Chapter 9 Liquid Ice.

A/N: This is it! The final Chapter for this fic its going to be a long one! Enjoy! Thank you to everyone who reviewed followed and favourited this story! I hope this last chapter can do it justice! Make sure you're comfy it's going to be a wild ride!

The windmill felt a lot further away to Gray than it should've been, he was sure that was where Juvia was and her rain was getting heavier which he didn't think was possible. That meant her emotional state was getting worse. He was worried. Just hang on a little longer Juvia, Gray thought desperately as he sprinted across the cobbled ground. As he passed by the houses in the streets, faces stared out at him. They must think I'm crazy. If only they knew.

Finally Gray reached the rickety old windmill, not even pausing to stare up at the monstrosity he burst through the front door, the air around him growing colder as ice started to form on the doorframe and floor. The icemage looked around, this room was empty and very dark but as Grays eyes adjusted he could make out some stairs off to his left. She must be upstairs. Gray was getting angrier he just wanted to find the watermage.

Juvia had never felt as much physical pain as she had now mainly due to being hit by lightning so many times; the watermages greatest weakness.

"Juvia wants to know why you brought her here." She said quietly barely able to talk through the tears and her fat swollen lip. The thunder mage laughed from his position by the windowsill as Master Kragen let another wizard into the room with them. Is Juvia not beaten up enough? Juvia doubts she can fight back as she is now - and without her magic. She continued to stare at the male water user from her new shackled position on the wall, higher up than before her toes barely touching the floor making her arms start to feel disconnected from her body.

The new wizard that he brought in was the fire wizard that had visited her earlier. His scar on his left cheek caught her attention and she remembered the first time she had seen him, he gave her shivers, even then. Her and Gray-sama had fought Magnus and the other mage. There had originally been four wizards opposing Gray-sama and Juvia, but a white haired wizard had deemed it unnecessary for all four of them to fight her and Gray-sama so two of them had left. The two of them had defeated the two wizards but they were a challenge.

"What I tell you depends on your willingness to cooperate." Kragen said slyly as he paced around the room. Cooperate with what? Juvia thought. "The source of your power. How do you control the rain little water witch." He asked glaring into her eyes making Juvia feel small at first but refusing to feel intimidated by him she met his gaze dead on.

"Juvia was born like it. The rain followed her." She stated, why would anyone want her curse.

"You're lying!" He roared at her a thunderous look on his face as Sparky electrocuted her, Juvia managed to stifle her scream as the sky outside grew ever darker, she didn't wan to give them any satisfaction. "Now tell the truth." Or Sparky here might just shock you again.

"Juvia is telling the truth!" Juvia wanted to get out of here but the watermage didn't think she had the strength to prise her shackles off the wall this time they had already cut her deeply from her last attempt at an escape and the blood was running down her arms still. Another bolt of lightning hit her followed up with a ball of fire to her stomach. Juvia couldn't stifle the scream and she cried out. Loud.

Gray ran up the stairs, as he rounded a corner he bumped into a purple haired wizard. The one from the other night. Gray grabbed him pinning him against the wall.

"Where is she." He asked through gritted teeth. The purple haired fire wizard just laughed at him.

"Who. Your girlfriend." He sneered "Oh wait, she isn't, is she? I don't know why though she is simply irresistible and I'm sure our Master would agree." He taunted. Gray couldn't wait any longer and punched him in the nose breaking it as he knocked the fire wizard out cold. He won't wake up for a few hours. The icemage thought as he ran up the rest of the stairs. The rain outside was getting louder. Juvia. He thought as he passed a window. Was the sky getting darker now too? He eventually reached the top of the stairs, a small wooden door was at the end of the passageway and he could hear voices. That's when he heard her screaming, it made his blood run cold even for an ice wizard. He saw red as he ran at the wooden door breaking it down with sheer force and rage as he shouted. "ICE-MAKE FLOOR!" The majority of the rooms floor was turned into thick ice. A large wizard hitting the deck off to his left as Grays eyes were brought to a purple figure at the back of the room. It was Juvia. His eyes grew wide, his heart pounding in his chest, she was hung up on the back wall with shackles, bruised and bloodied, her head bowed down. What have they done to her? Gray felt his heart pull before it twisted to anger.

"Juvia is so delusional she's now imaging Gray-sama coming to rescue her." The watermage mumbled from across the room.

"Juvia. I'm here!" He shouted to her making his way across the room to her as she looked up her eyes meeting his. It made his stomach curl and heart squeeze to think that she had lost so much hope she thought she was imagining him.

"Gray-sama…." She whispered fresh tears rolling down the tracks the old ones had left. "You came…" Her deep blue eyes grew wide in panic. "Gray-sama what about the other wizards-" She was cut off by laughing. Gray snapped his head to his right before he was shot by a ball of fire.

"Crap!" He shouted, he had been so wrapped up in Juvias state he had forgotten to check out his surroundings. Bloody fire wizards! They're more annoying than Natsu!

"Gray-sama!" Juvia shouted finding her voice again as she struggled against her shackles.

"Ice make arrows!" He shouted sending icy arrows towards the two wizards. Hitting them both. "Ice-make crescent blades!" Gray wanted to keep his distance from the two mages, making dodging their attacks easier as he thought of a plan to get Juvia out of here, she didn't look good at all.

"Gray-sama behind you!" Juvia shouted feeling useless stuck to the wall. Gray-sama please be careful!

"Waterlock." Gray was shocked as he was engulfed in water. Another water user? The large wizard was up. Gray thought he recognised him from somewhere.

"Freeze!" He shouted freezing then shattering the sphere of water, he glanced to Juvia she obviously couldn't use her magic for some reason.

"Very impressive." The larger wizard commented. "I had a feeling you would come to find her." Gray steeled himself for any attack. He was surrounded. Crap, what should I do? He needed to think fast.

"What do you want with Juvia! How did you know she'd come on this mission anyway?!" He decided to cut the crap and get straight to the point.

"My, my you are impatient. And rather hot-headed for an ice wizard aren't you." He sneered. "I just need your little water witch to tell the truth." He turned to face her pointing his finger as he walked over to her.

"Don't you dare touch her." Grays anger was spiking again. Juvia looked worn out, she couldn't take much more. The large wizard kept walking towards her until he was met with an ice-make sword in front of his stomach.

"Fine. I wont." He met Grays cold eyes, the sword not budging as he held up his hands in surrender. Gray felt a little more in control of the situation now. "But that doesn't meant that they won't." Gray turned his head to face the other two wizards as a line of lightning whipped Juvias waist. The watermage gritted her teeth. She was stronger than this.

"Juvia!" Gray exclaimed as he was grabbed a hold of by the larger wizard hard around the throat before being thrown across the room into a chair splintering into his back. As he got up he was struck by a fire whip smacking him into the nearby wall crushing his ribs and back making him choke up a small amount of blood and vomit. This was going to be a tough battle.

"Want to give up yet? You can you leave that gorgeous water mage here with us and walk out of here now." He laughed as he threw another ball of flame at Gray.

"I'd never leave her, not here, not anywhere!" He shouted as he made ice-make knuckles appear out of the floor striking the fire wizard sending him backwards into the yellow haired thunder mage.

"You asshole! Here's something Magnus taught me! Ring of fire!" The green haired firemage shouted casting a ring of fire around the icemage. Gray hated the heat.

"Brilliant." Kragen praised the fire user. "Now keep him subdued whilst I continue my questioning. Kill him if necessary." As Gray stared at the water wizard he remembered that he had seen him in Sorcerers Weekly. His name was Master Kragen, he was a violent water user. He got away with a lot of crimes. "Now tell me Juvia dear. Where did you learn to control the rain?" He asked her again nicely. That's what he wants to know? That can't be it. It was too petty to go to all this trouble for.

"Juvia already told you. It has followed her ever since she was born! She can't control the rain. It just rains when Juvia is upset." Juvia didn't know how many times she was going to have repeat herself as he neared closer to her as Gray felt his control slipping he could feel his ice magic at his fingertips. He glanced to the fire and thunder users, their attention was on Juvia and Kragen. Now's my chance. Gray cast a silent but strong freeze spell on the ring and air around him, putting out the fire made easier by the distracted user.

"Ice-make cannon!" He shouted firing at Kragen knocking him face first to the floor before turning his attention to the other two mages. "Ice make freeze lancer!" He fired the lances at the wizards a cloud of dust and ice spraying up as they hit. Gray didn't like to use his stronger version of ice-make lance as it used up a lot of his magic but the situation was desperate, he was outnumbered. Gray kept his eyes on the cloud that was blocking his vision as the fire wizard came at him through it. He must have missed him. Prepared for an attack Gray feigned right before being struck by lightning groaning as he was shoved against a wall as he was burned with fire. Is this what Juvia had to endure? He thought as one of them punched him in the stomach followed by a kick in the face. Blood pooled out of his nose and mouth as he fell to his knees clutching his stomach, another bolt of lightning hitting his back making the ice mage sprawl out on the floor in pain. "Crap!" He shouted eyes squeezed shut.

"Leave Gray-sama alone!" Juvia shouted from the back of the room as she pulled at her shackles harder and harder a murderous tone in her voice.

"Keep him down." Kragen spoke as he got up off the dusty wooden floor. "Do you know what they say about me?" Kragen asked the watermage as he neared her stroking the ends of her bloodied blue waves.

"Don't touch her." Gray managed to grumble. He had the fire wizard with a foot on his back and the thunder wizard with his foot on Grays head. He was in a sticky situation. One wrong move and it was over for him and Juvia. He had to curb his temper.

Kragen ignoring the icemage continued on. "They say that you." He stroked the cut on her swollen lip hard breaking the scab, fresh blood trickling out of the wound. "Are stronger than me. That your water power is greater than mine." Juvia kept her eyes on his. She never considered herself on his level. But then again she rarely used her power fully. He seemed more of a powerhouse whereas she had the stamina. "So I need you to tell me how you control the rain and how you can change into waterbody. That is also something I have never been able to do." He finished.

Juvia didn't know how to answer. Both of those she was always able to do. It wasn't something she had learnt. It had just come naturally to her.

"Well?" He asked getting impatient. Gray could see that Juvia didn't have answer so he spoke up.

"How did you know that Juvia was going to take this mission?" He asked Kragen.

"I didn't know. I made sure that it was her." He chuckled. "I sent my small group of wizards out in this town causing trouble to force that Mr Musketty into filing a request for help. I intercepted the request and cast a spell on it to draw only Juvia here. But then you had to come along and make things more difficult for me." So Stans request was genuine. Gray thought. That sleaze ball really did just have a thing for Juvia.

"Even if I hadn't of come, we would've noticed she was missing when she didn't return and come looking ya know." He said.

"Oh I would've made sure you found her." He snickered tilting Juvias chin up so she would meet his gaze. "In pieces strewn around like an easter egg hunt. It's a shame I have to kill such a pretty feisty thing." His gaze pierced hers and Juvia felt frozen to the spot. He wanted to kill her just for supposedly being stronger than him.

"You sick, fucked up twisted bastard!" Gray shouted at him, he would never let that happen, he'd die first. Kragen turned to face the icemage amused by his outburst as he fired boiling water straight towards Grays face. He moved his arms in front of his face, them taking the brunt of the attack. He groaned as the water scalded him. Kragen laughed as he turned to Juvia.

"Times up chick." He glanced at Sparky who from Grays head cast a lightning bolt down on her, her face twisting and contorting in pain as her eyes went dull, the sparkle they usually held gone. Her spirit broken. Juvia the icemage thought, Gray had to do something. But what. "You can have a front row seat Gray-sama." Kragen mocked, Gray watching as he grabbed Juvias body pulling it closer to his fatness as he licked his lips moving in closer to her as she struggled against him trailing is lips up her neck to her ear getting closer to her lips.

I don't think so! Gray felt his muscles bunching as his anger grew tenfold. He was not going to lay here and watch him defile her. Hell no. He pushed his hands that were in front of him closer together. "That is enough! Ice-make lance!" He yelled shooting it straight at Juvia her eyes growing wide as it connected with her shackles above her head freeing her completely. She punched Kragen straight in the face before kicking him in his hard groin earning a cry of pain from the wicked water user as her shoe came off leaving her barefoot.

"Waterlock!" She yelled as she cast two water locks. One on the thunder wizard and one of the fire wizard. She knew it wouldn't hold the thunder wizard for long but at least it meant that her Gray-sama could get out the way. "Gray-sama Juvias magic has almost no affect on Kragen!" She shouted to him as Sparky broke her water lock with his lightning.

"Ice-make bazooka!" Gray shouted firing it through Juvias water lock into the green haired fire wizard with such force it blew a hole through the wall sending him crashing down to the ground outside. Juvias magic wasn't much use against the two remaining wizards but she'd do anything to help her Gray-sama. "Juvia. I'll take Kragen. You focus your magic on ol'thunder pants over there." He said to her as he removed his shirt. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and never let her go. He saw the sparkle begin to return to her eyes as she stared into his.

"Yes Gray-sama." She said turning her attention to the thunder wizard. "Water cyclone!" The watermage shouted as she threw a large volume of swirling water at the thunder wizard.

"Lightning strike!" He shouted but Juvia dodged his attack retaliating with a few water slicers one grazing his leg as he cried out. Juvia didn't give up her assault as she dodged his lightning strikes. It was only when Gray-sama cried out from being hit by one of Kragens water nebulas that Sparky got another hit in. Juvia was shocked by the sheer power that the other water user wielded. How can he think that Juvias magic is stronger than that? She thought wide eyed as a thunder cane smacked into her. She winced, she might still have a lot of magic power left but physically she was completely spent, the only thing keeping her upright was her adrenaline. Her skin was covered in cuts and bruises from all the attacks both physical and magical that she had endured as she panted her hair sticking to her head from sweat. "You don't look so good love." Sparky sneered at her, panting himself.

"Juvia could same the same about you!" The watermage shouted as she cast a water jigsaw on him making him jump backwards further and further, he was nearly at the hole in the wall that Gray-samas ice-make bazooka had made. Sparky jumped right as he smirked.

"There's no way I'm falling out this windmill!" He shouted at Juvia shocking her with a whole column of lightning. Windmill? She was in the windmill. The one she had had a bad feeling about when they first got to the village. Gray-sama should have just let her destroy it in the first place. Juvia needed to dig deep to get rid of this guy. She didn't even realise she was screaming from pain as the lightning column continued shocking her, she'd been so lost in her thoughts. The watermage felt Gray-samas necklace pressing against her bare skin, to her symbolising his fondness of her, he'd never taken off until last night when he had given it to her to wear.

"Wings of love!" She shouted earning a confused look from Sparky until he realised that she had somehow managed to cast it whilst inside his column of thunder. "This is for hurting my Gray-sama!" Juvia amped up the power sending the thunder mage to the same fate as his friend.

"Yeah! Way to go Juvia!" Gray shouted grinning as he dodged a water slicer from Kragen. "Ice-make hammer!" Gray said as a giant hammer appeared in the air landing heavily on Kragen. Juvia although exhausted turned around and ran to Gray-samas side. "Let's take care of him together." The icemage said taking Juvias hand.

"Wha-what are you-" Kragen could barely speak under the weight of the ice hammer. Gray took Juvias hand as they powered up for a unison raid, her hands felt warm in his and as he met her gaze he was overwhelmed with a warmth that struck his very core. He could feel their magic melding and uniting.

"Ice Geyser!" He shouted

"Water Nebula!" Juvia shouted at the same time, both of them putting everything they had left behind that attack. Kragen was out for the count. They had won. Gray turned and smiled at Juvia.

"We did it." He whispered running his fingers through her matted frazzled hair. She still looked beautiful in his eyes.

"Gray-sama Juvia is-" Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she passed out Gray catching her in his arms as she fell.

"Juvia." he murmured. She had used up so much energy, she had held out for so long. He wasn't surprised she had fainted. Footsteps from the doorway dragged his attention from the blunette in his arms. "The magic counsel." Gray muttered wondering why they were here in such a small town. They normally wouldn't come out to such trivial matters, as the counsel hauled Kragen up Gray saw Stan enter.

"I took the liberty of calling the Magic Counsel after you ran out." He smiled at Gray, he must've paid them a lot of money to come out here. "Oh poor Juvia!" He walked over, Gray reflexively holding her tighter to him. "Those good for nothing!" He growled. "What did they want with her anyway?" He asked Gray.

"It's a long old story I'll tell you later." The icemage said as his knees gave way. He sat on the floor exhausted as he held Juvia against him, not wanting to let her out of his sight.

"Come one, lets get the two of you back and rested." Stan said as Gray slowly lost consciousness.

Juvia stood outside on the veranda of the back garden of Stans mansion as the sun began to set. It had been a few days since the windmill incident and she had now completely healed physically and magically. The only thing was her dreams were now haunted by that awful place, the darkness, the pain, Kragen and his henchman. Sighing she looked out over the flowerbeds of Pansies, Primroses and Forget-Me-Nots, their multitude of colours were so beautiful. To her left the watermage could hear the sound of a trickling fountain and as she inhaled the crisp evening air she relaxed a little, damp from all the rain they had been having - courtesy of Juvias emotional state.

"I've been looking all over this freaking maze of a mansion for you." Juvias heart leapt in her chest her eyes wide as Gray-sama appeared next to her. She hadn't seen him since the windmill, both locked away to recover properly.

Gray placed his hand gently over hers as he let out a sigh as he too stared out to the picturesque garden. After a few moments he spoke up. "I'm sorry for leaving you at the ball if I hadn't of stormed off like an idiot then-"

"Juvia is just grateful that Gray-sama came to rescue her." His eyes met hers searching her blue orbs but she dropped her gaze to the floor placing a hand over his necklace against her chest as she continued. "Juvia is so sorry for making Gray-sama angry at the ball after all he-" She stopped as Grays left arm wound its way around her waist his hand resting on the small of her back pulling her closer to him. Juvia blushed. He'd lost his shirt again.

Gray trailed the back of his hand gently down her cheek eyes not leaving hers before he fiddled with the ends of her hair. "It wasn't you who made me angry Juvia." He licked his lips choosing what to say as he looked back into her eyes again loving the way the setting sun gave her face a soft glow. "I was angry at myself. Because. For so long now I have denied you to myself. I pushed you away and wouldn't let you in. Because I was too afraid to feel, to afraid to lose anyone else. But you stuck with me. You never gave up no matter what. I've only recently come to realise that I didn't want to lose you either so when you said Stan had asked you to marry him. I was so angry. Everyone always said that someone else would come along and realise just how amazing you are. And they did. I was angry at myself for taking so long to figure out that I wanted, needed you just as much as you wanted me, Juvia." His heart was in his mouth as she stared up at him her blue eyes glistening and dancing as she placed her hands on his bare chest before sliding them up to his neck. Gray slowly bent his head down and let his lips finally meet hers, softly, like he had wanted for so long. Juvias lips were better than he ever could have imagined. Soft and plump, moist and sweet. His heart was pounding as his other hand went from her silky blue hair to her waist pulling her against him. She was perfect, why had he waited so long? They broke apart for air, Grays head was dizzy but his body felt on fire, like every nerve was lit up.

"I love you Juvia." He said feeling a great weight lift off his shoulders. He'd finally said it.

"Juvia- I mean…. I love you to Gray-sama" She squeaked as he met her lips again this time more eagerly as she pressed herself against him. They fitted together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle, his tongue traced her lips sending excited shivers down Juvias body as her lips parted so their tongues could meet. Juvia ran her hands through his fluffy black hair pulling his lips harder against hers as their tongues danced with one another. A few moments later they broke apart again, this time Gray resting his forehead against hers. Juvia had never felt such a rush before and her smile was as bright as the sun as Gray-sama held her in his arms. She was sure she was dreaming. But as she looked into his eyes she saw a loving softness she had never seen in them before, the eyes which were normally so cold were now soft; like liquid ice.

The End

A/N: Wowee! Well that's the end of Liquid Ice! My first ever completed story fic! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed or favourited. Your support meant so much to me! I hope you like this last chapter I didn't want Grays confession to be OTT so I hope its okay as it is! I'd really appreciate some reviews on the story as a whole!

Please read and review :-D

CrookedMoonlight