I felt heavy and cold; I could hear muffled voices around me as I started to regain conciseness,

"What the hell were you thinking?!" a feminine voice shouted,

"You could have killed her, you jack ass." Another voice yelled,

"I didn't though, did I?" said another gruffer voice shouted back.

I felt my annoyance rise as I couldn't recognize their voices, I moaned slightly at the effort of opening my eyes.

"She's waking up," the female said in surprise, "Valkyrie... Valkyrie can you hear me?"

I finally managed to open my eyes and flinched at the light shining on my face, I blinked and looked around slowly.

I was in Gray's bed with Laxus, Gray, Gajeel, Lucy and Loki all standing around the bed.

"What happened?" I asked as I raised a hand to my forehead trying to stop the throbbing.

"Gee hee, Laxus went a little over board." Chuckled Gajeel as he crossed his arms and smirked at the lighting dragon slayer, who grunted in response and closed his eyes.

"Over board?" shrieked Lucy, "He beat her to a bloody pulp."

"I was making a point." Laxus said simply, as he stood next to Gajeel, both with their large arms crossed.

Lucy flared in anger and started waving her arms around wildly as she yelled at both of the large men standing before her, she ranted about how Laxus was crazy and that Gajeel was crazier for just standing there and watching the fight happen.

If I was feeling better I would have thought it was hilarious, but since I did in fact get beaten to a bloody pulp, I let her shouting fade to the background as I lifted myself up into a sitting position.

Loki noticed and quickly came to my side, "You alright?" I nodded and gave him a small smile.

"You know?" he said with a teasing smirk, "I am not complaining, but it would seem that lately every time I see you, you are lying in a bed."

I chuckled slightly then winched at the pain in my torso, "I promise I won't make it a habit." I noticed the temperature drop to my left and I purposefully kept my eyes on the black comforter I had clenched in my fists.

Gray approached the bed and gently sat next to me without saying anything. He handed me a small bag and a large foam cup. I blinked and turned to look at him, he had a frown on his usually blank face but I could tell he was trying hard not to let it show.

He silently extended the bag and cup to me again, and I accepted them carefully in confusion. I smelled the contents of the cup instantly and my eyes widened in surprise as I quickly looked inside the bag. I felt a wide smile spread across my face.

"Coffee... And donuts!" I shouted causing Lucy to stop her shouting and everyone to turn and look at me.

Loki laughed as he watched me happily eat the sweet chocolate covered circles and sip at my peppermint mocha. He turned to look at Lucy, "I think she is going to be just fine."

I was surprised I was able to move around so well, only flinching once in a while from pain. But the other had explained that Wendy had stopped by briefly to fix the major damage but then had to leave for a job.

Lucy and Loki left shortly after that, but only after I promised Lucy I would stop by and see her the next day.

After I saw Loki and Lucy out I returned to the Living room where Gray, Laxus and Gajeel were waiting for me.

The two large dragon slayers stared hard at me, while Gray looked slightly confused.

"You understand why I had to do that?" Laxus asked in a harsh voice and I nodded slowly, "And you know that it won't be the last time?" I nodded again as Gray jumped up from his spot on the couch finally braking his silence.

"What the hell do you mean; it won't be the last time?" he asked angrily,

"Calm down, ice man," Gajeel said shortly, "She says she is a dragon slayer. We can't have her running around claiming to be something she is not, now can we?"

Gray looked like he could rip the two Dragon slayers in half, "Stop talking to vague!" he shouted, "There is something you're not telling me, I wanna know!"

"We will leave that decision up to her." Laxus said as he started to leave the apartment with Gajeel right behind him. "Tomorrow; the clearing at nightfall." Laxus called over his shoulder before he turned briefly to see me nod in agreement.

And with that they were gone, leaving me in a frigid living room with a murderous ice-make mage. I took a deep breath before I turned back to face him. He stood still only in his black jeans from earlier and his messy black hair sticking out in a funny way, he looked at me before he extended an arm out in a 'go ahead' motion, waiting for me to explain.

I moved to sit on the couch with him still standing in the center of the room watching me patiently.

"Ok, for you to understand I will have to tell you about some of my past." I said slowly he nodded for me to continue. And I took a deep breath as I launched into my story.

I started by telling him everything I remember about that night with my parents; from the fire, the masked men, to the way both my parents had sacrificed themselves for me and Natsu.

Gray was such a great listener, I almost forgot he was still in the room with me.

I stopped at the part where I had been knocked out from the blast of my father's magic, and I looked up slowly at Gray. He had moved to kneel by the coffee table in front of me. He no longer looked mad but instead he wore a pained look of understanding, which encouraged me to take the next step.

I slowly lifted my left hand and let my greatest secret show; my hand instantly glowed a light red with black and red lighting cracking wildly around it. Gray gasped and jumped backwards with his eyes wide.

"This is my father's magic…" I said slowly as I watched it bounce around on my hand causing my hair to rise around me from the static electricity in the air.

Gray stared at the magic dancing across my skin, "What magic is that?" he asked in a whisper.

"My father's name was Victor Dragneel," Gray looked into my eyes in confusion as I continued. "He was the very first Dragon slayer, the Black lighting Dragon slayer."

Gray quickly jolted to his feet with his hands in his raven hair; he started down at me in complete shock, as he began to pace the floor.

"And Laxus and Gajeel could, what? Sense it?" he asked and I nodded slowly, "But what about Natsu and Wendy? They should have been able to sense it too."

"No, they're too young to be able to sense it." I said in a small voice, I could practically see Gray's brain working. His eyes were moving quickly back and forth as he put the pieces together.

"Why did Gajeel make it sound like you aren't really a dragon slayer?" he asked as he finally locked eyes with me.

"Because I am not showing my true power, a real dragon never holds back." I said as shame flooded my heart and I hung my head,

"Natasha and my father both taught me that and yet since I have been on my own I have tried to hide my true power. Like a pathetic coward." Spat the last words like they left a disgusting flavor on my tongue.

"Why do you hide it?" Gray asked as he moved closer to me,

I felt tears start to sting my eyes and angrily brushed them away, "I hide the black lighting because it's what they were after, the masked men that attacked my parents." I said as I locked my eyes with Gray's hoping he would pick up on the many meanings of that confession.

I watched as the light turned on in Gray's head and his eyes widened, "What they were after?" he said quietly as he stared back at me. "They are still after it, aren't they?"

I felt the relief wash over me as he finally understood, I clutched my face with both hands as violent sobs racked my body. The small fact that I no longer had to bear this secret alone, made all my loneliness and fear surface and start draining out of me as I cried.

Gray moved forward to sit beside me on the small couch, "That's why you have never joined a guild," he started to pull my story together for himself as he gently wrapped his chilled arms around my small shacking form.

"Why you never stay in one place, why you never made any friends…" he continued as he slowly started to stroke my hair.

"That's the reason you left Natsu too, isn't it." He said, causing me to look up into his eyes, he didn't need me to answer, he knew it was the truth.

"I-I couldn't risk them finding me and hurting him, he was too young to learn the magic. Father planned to start teaching him the following year, but- but I just couldn't let him become a target. I had to leave him behind- I just had to." I started to sob again and Gray quickly pulled me into a tight hug shushing me gently.

I cried for so long I ran out of tears and Gray continued to hold me the whole time, it was late when I finally pulled away from his embrace and looked at his face. He had fallen asleep, his head was tilted back on the couch and his mouth was hanging open slightly as he slept. I watched him sleep for a brief moment before I removed his arm from the curve of my waist with a small blush.

I quickly and quietly started to pack up a few belongings; my books, bed roll, some clothes and anything else I could carry before I wrote three separate notes and gently laid them on the coffee table.

I turned and looked at Gray again still sleeping soundly and I moved forward, gently placing the blue blanket with silver starts over his body before I left the apartment.

Once outside I took one last brief look up at the apartment before I turned and disappeared into the night.

Grays POV

My eyes flew open as I gasped at the sudden burst of light, I blinked rapidly as I then heard thunder and I realized I must have been awoken by the storm. My mind instantly went to Juvia as I glanced out the slider to see the rain still falling, even though it was still dark out.

'When will this rain stop?' I asked myself internality, as I felt that all too familiar wave of guilt build up inside me, again. I cared for Juvia but I could never return her feelings in the way she wanted, I thought about just trying to be in a relationship with her for a while, see if I could maybe grow 'those' feelings for her, but I couldn't ever bring myself to do it. It wouldn't have been fair to her or me.

Another flash of lighting snapped me out of my troubled thoughts, 'Lighting?' I blinked as yesterday's events flooded my mind and I quickly looked around for Valkyrie. She was no longer laying against my chest, instead her new blanket was laid over me. I smirked at her gesture of kindness, thou it had been unnecessary.

I noticed a pile of papers on the table and I felt my stomach drop.

'Notes are never a good sign.' I thought as I quickly picked it up, there were three letters, one to the guild that read;

Fairy tail,

I could never express how much my brief time here with you all has meant to me. I honestly started to feel like I finally found a place I could call home, but now I see I was just lying to myself, letting myself have a brief moment of weakness, losing myself in a fantasy that can never be a reality. But the truth is I can't stay here, doing so would just cause everyone more pain and I could ever let that happen, I have started to care for you all too much.

You all have shown me more kindness in these past few days, then I have ever received in the last 12 years of my life. I'm sorry if I have caused you pain and I left money on the counter for helping fix the damaged I caused at the guild and the café, I know it's not much but that's all I can spar right now, I will send more soon.

-Valkyrie

I felt my heart pick up its pace as I read the letter, I quickly went to the next one which was addressed to me;

Gray,

You were so kind to open your home up to me, even though it was so small and after I had been so rude to you; I am sorry for everything I have done to cause you trouble; the fight at the guild, Juvia, Erza, and the fight we had about me sparing the other dragon slayers… you were right, I should of listened to you. I am sorry I had to keep my secret from you, but I know you understand why I had to.

If you would please, when he is ready, give the last letter to Natsu for me. I know I said I wouldn't leave him again, but as my fight with both you and Laxus proved, I am not strong enough to protect him from the men who killed our parents. I thought I was, but that was also just my weakness of wanting to finally see Natsu again.

I am not strong enough to protect anyone. But I can keep them away from Natsu and the guild. I know it was only a few days and it probably didn't mean anything to everyone else, which is ok. But I want you to know I really enjoyed our time together I will cherish all the memories I have gained from my time here, I have grown stronger because I now have people I care about and need to protect. So I will protect you all the only way I can, I will draw the danger away from Mongolia. Thank you again, for everything.

-Valkyrie

I was standing up before I finished reading, the blanket having fallen off and was pooled at my feet. My breath was coming out in quick short gasps, I looked at the last page that was addressed to Natsu, before I placed all the pages together and I looked out the slider seeing the rain pouring heavily with lighting and thunder raging.

I ran my hand through my hair as I thought about what I should do. I finally gave a slight nod as I made my decision, we couldn't just let her leave, especially when there was a Dark guild after her.

I looked at the clock on the oven, it was 3am. I cursed as I threw on my white trench coat on and shoved the letters into my pocket as I raced out the door.

I ran all the way to her house, the rain hitting my exposed chest as I had forgotten to put a shirt on, 'Of course.' I grumbled internally.

I splashed through the streets fueled by my frustration and worry, when I finally got to her house I pounded hard on the door, stepping back to yell up at her window.

"Lucy!" I shouted over the rain, "Lucy, wake up!"

Her light turned on and she appeared at her window suddenly. As soon as she saw me, I saw panic rise to her face and she disappeared again, a few seconds later she opened the door.

"Gray!" She said flinging the door open wide and pulling me inside, "What's wrong?"

"It's Valkyrie." I said as I handed her the letter addressed to the guild, "She took off."

Lucy quietly read over the letter before gasping and looking quickly up at me. I watched as her eyes slowly left my face and moved to something behind me. I turned quickly to see a shirtless Natsu standing with his arms crossed leaning on the door way to the bedroom.

I blinked in surprise; ok, sure it was no secret that he crashed here a lot but this seemed to be… different.

I turned back to Lucy who blushed wildly and looked away from me in embarrassment, confirming my suspicion; I cleared my throat and tried to get back on topic, "Um, I need to go find her."

Lucy nodded and was about to say something when Natsu interrupted her, "Why?" he asked as I turned to face him. "She wanted to leave why go after her? She doesn't belong here anyways."

"Natsu!" Lucy flared

I lunged forward quickly slamming him against the wall holding him against it with my forearm, "You have no idea what she has done for you!" I said through gritted teeth,

"For me?" Natsu shouted back in disbelief and I could see the hurt flash through in his eyes, "She has never done anything for me, but abandon me right when I needed her most. And it looks like nothing has changed." He roughly shook free of my hold. "I say let her go."

"I stared at him hard and reached into my pocket to pull out the letter she had intended for him to read, "Listen Natsu, you don't know the whole story." I handed him the letter, "Read it."

Natsu looked at the out stretched piece of paper and I saw an expression form on his face I had never seen before… fear. He took a small step back and shook his head, "I- I can't."

"You have too." I demanded in frustration, "We are running out of time."

But suddenly Lucy stepped forward and gently grasped the paper looking me in the eye. I released the letter knowing she would have better luck convincing the stubborn fire idiot, than I would. She stepped toward Natsu and placed a small hand on his shoulder drawing his attention to her.

"We will do it together." she said with a small smile, he stared at her for a moment before he gave a small nod and Lucy turned to the paper as she gave me a brief look before she started reading out loud.

Natsu,

Where can I begin, other than to say that I know no words will ever mend the pain I have caused you. But all the same I owe it to you to apologize, to beg you for forgiveness and tell you how sorry I am for the rest of your life; and yet I am saying all this in the form of a letter instead of in person. I know how you feel, I understand and I accept your anger. But just as I owe you an apology, I also own you an explanation;

At the time you were too young to know the truth but now I know you are ready. Our father's name was Victor Dragneel … he was the very first Dragon slayer, the Black lighting dragon slayer. It's the rarest of all dragon slayer magic. He had started to teach me and was planning to teach you the year you turned 6, but as you know he wasn't able to.

I don't know if you remember anything about that night, the night we lost our parents, but there was a dark guild there. They were after our father's magic, and we just happened to be in the way.

He and our mother both gave their lives for us that night. They did it to give us our best chance at survival, we got away but shortly after that the guild started hunting us down again, they had somehow found out that I posseted the rare black lighting dragon slayer magic as well.

I am sorry I wasn't strong enough to protect you. I tried for a while; I tried so hard to keep us safe but once Natasha, my fairy dragon, found us and said she knew another dragon who I could have you stay with. I knew I had no choice other than to leave you with Igneel.

I knew after meeting him, that he would keep you safe and teach you how to protect yourself better than I ever could. I knew the best thing for you would be if I lead the dark guild away from you, since they were after me in the first place. So I went with Natasha and you stayed with Igneel.

I know that none of this excuses the fact that I left you alone with no family for so long, but please know that that day I left you, that was the hardest thing I have ever done. I cried for months and many, many times I almost went back for you, but the dark guild was always right on my heels reminding me why I needed to stay away.

I am so glad that even though you lost your blood family that you were able to find a new family and a real home in Fairy tail. I have been honored to meet a few of your friends and I couldn't be more certain that in the end, I made the right choice that day, you have a beautiful family and they love you so dearly.

I will not ask for forgiveness, because I know I don't deserve it, but I will ask that you go on living your life with your friends and continue to be happy. That's all I ever wanted for you and it's all our parents ever wanted too. I'm sorry I showed up here and I promise I won't do it again. I will let you have your life and I will keep the dark guild from ever stepping foot in Mongolia, you and the guild will be safe from them that I can promise.

Even though I know you may never feel the same, know that I have never stopped loving you and I will continue to until I die. Good bye, Natsu.

-Valkyrie

Lucy was crying when she finished reading the letter and even I felt like I could shed a few tears at the heart felt words, I turned to look at Natsu, he had his head in his hands and I saw his shoulders shaking as I realized he was sobbing.

I stepped back a little to give the fire dragon slayer some space leaving him to Lucy. I stepped out onto the porch and waited for a while letting Natsu come to terms with all the new information. As long as I had known Natsu he had never ever spoke of a family before Igneel the fire dragon. It made me wonder if he did in fact not remember them.

It was heart breaking to hear Valkyrie's story, she has truly been alone for so long, always being hunted for her magic, knowing only fear and loneliness and yet she was so warm and caring. It amazed me; I couldn't imagine the type of person I would have turned out to be had I not been in Fairy tail at such a young age, they had kept me sane and kept me on the right path.

I turned as I heard the door open behind me and smirked as I saw a fully clothed Natsu standing before me with a determined expression. He gave me a slight nod before he turned back to Lucy who came out also fully dress in a large hoodie and tight jeans; she quickly locked the door behind her, before she jumped down into the street and pulled off one of her keys, waving it out in fount of her.

"Open, Gate of the Lion!" she shouted and suddenly Loki appeared in his usual suit and shades. He looked around briefly and then turned to face Lucy,

"Fun night out on the town with friends, hu?" he asked in a flirtatious voice,

"Not exactly." I answer for her, causing Loki to raise an eye brow as he looked at me,

"What's up?" He asked realizing something was wrong, Natsu stepped forward. "Valkyrie took off and we are bringing her back."

"We will fill you in on the way," I said as I started to run down the street, they all quickly followed after me, falling into step with me as we all raced through the abandon dark streets with the rain still falling.

"Where would she go?" Lucy called over the rain,

I thought hard, the truth was none of us really knew Valkyrie well enough to guess where she might go, but I had a gut feeling I knew of one place she would want to stop at before making her way out of the city.

"Follow me." I said picking up my pace slightly,

I slowed as we approached the large outdoor shopping area I had taken Valkyrie to two days earlier.

"Here?" Natsu asked as he scanned the area, I nodded as I also looked around quickly.

"Can't you pick up her scent?" Loki asked Natsu, who shook his head in frustration. "No, all this rain makes following scents nearly impossible."

I started to run again around the side of the large pond, "Keep your eyes open." I hollered as the others started to run with me.

We almost made it all the way around the pond when I finally saw her. She was standing in the pond with the water up to her knees, her shoes laid abandon near the water's edge and I could see that she was only wearing a short pair of shorts and a large oversized sweater, her long pink hair hung free covering her back.

Even from where I was standing, I could tell that she was completely soaked to the bone, her small frame shaking slightly.

Whether from the cold or from crying, I couldn't tell but as I approached her she turned to face me. Her eyes were red and puffy and her wet hair stuck to her pale face; she looked at me and her eyes grew wide as the others came up beside me.

Valkyries POV

I was standing in the pond in the center of the shopping center, watching the rain fall into the water along with my tears. I had come here so see the city's beauty one last time and I wasn't disappointed, the park was glowing with small yellow lights, laced through all the tree branches and the gazebos.

The rain had lighten up slighting just enough to let small fireflies start to move about the dark area while I stood in the icy water up to my knees letting the cold numb my skin and hopefully my heart. I watched as the water rippled and reflected the soft glow of light around me.

I was leaving again, disappearing into the night like the coward I was. I had let myself get too attached to these people and it was my own fault that I was hurting now, I knew better. But it had felt so nice to pretend for a while, pretend I had a home and friends and people who loved me.

But that's all it was pretend, I would leave tonight and they would go on with their happy lives quickly forgetting the weird pink haired bookworm who destroyed a few buildings and turned friends against each other.

My life would never, could never be anything more than running. I lifted my head to let the rain wash over my face, 'forever running away from the ones I love, in order to protect them.' I felt my heart clench at the thought as I tried to let my tears fall but it seemed as if I had finally run out.

Suddenly I felt that all too familiar feeling of the temperature dropping around me and I slowly turned to see Gray standing a few feet away on the shore, I blinked in surprise as Lucy, Loki and …

"Natsu?" I whispered as I saw him, He paused for only a moment before he quickly started to approach me causing me to take a small step back in fear, but then I remembered that I was standing in the pond so I had nowhere to go.

He walked quickly right up to me and I flinched back scrunching my eyes closed and bracing myself for the hit I was sure was coming. When suddenly I felt warm muscular arms embrace me into a tight hug. My eyes snapped open and I realized Natsu was hugging me tightly.

"I'm the one that should be sorry." He whispered quietly and I felt my heart burst as he tightened his grip around my shoulders, I slowly lifted my arms to hug him back gently.

I blinked wildly trying to grasp what was happened and when I finally understood that Natsu was accepting my apology, when I never thought he would. I collapsed into his arms as he held me up while we hugged each other tightly.

After a few moments Natsu pulled back and held my shoulders in his hands smiling widely at me, "I do remember you." He said with a small chuckle as he patted my head, "Though I remember you being taller than me."

I laughed out loud and smiled back, "Well, it has been a long time."

Natsu turned around to face the others as he pulled out of the water with him. Lucy was crying large crocodile tears while Loki was smirking at us. Gray started at me until I locked eyes with him and he gave me a slight nod.

"Let go back to my place." Lucy shouted suddenly as she threw herself at me and Natsu catching both of us in a tight hug, "I see a long day full of catching up over movies and pizza, in our future."

I quickly stepped back out of their hug causing their smiles to fade, "I cant." I said as I stepped back farther.

"What do you mean you can't?" Natsu asked,

"Didn't you read my letter? It's better for everyone if I leave; no one is safe while I'm here." I said louder than I intended, but they were making my decision harder than it already was.

"You can't leave. The likely hood of that Dark guild catching you is higher out there on your own where you have no one to help you." Lucy said quickly, "Believe me I know what it's like to feel like a burden but you are a member of the guild now, which means you are family and we protect our family."

Natsu blinked at her words as he turned to me, "You joined the guild?" he asked in a small voice,

I hung my head in shame, thinking he would be mad at me, "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Natsu said quickly as he placed a hand on my shoulder, "That just means you really can't leave now." I blinked in confusion, "Because now if you left the whole guild would just go out looking for you." I stared in shock at him as he tilted his head to the side with a large goofy smile, "Family sticks together."

Lucy and Loki both nodded in agreement as Gray stepped forward and gently placed his long white trench coat over my shoulders, "Come on, flame brain is right. You're stuck with us, now."

He started to lead me away toward Lucy's house, the others following close behind, "Hey what did you call me ice princess?" Natsu suddenly yelled, "And why the hell did you give your coat to my sister?"

Gray gritted his teeth as he spun around to face Natsu, "Because it's raining you, moron. She is soaked to the bone, you want her to catch hypothermia?"

Natsu lit both his fists on fire, "You keep standing so close to her and she will catch hypothermia, you fridge snow queen." Gray encased both his fists in ice as they both started fighting fiercely.

I stood nearby with wide eyes and a blank expression as Loki leaned on me hanging one arm over my shoulders and chuckling, "Oh, you'll get used to that real quick."

"Are they always like that?" I whispered to Lucy who had a vein in her forehead pulsing as she looked at the two feuding boys in annoyance.

"Sadly, yes." She said as she face palmed before turning to me with a small smile, "But it's how they show they care about each other, it's when they aren't fighting that you have to worry."

I laughed at the ridiculousness of that statement but the longer I watched them fight the more I could see the truth in it. I didn't know if I was completely ok with staying here for good but for now a day locking in Lucy's house with these five people watching movies and eating pizza, sounded like a dream come true.

Maybe I could let myself dream just a little bit longer.