A/N: Okay, this is where the story really picks up. This story has to be one of my favorites right now simply because of where it's headed. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I am :)

Thanks again to my amazing Beta :)

Please leave a pretty review and let me know how you like the change in the story!


Gray let out a deep groan from the back of his throat. His mouth felt as dry as a desert and it was a struggle to open his eyelids. When he finally did, a blinding white light filled his vision. He could faintly hear beeping sounds and the muffled sound of talking from somewhere not too far from him. His vision cleared up after a few minutes and he could finally see where he was: a hospital.

His fingers loosely gripped the sheets laying at his waist, not fully able to grip the cloth. A heart-rate monitor was beside his bed, a steady green line going up and down. He had an IV for blood connected to his arm and one with odd clear fluid connected to his stomach, which he could feel slightly when he shifted on the uncomfortable bed. There were two chairs to the one side of his bed, and by the way they were crooked, it was clear he has had some visitors.

Laying beside his knee, he saw that there was a small remote with a red button on the end. He tried to reach for it, but his arms were just not long enough. With a single burst, he sat up enough to grab it, but pain shot through his side. He took deep, slow breaths until the pain subsided. Looking back to the remote, he saw that a sticker above the button read CALL NURSE. He figured it would be best to let someone know he was awake, so, with a shaky finger, he pressed the button.

Moments later, a door opened. A nurse came inside, a bright smile on her features. "You're awake! That's great to see, Mr. Fullbuster," she said. He swiftly corrected her, saying just to call him by his first name. He didn't want to sound like an old man. "Alright, Gray," was her response. She went over to his two IVs to check the flow of the liquids, then she went to his heart-rate monitor and started writing down some numbers. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Gray closed his eyes. The IVs were very itchy and his side was hurting quite a lot. With yet again shaking fingers, he moved his blanket off of himself to see exactly why he was hurting so much. His eyes widened when he saw a large amount of bandages wrapped around his torso and hips. The IV that he assumed went to his stomach was actually in his upper thigh. His face turned scarlet when he realized that he was stark naked, which made him reach for the blanket again. He ended up knocking the IV out, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Do be careful," the nurse urged him, running back to the other side of the bed. She began putting the IV back in, which just embarrassed the boy more. "I'll have you know that I am a trained professional and there is no need to be ashamed, although I understand why you would be uncomfortable." She moved his blanket back to cover himself. "Would you be more comfortable with a male nurse? I have been assigned to you thus far, but it is reasonable for you to switch." She went back over to the monitor.

Gray was quite shocked at her bluntness. "I...it's fine," he stuttered. He looked up at her, taking in her features. She must have been fresh out of medical school because she looked about twenty. She had brown hair that just tickled her shoulders and bangs that shot straight across her forehead in a slightly uneven line. She had a small frame and a small chest, but it was clear that her butt made up for that. His head snapped back to his lap, realizing that he really shouldn't be checking-out the nurse. Instead, he rubbed his thumb along the bandages around his body.

The nurse looked over her shoulder, noticing where his attention was at the moment, although she knew where it had been. When he fully recovered she surely knew she would be seeking him out. She was aware he had a drinking problem, but who doesn't have baggage? "You had to undergo surgery to your liver," she explained. His eyes widened slightly. "The first IV is simply to put blood back into your system, which is standard after a surgery. I believe today is your last day on that, actually." She briefly checked her clipboard. "Yes, it is. The second IV is to clean out your bloodstream. You've been poisoned for a while, actually, from alcohol, but your last little stunt just tipped it over the top." She took a seat in one of the empty chairs, grabbing his one hand, which made him look up at her in surprise. "You never did answer me. How are you feeling?"

He swallowed thickly. How was he feeling? How was he feeling? He was in a hospital! He just about drowned himself in alcohol! What about how he made Wendy feel? If the image Midnight showed him was correct, she was very upset over him. He visibly flinched. What happened to Erza, Natsu, and Lucy? Were they at the same hospital? Were they even alive? The last game Midnight played was some sort of test. They were clearly set free when they passed, but how far did that freedom go? The one thing he knew for sure, though, was that he needed to find them. He had to make sure that they were all okay. He had grown so attached to them over the time they spent together, a time length he didn't quite now. Was it days? Weeks? Months? Years?

His mind made up, Gray moved his blanket aside, surprising the nurse, who, after a quick check at her nametag, went by Amber. He didn't care about that, though. He just needed to get out of the suffocating room. He ripped the IVs from himself, which made Amber cry out and jump up, trying to push him back to his bed. Blood and that strange clear liquid dripped onto his bed, but he didn't plan on returning to it, so he didn't care about the mess. He easily pushed her back and fully stood up. Blood rushed to his head and he was suddenly very dizzy, but he still stumbled forward, completely forgetting that he was naked or realizing that he wouldn't get very far beyond the room. That didn't stop him, though. He had to try.

Amber had made another attempt to grab him, but he thrashed against her and ended up knocking them both to the ground. He quickly got up and went forward again. He was steps from the door when it opened. His face turned scarlet when he saw Cana standing there. She was wearing insanely tight black leggings and her a blue bikini top, a variation of the same outfit she's worn for over a year.

"Gray!" she gasped. She looked behind him and saw the nurse just standing up. She also noticed how he was completely naked. "I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but you're going to get back in bed." She pushed his shoulders and he was too stunned to stop her.

"Thank you," Amber sighed in relief.

Cana set him in a chair instead of the bed, since the bed was ruined. Amber quickly stopped the IVs and tore away the bed sheets. She told Cana about the spare sets in the farthest cabinet at the side of the room before taking the dirty sheets out of the room.

"Cana," Gray sighed happily, watching her put new sheets on his bed. He never thought he would see her again. He had always slept around with girls, Cana being the only constant in his life. She had mentioned before that she would totally date him, but he clearly wasn't right in the head. He would just laugh that off, usually drunk when she said it. She had mentioned before how much she loved to drink but was too scared to do it in front of him. At the time he thought she was being a bitch and definitely told her that, but only now he realized that she was just looking out for him.

"Alright, now let's get you in bed," Cana said, smiling at him. She was incredibly happy to see him awake and well. Lifting him to his feet, she noticed how he had to lean most of his weight onto her. She already assumed he was in rough shape because of all he went through, so she wasn't surprised.

"Cana," he said again, putting his arms around her waist and his chin on her shoulder. She let out a sigh that resembled a pout and put her arms around his neck. "I love you," he said, surprising them both.

"Gray," she said, looking at his face with concern. "You don't mean that." She wanted it to be true so badly, though. "Just because you almost died doesn't mean you have to do this."

"Yes, I do." He closed his eyes, trying to keep his thoughts straight. All the twisted, sick games Midnight forced him to play game whirling back to him in broken images. He pushed those all away. "The past...well, I'm not sure how long, has been hell without you. At first it was all about figuring out where I was, but after we all realized we weren't about to figure that out, we just accepted it all. Every time something horrible happened to me, I just kept hoping that you and Wendy were alright. Seeing you again-"

"Wait," Cana said, putting a finger over his lips. "What are you saying? Where were you at? When did horrible things happen to you?"

Gray realized that he probably shouldn't tell her about his Hell inside his mind. He obviously never went anywhere, so his brain probably just made it all up while he was in a coma. It totally slipped his mind that Erza, Natsu, and Lucy also knew people he knew. "Can't you just say that you love me, too? You're really killing the moment," he laughed.

Cana laughed, too. "I think the moment will remain dead until you put some pants on. Usually love confessions are done with clothing on." She was happy to see a smile on his face. Watching him sleep for two weeks straight was horrible. His face was so comatose and blank.

He was about to say something cocky back, but he felt as if he was just punched in the gut. He made a gasping sound, falling completely on Cana. She quickly adjusted, moving him so he was laying on his back. He had his eyes closed, trying to catch his breath. "What hurts?" she asked, putting a hand on his forehead. He didn't have a fever, which was good, because while he was sleeping he would get them often.

Gray let out a strangled moan. "Damn, that hurts," he said, putting a hand on his lower stomach.

"What? What hurts?" Cana was really freaking out. "Should I get the nurse again?" She could only assume that Amber had another patient with an emergency problem or else she would have come back.

"No, I just really gotta piss." He opened his eyes and cracked a wide grin.

"You're such an asshole!" Cana yelled, slapping his shoulder. He just started laughing, which made her laugh. "I really missed you," she said sadly, grabbing his hand. He squeezed hers lightly and pulled her down next to him so he could kiss her, a feeling he really missed.