of me. I couldn't say that I would blame her for feeling that way because that's sure what my eyes scream at me in the mirror. I thought back to the night the single man destroyed not only everything for her, but everything for me too.

FLASHBACK

Sort bursts of screams of hurt, anger, devastation and then temporary silence was I could hear all around me. I had ran for what felt like the entire property looking for Juvia, my father or Natsu. The walls around me were either completely intact or gone entirely and it was getting difficult to even say where I was. Blood, fire, and burning flesh were all too consuming on my sense of smell and it was starting to take it's toll on me. That's when the door I was leaning on to catch my breath had been blown open, throwing me against the wall. I shakily stood when a figure passed through the open doorway. He chuckled proudly as he surveyed the amount of destruction he had managed to cause in only 30 minutes. His hands were on his stomach trying to contain the laughter as he took a few steps closer to me.

"Well, I'd know that face anywhere. You're definitely related to Silver."

"Who the fuck are you?" I asked through gritted teeth. Hitting the wall as swiftly as I had must of broken or bruised at least 4 ribs. I spit a bit of blood out of my mouth realizing then that they were broken if not shattered even and it probably was more than just four.

"My name is Jackal. I was sent to make sure your connection to that broad is as painful as possible." He pointed with blackened claws behind me for me to see who laid in the rooms floor. My eyes first met the same eyes I see in the mirror, except these were opened with a lifeless look. I could feel the demon crowd my head like never before. My glance looked over father's body to see Natsu pushing himself to stand, his own demon markings surrounding him in fire. I couldn't even imagine Juvia being in there if my father. . . Natsu charged the man landing punches as he continued his laughter. I took the chance to run past them and scanning the room I found her. She laid on the floor on stomach not moving an inch. I slowly approached noticing how her dress was shredded all around her.

"HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED BY NOW?!" Jackal yelled. A bright yellow light found it's way into the room before another crashing boom. This one really did some damage as I turned over Juvia's body I seen a drop of my blood fall on land on her cheek. I felt instant relief for the quickest moment when she winced in pain at the ringing sound.

END

I excused myself to calm down and roamed the halls. That's when I heard the metal clinking of armor. I grabbed Gajeel's arm as he passed surely on his way to see Juvia. "Please don't," I started not really wanting to finish the sentence that needed to be said. "Don't tell her about my dad." It barely came out a whisper, but he knew Gajeel picked up on it. "She doesn't remember and what we told her was enough. Juvia doesn't need to know yet."

"I won't." Gajeel bowed before continuing on his path.