~~~Chapter 10~~~

(AN: I am sad that the story will be coming to a close soon, but don't worry. There are still a few chapters left of this story, and plenty more stories to come ^.^ .)

I woke once again to the smell of breakfast, but this was probably the last time it will be made in the same house. It was nice, really. We were losing many things that we never had before. It was hard, but it was probably best if we leave.

Juvia announced at breakfast, "Juvia's scared."

"Of what?" I asked, shoving an egg in my mouth. Gods her breakfasts are amazing.

"What if we don't make it back?" she asked.

"What do you mean? Of course we will," I returned.

She hesitated and replied, "We made it here, but now we have memories. What if we go back and we don't have them any more? What if we get stuck in another time? What if…?"

I interrupted, "We'll make it, I promise. Stop thinking of 'What if' all the time. More times than not, what ifs don't happen. Now come on, we should probably go meet up with Gajeel."

"Alright," she sighed with a small forming smile.

Soon enough, we made our way to meet Gajeel, Natsu, and Lucy to the abandoned house. Thankfully Wendy was stronger and could give both dragon slayers Troia so they wouldn't gag the whole way there and back on the train. Juvia kept the same sad expression the entire way, no matter what Natsu and Lucy reassured. Even though I held her hand, she wasn't responsive.

Her behavior had me a little worried, but I tried to just pass it on as just nervous to go back home. I was, and I know she was too. Something else was bothering her, though. We had a lot to leave in the future, but we could have it all again back in the past. Did she just not realize that?

We walked up to the abandoned house in silence for most of the trip. The trail was a lot shorter than in the past, but that was probably because the town on the edge of the forest was much larger. As soon as the black, run down, ruined house came into view I gulped at the fact that we were so close to returning home. We stood in front of the house in anticipation yet with hesitation.

"See you on the other side, Snowflake," Natsu encouraged.

"Go back to your own time, guys," Lucy added.

I took a deep breath and asked Juvia, "You ready?"

She gave a small nod and I stepped up to the door, carefully opening the falling apart wood to reveal the same old and dusty place that held the key back home. As soon as we entered, the door slammed shut on its own again, and we were trapped. Juvia grabbed my hand, but I didn't make a move except look around for the familiar white glow of the ghost.

"Gray?! You alright?!" Lucy called out from outside.

"We're fine!" I called back.

"Fullbuster, you better take care of her! You hear?!" Gajeel yelled.

"Yeah," I replied more quietly as I looked around more.

The place looked exactly the same as before, but it felt different somehow. Maybe it was because Natsu, Gajeel, and Lucy were waiting outside? I shuffled forward in search of the spirit that was to take us home. There was nothing on the first floor, but there was an upstairs to check as well.

I exclaimed to the others, "We're going to check upstairs!"

Lucy replied, "Be safe!"

Cautiously, I lead the way upstairs on the old, rickety wood. At the top, I looked around at the mostly empty space that was mainly just remains of the roof that caved in on the structure. There was no sign of the spirit from before. I shimmied my way to the front of the building and looked over a broken part of the wall to see Gajeel, Natsu, and Lucy still standing outside.

"No good, there doesn't seem to be any sign of 'er except that damn door," I informed.

"Maybe we need to go down the road?" Lucy suggested.

Gajeel replied, "I doubt it. Just keep lookin', Stripper!"

I rolled my eyes at the nickname, but proceeded to check to make sure I still wore my clothing. Thankfully, I was fully dressed. Then I followed his advice and shimmied back to the stairs to return. Sometimes I questioned why they were my closest friends…

A loud creak sounded below me as I stepped down onto the stairs. I blinked and looked down, trying my best not to shift my weight. The board looked stable again, so I eased my foot on the the next one, warning Juvia of the stair and taking her hand just incase… Snap! The stairs we both stood on broke beneath our feet and we plunged down. I pulled her on top of me before we made impact with the floor.

I swear a few cusses slipped my mouth from the impact as I shifted up into a sitting position, pushing Juvia lightly off of me as I did so. Blinking, I realized that we broke through the floorboards and landed down in the basement. Slowly, we rose back up to our feet and looked around at our new surroundings that looked similar to the rest of the ruins.

"What happened?! Did something break?! Are you guys alright?!" Lucy and Natsu asked in concern.

"We're fine, just fell into the basement!" I answered.

A bright light shined in the darkest corner of the rectangular room and a voice called out, "You are being offaly loud. Ever heard of letting the dead rest? Humans these days have no respect."

We both gasped at the same time at the sight before us. The same white figure as before stood before in her full ghostly glory. Our mouths gaping open like fish, but not a peep coming out. The white dress of the ghost flowed as if there was invisible winds and the light coming off of the spirit was as if she was the moon itself. Her hair flowed similar to that of her dress in all angles and her face and what should have been skin was so pale it looked almost translucent.

The spirit continued, "Exceed caught your tongue? Speak now. What is it that you want from my ruins?"

I gulped, "You… We… We wanted to speak with you… A… About sending us back…"

"I'm listening. You must be wanting to return home now. Have you found what you were after?" the female ghost inquired.

"We… We don't know… You… You sent us here when we were on a mission. Looking for a man that we think wandered into this place just like we did. Can you please send us back home?" I explained shakily. It wasn't like she was the first ghost I'd ever seen, it's just that Mavis was just natural for Fairy Tailers…

"Perhaps," she replied. "That depends on your names. I have a hard time keeping track of the people I send back and forth between time."

Juvia answered nervously, "Juvia Lockser."

I added, "Gray Fullbuster."

The spirit nodded, "Ah, the Fullbusters. I remember you bunch now. Things are making much sense."

"Does that mean that we can go home now?" I asked.

"Pushy brat, aren't you?" the ghost questioned. "Yes, I remember clearly now. You were the one to wreck my house with your brilliant plain in slaying your demon. Maybe I shouldn't let you go home. As fair punishment for locking me up here for my life. But I guess it would be more suiting to take one of you with me. The bluenette will do nicely."

"Over my dead body," I snarled, standing protectively in front of Juvia.

"I was hoping you would say that," the spirit chuckled and fazed into thin air.

I readied my stance for anything, looking frantically back and forth in the space we were trapped in. This was getting worse and worse as the time went. Why on Earthland would a ghost be made at me, of all people?! It doesn't make sense! She couldn't have died to Deliora, could she?

A gasp left my mouth as a bright light filtered over us both and I grabbed at Juvia, hoping that I could shield her from whatever was to come…

(AN: Quick thanks to the following: Guest because every time you review you make me cry that you think exactly how I hope you would ^.~ )