When we finally all walked into Lucy's, the sun had still not come up. Lucy was radiating excitement as she started to rush about her small home setting up for the day she had planned; she brought out tons of blankets and pillows throwing them all over the floor making the living room look like one large bed. She pulled out a bunch of board games and boxes of movies while the rest of us just watched from the doorway.

"Wow," I whispered to the three boys, "She is really getting into this."

The all nodded with surprised faces as we continued to watch the blonde tornado move around the house. Finally she stopped in front of us grabbing my arm and smiling. "Ok, everything is ready. Boys go pick a movie while we get out of these wet clothes."

I glanced down at my soaked clothes, "What about them their clothes are all wet, too?"

But when I looked back at the boys, Natsu was completely lit on fire with a board look on his face, while Loki had his shirt off holding it out around Natsu and Gray lifted his dripping shoes up toward the flames as well.

"Nah," said Gray, "We're good."

Just as Gray started to reach for his belt, Lucy yelped as she covered her eyes and I threw my arms in the air with a shriek as we both run out of the room, the sound of Gray shouting an apology and Loki laughing following after us.

Once me and Lucy were in her room she started to rummage through her draws, while I looked around her bedroom.

'There sure is a lot of pink in here.' I thought, I stepped over to her desk and leaned over to look at the pages cluttered on top, I started to read a little until I noticed my hair dripping water onto the paper. I snapped back quickly to avoid ruining her work as I glanced down to see that I was dripping water all over her carpet, "Hey Lucy, do you have a towel?"

Lucy suddenly clapped her hands together with a large smile, "That's a great idea!"

I blinked at her in confusion, "What is?"

"Let's take a bath." She smiled as she pulled me into the adjoining bathroom. "It will feel amazing after all the cold rain."

"Wha…" I said lamely, as my face went hot with embarrassment.

"Don't worry, my tub is huge." Lucy laughed at me as she turned to start the bath.

Then she turned and started to remove her clothes, I quickly turned my back to her feeling like I wanted to run from the room and hide, just like when Gray would strip.

"Valkyrie?" she asked as she came up to me and gently touched my shoulder. I glance at her and was glad she was wrapped in a towel. "Are you okay?"

"I well, I usually shower… change… actually everything…" I looked at my hands in embarrassment speaking in a soft whisper, "Alone?"

Lucy laughed causing me to look up at her, "Oh I'm sorry. I am just so used to the other girls in the guild." She turned to go back into her bedroom and returned holding something, "Those women are shameless." She said with a small wink. "But we can were these, if you like."

She held up two bikinis and I smiled wide. "Yes, please."

Once we were both in our bikinis; Lucy's was white with pink trim while mine was a black one with white riffles, we stepping into the large bath facing each other.

"I didn't take you for a girl that would have a maid's bikini." I smirked at her teasingly,

Lucy waved me off embarrassingly, "Oh no, no, that's not mine its Virgo's."

"Virgo?" I asked as I tugged on the small bikini, it was too small but I decided it was ok since I was just with Lucy.

Lucy nodded, "She is one of my celestial spirit's, like Loki."

I nodded in understanding as I leaned my head back onto the rim of the tub and let the heat soak in, I frowned slightly which Lucy noticed.

"Are you alright?" she ask in concern

"Ya, it's just kind of too hot for me. I think I'll get out and just wait in the bedroom for you." I started to rise out of the tub when Lucy quickly pulled on my arm.

"Oh, no need for that. Gray can fix it." She said and before I could stop her she was already yelling for him.

"Hey Gray!" she hollered, "Can you come here a sec?"

She turned back to me smiling as I started to panic, I quickly jumped out of the tub and rushed to grab my towel, just as Gray started to walk into the bathroom.

"What?" he asked casually as he came in, I stood paralyzed with my towel clutched tightly to my chest, not having enough time to wrap myself properly. Gray and Lucy both blinked at me in confusion.

I blushed like a tomato and started to side step out of the bathroom while keeping my back up against the wall avoiding both their eyes.

"I uh, am kind of hungry. So I'll just, umm… go, uh… out." I stuttered as I finally slipped away from them and rushed into Lucy's room only to bump into Natsu. I fell backward onto my butt with a yelp, just as Gray and Lucy walked out of the bathroom. They all were looking at me like I was crazy as I sat on the floor clinging to the towel so hard my knuckles turned white.

"So what does everyone want on their pizza…?" Loki said as he walked into the room holding a takeout menu in his hand, he looked around briefly. "What's happening?" he said with a clueless expression, after a moment of silence.

Lucy was still just in her bikini as she kneeled next to me, "Valkyrie, what the matter?" she asked placing a small hand on my shoulder.

I looked down at my hands that were starting to shake with the force of my grip on the towel, while they all stared and I felt my anger rising, not at them but at myself.

"I don't want to be this person." I said quietly,

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked as he also kneeled next to me,

"I mean," I said as I snapped my head up to look at them, "I can't seem to ever stop blushing or feeling awkward and it's infuriating."

I watched them exchange confused glances as I continued. "I have always thought I was so independent and so self-confident, but then I came to the guild, and I started interacting with all these different types of people and the more I get to know everyone the more I am seeing that I am not anything like I thought I was. I'm not strong or confident; I just seem like I am a pathetic innocent scared little girl."

"Valkyrie?" Lucy said gently, "Why would you say that?"

"Well, just look at all of you?" I said swinging my arm out to gesture to all of them.

"And?" Natsu said raising an eye brow, "What about us?"

"You're all so confident and comfortable in each other presence." I said in a small voice, "Is it just because you all grew up in fairy tail together?"

Lucy's face softened, as she shook her head, "I didn't grow up in fairy tail I was actually a run away, I joined a few years ago, and Loki only joined a few years before me."

"Then it just takes time?" I asked, and they all nodded,

"It's just part of meeting new people and making friends." Lucy said with a smile, I'm sure that was meant to make me feel better, but it just made me feel worse.

"Oh," I said quietly as I looked down, wanting this conversation to be over, but knowing that if any of them saw my saddened face they would continue it.

"Ok, so as I was saying," Loki said after another moment of quite, "What does very one want on their pizza?"

Natsu jumped up quickly and snatched the menu out of Loki's hand, "Meat lovers, of course." He said with a wide smiled as Lucy hopped up next to him and grabbed for the menu, Natsu held it just out of her reach.

"Natsu you know I don't like that one." She pouted up at him and Natsu stuck his tongue out at her as he ran out of the room with Loki and Lucy both on his heels.

I noticed that Gray hadn't moved from his spot near the bathroom door, he was leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, as he watched me with his icy cold eyes.

"You want to explain to me, what just happened?" he asked quietly, I looked up at him in confusion.

"What?" I asked, "I just told you."

He slowly pushed off from the wall and walked over to squat in front of me, I felt the air chill around me and the water on my still wet skin froze slightly.

"Why are you hiding yourself?" My eyes opened wide and my cheeks turned pink again, as my mouth hung open like a dead fish, at his words, I blinked before turning my face way from him with my nose up in the air and my eyes closed.

"Well, maybe I just have higher standards then the girls you're used to." I said hotly,

Gray chuckled lightly as I opened one eye to look at him, "What?"

He shook his head and placed a hand on his chin, "Ya, I don't think that's it."

"And how would you know?" I snapped as I pulled the towel closer to me.

"Because you are not acting like you have higher standards, your acting like you have never worn a bikini in front of a guy before."

I stood up awkwardly as I tried to keep the towel in place, "Well, aren't you just captain obvious." I grunted,

He chuckled again as he stood up too and put his hands in his pants pockets, "You shouldn't feel embarrassed."

I sighed and looked at him in annoyance, "Look, I have had a bad experiences with this kind of stuff, okay?"

He tilted his head and smirked at me, "and what kind of stuff would that be?"

I groaned and then I waved my hand back and forth gesturing from myself to him, "This… this, whatever it is. The stuff guys and girls do?" I said in frustration,

"I'm still not following." He chuckled slightly, I could tell that he was enjoying how uncomfortable I was feeling and he seemed to find my struggle to explain my embarrassment hilarious.

I glared at him for a moment, "Alright, I am embarrassed of my body ok, I have a bad experience when it comes to how I look and I guess I am just hyper sensitive now, there you happy? Mr. pushy pants." I snapped loudly at him as I turned my head away from him, yet still being careful to not turn the back of my exposed body toward him.

I felt the temperature drop more and I snapped open my eyes to see Gray standing directly in front of me, so close I could feel his breath on my face, it felt like standing in front of an icy air conditioner every time he took a breath.

I was a lot shorter than him, I realized as I stared right at his bare chest. I slowly lifted my eyes to look at his face, he looked angry but there was something else too, an almost tenderness. As I locked my eyes on to his he finally spoke,

"Valkyrie," he said it so quietly I barely heard him, "Your beau-"

"Hey guys!" Natsu shouted as he came into the room, I sprang away from Gray with a horrified look and Gray quickly spun around to face Natsu with his jaw clenched.

"What do you want, moron?" he snapped, Natsu looked from me to Gray once, twice, three times before he spoke again, "What are you guys doing?"

Gray opened his mouth to say something but I jumped forward quickly placing myself between them as I wave one of my arms wildly, "Nothing!" I shrieked, "We were doing nothing."

Natsu stared for a moment before he shrugged, "I was ganna tell you we ordered the pizza's and Lucy is ganna put on a movie."

"Ok, we will be right there." I smiled as he turned and left still looking a little suspicious.

I breathed a sigh of relief until I remembered Gray was behind me and I quickly spun around to face him, he had an amused look on his face as his eyes snapped up to look at me. "What?" I asked,

"Oh nothing," he said as he started too walked toward the door, just before he left he turned and faced me with a smirk on his face, "The bikini suits you."

He left the room with me standing there with a red face and my mouth hanging open in shock, realizing with horror that when I jumped in front of him he had seen my whole bare back and small bikini.

I stayed in the bed room till Lucy came back a few minutes after Gray had left, she came skipping into the room and stopped as soon as she saw my face. "What happened?" she asked quickly,

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to form words. I stopped and blinked at her, I didn't really know how to answer that. 'What did just happen? I mean I know what it looked like but that couldn't have been what had really happening could it?' I thought as I blinked lamely at her.

"I don't know?" I said truthfully

Lucy squinted her eyes at me and leaned in close to my face, "You're blushing. Did Gray strip again? He has got to get that habit under control."

I sat on her bed as she came to sit next to me, "No, he didn't but he… well I…" I struggled to explain to her what had just taken place, mostly because I didn't know what had happened so I figured I would just be honest. I mean, I am learning that when it comes to people I don't know too much about anything, maybe Gray was like that with every girl. I wasn't sure why but that thought made my stomach sink slightly.

I sighed before turning to face her fully and she copied me as we both sat cross-legged on her bed, I let the towel hang over my lap as I started to play with my hair in a nervous habit. "Ok well, he was pushing me for information about why I was covering myself and I finally told him I had a bad experience in the past and it affected how I see myself," Lucy nodded understanding , "Then he well, he got really close to me…"

I blinked and looked up at Lucy, "Like I mean 'really' close…"

Her face turned to one of shock as I continued, "He said my name very quietly and he was about to say something else but then Natsu walked in."

Lucy was leaning forward with her eyes wide, "What do you think he was about to say?"

I blushed and leaned closer to her to whisper it, "It sounded like he was starting to say, beautiful."

Lucy instantly sat up straight clutching her mouth tightly and gasping loudly. I shushed her as my eyes shot to the door hoping the guys didn't hear us.

"So, from your reaction I am assuming that's not normal… like his stripping habit?" I asked slowly with a little nervous humor.

Lucy shook her head quickly, "No, Gray has never shown any interest in anyone as long as I have known him, and that saying something about his character."

"What do you mean?" I titled my head sideway slightly,

"Well, I'm sure you have noticed how many offers he gets, not that that is surprising. He is quite the catch." Lucy said

"Well, he can't be serious right? I mean, he was just trying to make me feel better… right?" I asked,

Lucy shrugged, "It's hard to tell. That's very out of character for Gray but then again you seem to have that effect on him." She said with a wink,

I rolled my eyes at her, "Well, how could you tell it was real with Natsu?" I asked turning the tables on her and smiling as I watched her face pale while her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"What? How did you know?" It was my turn to wink at her, "Oh please, I have been here for under a week and I can see it clearly."

"Well actually," she said with an excited smile taking over her face, "We just made it official yesterday."

"Really?" I asked with an equally large smile, as Lucy nodded and blushed horribly, "I actually should be thanking you for that."

"Me?" I said in surprise, "What did I do?"

"You showed up. It knocked Natsu into a place he has never been before emotionally and he didn't know how to deal with it. Being his best friend, I helped in every way I could and well one thing led to another and let's just say, he figured out that he liked me and I confessed to him and ya…"

Lucy was beaming as she spoke and it made me so happy to know that this kind girl was the one my brother had chosen to be with.

"But don't tell anyone yet, ok?" she asked quickly, "We want to tell everyone all at once."

"Of course." I said as I then ran my fingers across my lips in a zipping motion, causing Lucy so smiled at me.

"Hey?" Natsu yelled from the living room, "You guys ganna talk all day?"

We both laughed as Lucy yelled back, "We're coming, give us a minute!"

Lucy went to her dresser and pulled out a pair of short hot pink pajama shorts and a white t shirt and threw them at me, I smiled widely and quickly put them on turning back to Lucy, she was wearing short light blue pajamas shorts and a pink top.

I giggled lightly, "You really like pink don't you."

She smiled as we headed to the living room to join the boys, "Ya, I am kind of a girlie girl." Just then Natsu called to her.

"Hey Luc, I saved you a spot." He said as he patted the spot next to him on the floor with a smile.

I giggled and elbowed her gently as I whispered, "You really 'do' like pink." I smiled as her face went red when she realized I was talking about Natsu's hair.

She quickly sat next to Natsu on the floor and I looked up to see Loki and Gray on either end of the couch leaving me a spot between them. I felt my stomach twist at the thought of sitting next to Gray after what happened earlier, but I quickly pushed the feeling aside and stepped over his legs to sit between them. Loki smiled and offered me a soda which I accepted it with a smile.

"So what are we watching?" I asked as I took a drink,

"Natsu picked 300." Loki said with a smile as Lucy groaned.

"We have watched it a million times," she protested,

Natsu pouted at her, "But not with Valkyrie. You haven't seen it have you?" he turned to ask me as I blushed again while clearing my throat, "Oh well, I actually have never seen a movie." I said quickly taking a drink of my soda to make it seem like no big deal.

"What?" Lucy and Loki said loudly,

"How is that even possible?" asked Natsu,

Gray even looked at me in surprise, I shrugged. "Well it wasn't like I had time; what was I ganna do? '1:15 run for your life. 2:30 watch Bambi." I said as I pretended to check boxes in the air.

There was another awkward silence before I sighed in annoyance, "Okay look, I don't want for you guys to always feel sorry for me every time something about my past comes up, alright? Because if your ganna do that I am going be a huge downer."

They all looked at me a moment before Natsu smiled wide, "Looks like we are ganna be having lots movie nights, then." I smiled at him thankfully as he turned and started the movie.

Once the movie was over Loki stood up and stretched, "Well, this has been fun but I think I am going to head home. Glad you didn't end up leaving us so soon Valkyrie; keep Gray out of trouble for me, will ya?" He smiled with a wink at Gray, "See you guys later." There was a chorus of 'byes' and 'see yas' as Loki vanished in a shimmer of golden vapor.

"What time is it?" I asked as I stretched my arms above my head getting a few satisfying pops out of my back.

"It's around 7:30." Yawned Lucy as she snuggled closer to Natsu, Natsu wrapped an arm around her and rubbed his eyes with his free hand.

"Everyone seems tried." I said as I pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and covered myself with it.

"We should all take a nap." Gray said as he laid his head back on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Good idea." Natsu yawn as he laid down on the pillows and blankets sprawled out on the floor pulling Lucy with him; she smiled wide as she laid her head on his chest.

I watched them for a few minutes as their breathing got deeper showing that they had both fallen asleep. I couldn't help but smile at the sweet sight and think of how happy our parents would be to see that Natsu had such a happy life.

I jumped a little as I felt cold figures touch my arm and I looked over at Gray, he was sitting with his feet up on the coffee table and his arms crossed over his chest looking at me. I blinked and glanced back at the sleeping couple, "What?" I mouth quietly,

He moved his head to motion to the other room before he got up and headed that way, I felt my stomach tighten again as I slowly got up to follow him, keeping the blanket around my shoulders.

Once we were in the other room which was Lucy's room, since her apartment was so small.

Gray went and stood by the large window and I walked up to stand beside him, I was surprised to see that there was no rain; the sky was still heavily overcast, but no rain at the moment.

I looked up at Gray; he had a small smile on his face as he looked out the window. "She is starting to feel a little better, I think." He said quietly,

I nodded slightly as we both stood there in a moment of comfortable silence.

"I'm sorry," Gray said suddenly and I look at him with a raised eye brow, as he turned to face me, "For before. I shouldn't have done that."

I felt a small peg of sadness at his words, but shrugged, "Its ok, I understand. A lot has been happening; you just had a lapse in judgment."

Gray chuckled next to me, "No, that's not what I meant." His eyes suddenly got very intense while he still had a small smile on his lips, "What I meant was, it was bad timing."

I felt my eyes widen as I started at him and he stepped closer to me again never breaking eye contact. My stomach was so full of butter flies I felt like I might flutter away, as I held my breath.

"Look Valkyrie, these last few days have been crazy, I have just met you and yet in so many ways I feel like I have known you all along. I don't want to rush into anything, but…"

He paused as he reached out toward my hand but just before he reached it he pulled his back and stuffed it into his pocket with a sigh.

"I want the chance to get to know you better." He finished I stared hard into his eyes looking for any sign of mocking or insincerity, but there was none.

"Why?" I whispered feeling that now familiar feeling of not being good enough; I dropped my gaze to look outside the window again. "Why me?" I asked a little louder,

Gray's face held no surprise at my response, but instead he seem like he had expected me to ask that. He smirked slightly as he tilted his head causing his hair to fall over his eyes a little.

"Because in the few days that I have known you, you keep surprising me." I blinked at him, letting what he said sink in.

He chuckled again and ran a hand through his hair, "I honestly don't know what this is," He motioned between us, "But I would like to find out." He smiled tenderly at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I'd like that, too." I said with a small blush, "but where does this leave us, now?"

Gray looked back outside and shrugged, "I don't know, I guess the same place, just with some more clarity."

I laughed, "Clarity? It seems more complicated to me." I said as I leaned on the window sill.

Gray smirked over at me as he bumped my shoulder with his arm, "Ya, well that's because you're a woman."

"Hey!" I laughed as I playfully wacked his arm in response,

We continued to laugh and talk together and ended up moving to sit on the floor next to each other with our backs to the window.

In a moment of silence I sighed as I glanced at the clock, Gray noticed. "What?"

"It's almost nightfall." I said with an awkward smile knowing he had forgotten I was supposed to meet Laxus and Gajeel soon.

His face went serious instantly, "Your seriously going to just go let him kick your ass again?" he said anger rising in his voice.

"Gray, think about it. I have to get stronger, what would happen if the Dark guild showed up and hurt one of you? I could never forgive myself. They are never far behind me; it won't be long before they show up. I need to do this." I said with pleading eyes,

He grunted still looking unconvinced; I placed my hand on his forearm drawing his attention back to me.

"I don't want to be the pathetic damsel in distress anymore; I want to be able to defend myself and the ones I care about. You can understand that right?"

Gray stared at me searching my face before letting out a long aggravated sigh, "Fine, but I am still coming with you."

I smiled widely at him, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Wouldn't have what any other way?" Natsu's curious face popped around the corner, causing us both to jump apart with blushing cheeks.

"Natsu!" yelled Lucy from the living room, "I told you to leave them alone."

Natsu stepped fully into the room with a deeply confused face, "Why?"

Lucy appeared beside him, "Because they need to talk now come on." She tugged on his arm trying to get him to leave, but I saw his eyes dart back and forth between me and Gray.

"Hey." He suddenly said with anger in his voice as he yanked his arm out of Lucy's grasp and stepped closer to Gray. "You're not trying anything funny with my sister are you?"

Gray stood up meeting Natsu's angry stare, "What if I am?"

Natsu's fists instantly lit on fire and Grays were just as quickly covered in ice, I looked quickly to Lucy who started to shout something about damaging her apartment and was flailing her arms about wildly trying to calm the two boys. Once I realized they were not even listening to her I jumped up and placed myself in between them again.

"Natsu stop, that's not what he was doing." Natsu stepped back and looked down at me the anger disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"Then what was he trying to do?" he growled briefly at Gray who rolled his eyes in response.

"He was giving me advice on how I show act when I fight with Laxus and Gajeel later tonight." I said the words quickly hoping to get Natsu's mind off of Gray and me.

Natsu's face snapped to me with a mixed look of surprise and confusion, "You're going to fight them?"

I nodded as I let out a relived sigh glad I was able to change the topic. "I need to get stronger, that much is clear, and Gajeel and Laxus have offered to help me."

"And it's a stupid idea, isn't it?" Gray finally said from behind me, "Tell her how stupid it is to fight both of them at her level."

I turned to face him about to ague my case but stopped when I heard Natsu speak, "I think it's a great idea."

I blinked before slowly turning to look at my brother, he had an eager and excited look on his face, "You do?" I asked in disbelief but also joy, it was amazing to think he might actually believe in me so strongly.

He nodded as he stepped closer to me towering over me with a large smirk on his face, "And I like the idea so much…" he lifted his right fist up near our faces and it exploded into flame making me flinch slightly, "I think I will help you out too."

I stared at his intense eyes burning with fire, eager for a battle and a slow smile formed on my face. "Challenge accepted."

"Ah hell, you both are hopeless." Gray shouted as he threw his hands in the air in frustration as Lucy laughed beside Natsu. "Well, I guess we had better eat dinner and get ready then, it's almost dusk."

Natsu and Lucy walked out of the room to go start making dinner, and I felt Gray move slightly next to me and I turned to look up at him. He let out a sigh and hung his head before lifting it slightly to look sideways at me. "You know that you have just agreed to fight three of the strongest and most reckless wizards in the whole guild right?"

I lifted my hands and formed my Fairy dragon magic around the left while also forming my black lighting magic around my right. I felt my lips move up into a smirk as I clenched them into fist of determination. "I am ready to get stronger, Gray, no matter what it takes."

He stood up straight next to me and finally showed me a small smile, "And I don't doubt you will."