Disclaimer: Fairy Tail does not and sadly will never belong to me but this plot does! I'll sue you if you attempt to steal it Haha ^w^ *LOL
ITAMI'S SINCERE APOLOGIES FOR UPDATING LATE.
GRAYLU WEEK 2014 NOTIFICATION: GRAYLU WEEK STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST – 7TH. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE TUMBLR BLOG 'fyeahgrayluweek' OR YOU COULD JUST ASK ME VIA PM!
(A/N: Welcome back to D2L everyone! And this is season 1's Grand finale! Now aren't you all excited? Well I am ^.^ So get your tissue boxes ready and let's get our eyes glued to the screen! ACTION!)
Previously on D2L: Lucy sat in silence, watching the moving scenery of midnight as Gray drove down the streets of Magnolia. She smiled as she thought how everything had gone so perfectly… How her relationship with Gray had changed suddenly with just a few words that she wished she had said sooner. She really couldn't ask for more and she couldn't imagine anything going wrong from here! Suddenly, she had begun to love her life so very much…
The happiness she felt was so perfect, so wonderful but may I remind you – when things are too perfect, they are also too suspicious. Was Lucy's happiness forever? Or was it just a moment's peace before an impending disaster?
Continue:
The car came to a halt but Lucy sat still and ignorant, her thoughts reminiscing the memories of the day that she would keep stuck in her mind for the rest of her life. Only when she heard her door opening did she snap back to reality and got out of the car.
It was probably the best day of her life but was it the same for Gray? Well, he was dangling somewhere between the best day and the worst day of his life; best because he and Lucy were finally together and he knew he loved her and that she loved him too; worst because deep down, he knew he was betraying her in some way or the other. Throughout the evening he never once thought about the dare but that moment when she confessed to him, it had all rushed back to him… he had recorded it – every single word.
The guilt of what he had done had been eating him up all day. He felt agitated at the fact that anyone else other than him would hear Lucy express her feelings to him… He knew how personal such things were supposed to be and here he had kept a five-seconds-long recording of it, which he would be showing to Gajeel and Loke the next day. How could he not be guilty for this? His feelings for her were real but what he was doing was wrong. But how was he supposed to deny Wendy of her one and only wish?
'It'll all be over tomorrow' he convinced himself. He kept assuring himself that once this dare is over and Gajeel kept his end of the deal, he would finally be able to have an honest relationship with Lucy.
"You look worried… Something wrong?" Lucy asked him, bringing him away from his thoughts.
"Oh um, no… nothing." He replied nervously, "I'll um, walk you to your door" She nodded as they began to walk. Slowly she reached out to his hand and entwined her fingers with his, keeping her eyes in the other direction. Gray was slightly taken by surprise by the gesture but he smiled slightly and caressed her hand softly. In less than a minute, they were standing there at her doorstep.
Lucy fidgeted with her hands as she stood, "won't you, um, come in?" she asked nervously. Gray couldn't help but grin at the way she was acting all flustered and shy all of a sudden – it was… cute.
"Maybe some other day Luce" He replied, caressing her cheek. He gave her a kiss on her forehead, "Good night, Luce" he said as he walked back towards his car.
"Good night… Gray" Lucy replied, a little too softly for him to even hear it. She stared as the car drove away from the driveway for a while before she finally got out her keys, opened her door and crashed onto her bed with her cell phone in her hand.
"Wait so you had your FIRST kiss?!" Yukino asked excitedly from the other end of the line.
"Yeah, I pretty much did" Lucy replied, smiling at the reaction from her friend who was miles away. How she wished that right now they could be talking face-to-face about every tiny detail of the night, just like they used to back when she had been in Hargeon… back when she had been dating him.
"So how was it?" Yukino asked curiously. The question made Lucy drift back – she remembered how it felt when he held her waist and caressed her cheek; what it felt like when they drew closer; the toe curling, knee-weakening feeling when their lips finally met; the fireworks and flowers that were all over in her imagination… She didn't even realize that she was saying all this aloud till she heard the gasp followed by squeal from Yukino.
"All that and it was your very first kiss?! Wow… sounds like one of those fairytales; He must be a really good kisser then" Yukino said in thought, "my first kiss was a bummer" and Lucy knew that right then and there, her friend was pouting. She didn't have to see her to know that.
"Oh come on, it just wasn't the right guy" Lucy convinced her.
"Yeah, surely I didn't get the tall, dark and handsome type like you" Yukino giggled as she said.
"How'd you know he's tall?" Lucy asked stupidly.
"Um, for you to have to go on your toes – and have I told you how romantically 'romance-fiction' that is?" Yukino replied 'matter-of-factly'.
"Well yeah. He is kind of tall… but not tall, tall… just right tall. As for dark, well… not exactly dark… but the handsome part is right on the spot" Lucy said.
"I'm officially jealous" Yukino joked and Lucy giggled. It was fun… She hadn't spoken about stuff like this in a long time because in that 'long-time', all this just wasn't a part of her life.
"Um, Lucy" Yukino began
"It gets me confused when you use honorifics and when you don't" Lucy joked because she usually Yukino tended to call her 'Lucy-san' but occasionally she would call her 'Lucy'.
"Well, it sort of depends on the atmosphere. Sorry, it's kind of a habit" Yukino said, "What I'm saying is… if this doesn't work out – I know it will – but just if it doesn't, will you promise me that you won't give up on yourself again like you did the last time?"
This sort of made Lucy's mood meter go way below the negative, but she replied firmly, "I won't, I promise, and it will work out. I know it will." Her fairytale with Gray had only just begun, she didn't want to cloud her mind with negative thoughts like these, but she knew Yukino was just looking out for her. However, it did make her worry; the last time that had happened, Yukino had been the one to predict it – what if this time too her intuition turns out right?
'shut up me…' Lucy told herself, sighing in annoyance as she switched off the lights and sunk her head into her fluffy pillow, falling deeper and deeper into the comforts of her dreams.
Lucy murmured in her sleep as she turned and twisted, messing up her quilt as she did so. She had never been a quiet sleeper; always twisting, turning, kicking, talking… Another reason why she always had her own bed. Suddenly her ringtone began to sound in full volume making her cringe as she was forcefully drawn out of her dreams. She stretched her hand out to the bedside table and picked her phone, not bothering to check who it was because she was already pretty certain.
"Father, my answer is still NO" She said in a sleepy voice, the moment she picked the phone.
"Easy sleepy-head" came the teasing tone from the other end and Lucy's half-closed eyes just shot wide open in a second and she immediately sat up in shock.
"GRAY?" She asked in surprise, earning a chuckle from him.
"No, black" He replied sarcastically.
"That wasn't funny" She rolled her eyes, but still smiled.
"so what was that all about?" he asked curiously. Lucy frowned.
"What was what all about?" She asked in confusion.
"The whole – 'Father, my answer is still NO'", mocking her tone when she said that.
"Oh that, um, nothing important. He's just been calling me a lot lately." She replied, "so what made YOU call?" She didn't think bothering Gray with her father's constant naggings and demands was very necessary. She had decided to keep her father's repetitive calls to herself. So what if her father was expecting her to return to Hargeon via a pre-booked first-class train ticket today? Well… maybe it's a bit worth telling but since she was so sure she wasn't going to go even if the sky fell, what difference would Gray's knowledge of it make? At least that was what she was thinking.
"Why don't you open your door and find out" He said in a playful manner, which made Lucy a bit excited as she got out of her bed, not bothering about the quilt that was now on the floor as she raced down the stairs in her pajamas and messy pigtails.
She unlocked her door, pulling the latches clumsily out of impatience; she supported her cell phone between her head and neck. The door swung open to reveal none other than the raven tail whose voice her ears had entertained mere moments ago.
"Good morning sunshine" Gray joked and Lucy giggled happily. She didn't expect this but she was happy… very happy. This was exactly how she wanted her relationship to be – a relationship where both sides try their best to keep the other's smile intact.
"What're you doing here?" Lucy asked excitedly. Gray gestured to his wrist watch.
"It's time to get to school" He replied in a 'are-you-serious?!' tone. Lucy grabbed his arm and pulled him inside forcefully, then sat him down on the sofa in the living room.
"You sit right here. I'll be back" She ordered firmly with a smile.
"Yes ma'am" He replied as he sat comfortably and waited patiently. A few moments later, Lucy's phone began to vibrate. Gray was a bit confused on whether or not he should answer it…
Finally he picked it up without thinking, "Lucy-san!" came the hyper tone of a female.
"Um, sorry but Lucy's a bit busy." He replied. There was a pause for a moment and Gray was really feeling awkward now.
"Oh. My. God!" came the enthusiastic, heavily pronounced words, "You're Lucy's boyfriend aren't you?!" Gray felt himself get a bit nervous.
"Y-yeah, I guess" He replied rubbing the back of his neck like he usually did when he was nervous.
"What do you mean 'I guess'?! You are serious about Lucy right?" The female asked in an alarmed tone to which Gray was quick to reply.
"Yeah, of course I am. I'm serious about her … It's just a bit alien to be addressed as her 'boyfriend' after being addressed as her 'best friend' for so long." He explained. The girl laughed in understanding and Gray felt relieved.
"I just realized, I never got your name!" She said. Gray was just about to reply when –
"I'm ready!" Lucy interrupted.
"Luce, there's a call for you" He told her, handing the phone to her.
"Hello?" Lucy said nervously, praying to the dear Lord it wasn't her father Gray had just spoken to.
"Ooh… cute nick name… Luce – I like it!" came Yukino's playful voice. Lucy began to blush at the comment ; her reactions making Gray smirk – but not just any smirk, a mischievous one; the one that graced his lips when he was plotting one of his evil schemes.
Lucy was caught off guard by Gray's arms that snaked around her waist from behind, she gasped in surprise. She immediately froze, blushing deep scarlet when she felt his warmth dawn upon her neck…
"Lucy-san?" Yukino called suspiciously, but Lucy was too caught up to listen. Lucy felt a current pass through her as he ran sweet, soft, lingering kisses down her neck, holding her waist tighter; She closed her eyes, letting herself drown in the heated passion of the moment, forgetting completely about the phone she was holding against her ears; none of the words said grabbed her attention.
"Lucy-san? Are you there?" Yukino called loudly on the phone, snapping Lucy out of her reverie.
"Y-yeah, I'm still here" She replied, stuttering, "Gray stop… I'm on the phone" She whispered to Gray, apparently not soft enough since Yukino, seemingly hearing it all, began blushing uncomfortably.
Lucy gasped again as Gray nibbled on her left ear, one arm on her shoulder and the other keeping its hold on her waist.
"Gray I'm on the phone!" Lucy scolded in between giggles.
"Um, Lucy-san… I'll, uh, talk to you later. You guys carry on" Yukino said awkwardly.
Lucy dropped the call and Gray finally let go. Turning around Lucy punched him on the arm playfully in mock-anger.
"That was embarrassing you know" She 'informed' him.
"But you liked it" He retorted playfully, winking. Lucy turned beet-red at the comment, but she had to admit, she did like it.
"Well… I wouldn't mind letting you do it again…" She replied bashfully to which Gray gave her an amused look.
"Someone's flirting a bit too obviously" He joked. Out of the blue Lucy hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise. He stroked her head slowly, running his fingers through her golden locks affectionately.
"It'll always be like this right? Nothing will change right?" She asked in a voice filled with hope. This brought Gray back to reality… The whole dare thing wasn't over yet. There was still a few hours left before he and Lucy would begin a guilt-free, honest relationship. He really couldn't wait for this burden to be lifted off his shoulders. He wanted for nothing more than a simple romantic day with Lucy without the clinging guilt that followed.
"Nothing'll change Luce… I promise. From today, it'll not be about you, and it won't be about me – it'll be about us" He assured her. Lucy felt a gush of joy at his words… There was nothing he could have said that would have made her feel any more loved that this. She stared up into his eyes and he stared back into hers – they shared a meaningful gaze, exchanging words that need not be spoken.
Slowly they drew closer and closer till their lips where mere millimeters away and once again, they shared another passionate kiss.
Everything was perfect that day for Lucy… and why wouldn't it be? It had only been the night before when she had gotten the guy of her dreams and the way the day started off, she was beginning to believe that this year would probably the best she's ever had in any of the schools she had ever transferred into. She wouldn't leave this one, not for anything in the world. With Gray was where she believed she belonged. She had never been more at peace with herself, never has she been so happy.
The day had gone very normally but despite all that normality, Lucy couldn't imagine a better day than this. School came to an end and she was looking forward to seeing Gray finally after not seeing him at all since they had different schedules on this very day of the week. Clutching onto her sling bag, she walked out the doors of the school with a content smile spread over her face. She was literally glowing!
"I-I… I love you...Gray" Gray's phone played.
"So you really got her to say it?!" Gajeel said in shock, more or less over the fact that he had lost a bet. Something he hadn't done in quite some time. Loke on the other hand didn't seem too surprised.
Clutching onto her sling back, Lucy approached the gates of Fairy High and began walking out of it… She was just about to catch a cab because she couldn't find Gray anywhere in the school grounds and she'd rather take a cab that walk so far right now, when she noticed the circle of guys from her gang including Gray of course, standing away from the gate down the street – all with their backs facing her. The traffic was too much for them to hear her from such a distance so she didn't bother calling out. Instead, she began walking towards them. As she drew nearer, their conversation became more and more clearer.
"…can't believe you actually got the man-hating Lucy to fall for you!" Natsu's voice spoke.
"Dumb-head, haven't you noticed how sticky-sticky the two have been? It was bound to happen sooner or later" Loke said.
"I was hoping later" Gajeel said in an irritated voice.
"Well, I completed the challenge. I got Lucy to fall for me and to say she loves me. Now you have to fulfill your end of the deal and then this will all be over." Gray said.
Lucy felt her heart stop. The whole world was turning… turning round and round and round. She felt like she would fall. What were they talking about?! Challenge? Deal? Her vision blurred with tears that formed; her lips parted; her hormonal system was going crazy like her entire body was desiccating and she was falling apart.
"It's a lie… this is not real… this is not real! It's a lie!" She began saying to herself. She was losing herself… She needed to get out of here. She needed to go. But all she could think of was the pain, the agony that was overwhelming her on the inside as she stood there frozen despite wanting to run, speechless despite wanting to scream and empty despite being full of so much hurt.
"Um Gray?" Loke who was the first to notice the blonde standing there, spoke nervously. And Gray turned around to see her… And all that came to his lips at that wordless moment was, "Luce…" He knew from her expressions that she had heard everything and he knew very well that it was all over now. There was no hope for forgiveness. There was no hope for anything else. It was all just over.
Lucy searched his eyes, searched for something that would save her because with ever second that passed, she was breaking… it was then that she saw that glint of emotion in his eyes that she had always noticed and it was then that she realized it – it wasn't love. That emotion wasn't love, it was pity. And she had never felt more pathetic.
Her chest got heavier with every minute that passed; she couldn't speak, literally; the tears now streaming down her cheeks freely. The pain kept escalating, eating her up on the inside and even though she knew that all she had to do to make it go away was to BREATHE, she found herself forgetting how.
Gray took a step forward and she found herself taking a step backward, making him stop, but she didn't. She kept moving back, step by step, each step faster by the minute. Everything around her went mute and that taunting voice that used to disturb her thoughts every day before, returned to haunt her…
'this is all a girl like you will ever get' It echoed over and over just like it did that night, all those months ago. It was like that night repeated all over. She covered her ears in an effort to stop the taunting but all in vain for it was inside her head that it kept replaying.
Suddenly Lucy heard a peeping noise, she turned to her right to have her eyes meet a flashing bright light and then she realized, she had walked all the way into the street. It was a massive truck and it was almost to her but even if she tried to move, it was already too late. And why not? She thought. It would be so much easier if she were to meet her end right now, because her future didn't look very bright either. And there she stood, just staring at the truck that was going to crush her in a matter of seconds.
But then it struck her… 'Yukino' she thought.
"…promise me that you won't give up on yourself again like you did the last time" Yukino's voice echoed and in a split second, Lucy realized. She couldn't give up… She didn't want to die! And at that very moment she felt something push her across the street and she tumbled down the street, missing the truck by half a second. She opened her eyes to find herself wrapped safely in Gray's arms.
The irony of it all was how she could think so much in such a little portion of time. She felt Gray embrace her tightly.
"Don't EVER do that again" He scolded in between breaths. He seemed to be very shaken up from the events that had just occurred. For a moment, Lucy relaxed in his arms… she felt that feeling of being safe, like she always had with him.
'This can't be true… it must be a misunderstanding. Gray is different! He's special! He wouldn't do such a thing' she convinced herself.
She gathered her courage to ask him, "I-is it true? Was this all – a challenge?" she asked in between sniffles. Gray looked at her with remorse written all over his face.
"Luce, please… I –" He began pleadingly.
"Is it or is it not?!" She insisted keeping him arm's length away, her eyes shut, breathing heavily.
Gray wanted to say the latter but how much more could he lie? She deserved the truth… He knew that the truth would drive her away from him – forever. But he had come to terms with the fact that he didn't deserve her. He knew from the beginning that this day would come sooner or later and no matter how hard he tried to prepare himself for this day, he found himself wishing it never did come. Looking at her now, he knew he had ruined her… and there's only so much hurt a girl can take. It was over and he knew it.
"It's true" He finally said and at that moment, Lucy knew she had been shattered. But still, her heart kept pleading, kept denying that he could do something so cruel.
"W-why…Gray?" She managed to ask.
"Luce –"
"Lucy" She interrupted, "my name is Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia" It was then that Gray was sure – he had lost her… forever.
"I'm sorry Lucy… I never meant for you to get hurt. It was all for Wendy. I was ready to do anything for her. She needs me" He said. Looking at her was like looking at a statue; her tears had dried up; her expressions emotionless; her eyes void of even a slight feeling whatsoever.
Suddenly Levy came running towards them, "Lu-chan! Are you okay? Gray, what happened?" She asked, alarmed. For one more moment, Lucy and Gray's eyes met. It was his last shot, he thought. He searched her eyes for anything, anything that showed she might forgive him, but no… he found nothing. Nothing other than the void he had seen before.
Gray patted Levy on the shoulder, giving her a look that said, 'it's up to you' and then, he walked away. Lucy stared at his back, moving farther and farther away. It was happening again…she thought.
She was broken.
Her phone rang and she picked it not saying anything.
"Lucy. Your chauffeur will arrive at your school shortly. I hope you have come to your senses by now?" the voice of her father spoke.
"Yes father." She merely said.
"So I'll be seeing you here in Hargeon tomorrow."
"Yes father" She repeated. Something she had been strictly against before, she found herself agreeing to almost too easily. But what was left? The reason for her insistence on staying back in Magnolia was never hers to begin with. Her fairytale with Gray had ended long before it even fully began. The one thing that was holding her back here was gone. What more did she have left here Magnolia?
"Lu-chan… You're leaving aren't you?" Levy asked with a sad tone. Lucy nodded. Levy didn't bother to question her. She simply gave her a hug. And just then, a black BMW pulled across the driveway and Lucy sat in it, leaving behind her memories of Fairy High.
Lucy watched the familiar streets of Magnolia fly by as the overly fancy car came to a halt in front of her house – something she'd soon refer to in the past tense. She stepped out of the car as the chauffeur held the door open for her.
Gray caught sight of a glum looking Levy walking past him; being in the same neighborhood made it a very common thing for them to cross paths. He immediately called out to her and asked her –
"What happened? Did she… did she calm down a bit?"
"She's leaving Gray" Levy replied sadly, looking like she was about to cry.
"Leaving? To where?" Gray asked worriedly.
"She's going back to her hometown. Her father had been calling her for weeks now, telling her to return home, but all those times she argued with him and refused to go back. But today, I don't know Gray but she just agreed without putting up a fight"
"For weeks? But she never even mentioned it to me" Gray asked confused.
"She'd said she didn't want to bother anyone with measly issues…" Levy explained. Gray quickly caught a cab.
"Magnolia railway station" He said hurriedly to the driver before sitting in the passenger seat. Levy just watched as in mere seconds Gray had already left. She could only hope that he would succeed in bringing Lucy back.
Lucy watched as the chauffeur carried her two suitcases one by one and put them into the booth of the car. She didn't really have much to take back… The chauffeur held the door open for her and taking one last glance at her apartment, she climbed in.
It didn't take long for her to get to the station and before she knew it, she was standing in front of the train that would take her back to Hargeon. She gazed longingly behind her before she stepped in and made her way towards the first class section. She felt silly – silly for thinking for even a moment that he would be here, trying to stop her.
'What if he did?' She wondered… would she willingly go back to him? Then she snapped herself out of her fantasy; it was never going to happen. All that had happened was faked. Gray had made it very clear that he had done this for another girl, who was probably the one he truly did like.
The cab stopped in front of the station and Gray quickly paid the driver without bothering to collect his change. He ran as fast his feet would take him pushing through the crowd towards the train Levy had told him. He had no idea where Lucy was going, if he missed her now, he'd probably lose his chance of ever seeing her again, let alone bringing her back. This train and platform number was his one and only hope.
"Galuna Express, platform 9 is departing" the speakers in the station began to sound. Making Gray's heart beat faster and faster. That was the train Lucy was on! Gray ran as fast as he could; his breathing rate escalating every second till he finally caught sight of the red train. He shouted out her name, "Luce!"
Lucy took her seat in her private compartment, befitting the heir to a money-minting empire. She took her preferred window seat, placed her sling bag on the empty space beside her and then picked up one of the fashion magazines that had been displayed specially for her. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard "Luce!"; it was very faint, so faint that she thought she was hallucinating. There was only one person who called her by that name…
Gray searched from window to window of the train, his blonde was nowhere in sight. Soon the train began moving slowly, gray sped up to catch up but the train was speeding up too. Gray continued running after till he finally caught sight of flowing blonde hair. He reached his hand out immediately, but in just that moment, she was already out of his sight, like in a blink of an eye. He looked at the soft scarf he had in his hands… the only thing he had managed to hold in his grasp when he had made his futile attempt to stop Lucy. He had only caught a glimpse of her for only about a millisecond, yet he was so certain that that was Lucy – his Lucy, the one he had lost forever. There could have been no worst punishment…
He would never again be able to run his fingers through her flowing golden locks; he would never again be able to gaze into those heartwarming, shining chocolate brown orbs; he would never again be able to lend ears to that chiming, angelic voice; he would never again be able to hold her delicate hands; It was all gone, forever. And forever is such a long, long time…
(A/N: CUT! Brilliant! Brilliant! We finally made it through this chapter!
Lucy: We finally made it through this season!
Gray: Goodbye season 1…
Cana: …Hello season 2!
Sting: And goodbye to you too
Erza: What do you mean?
Minerva: this is kind of the last scene many of you are starring in
Loke: Not that again… *face-palm*
Jellal: From what I've heard Minerva, you're not exactly part of the plot at all
SDQueen (Itami): SHUT UP. Season 1 is officially over and after a short hiatus, season 2 shall begin! :D
Mirajane: um, are you sure it's gonna be short? Because the last hiatus lasted two months
SDQueen (Itami): Yes, I'm super sure. I did my best to try to update during those 2 months but I was laptop-less. I made sure to inform a lot of the people who reviewed. And hopefully, the message passed round.
Levy: Ok back to season 2. Spoiler: Season two will have a time leap!
Gajeel: doesn't everyone already know that?
Natsu: I didn't know that :D
Gray: You don't have to you idiot. You're not part of the cast of season 2.
Jude: I finally get to make a full-fledged appearance with a main supporting role
Ultear: Oh puh-leez! You'll probably be one of the characters NOBODY cares about.
Yukino: Isn't he somewhat of an antagonist?
Rogue: No… he's not exactly villain bad… more of an anti-hero.
Lucy: Yeah, father means well…
Gray: Yeah, his 'means well' status kind of ruins my personal life -_-
Levy: How come Yukino gets a main supporting role in season 2?
Natsu: Ooh! I read her script! She's going to –
SDQueen (Itami): WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT TALKING TOO MUCH ABOUT SEASON 2 IN PUBLIC?!
Laxus: And we thought Erza was scary
Erza & SDQueen (Itami): WHAT WAS THAT?!
Levy: Okay, okay! We need to pack up now! Gray, Lucy, Rogue! Do your thing…
UNTIL NEXT TIME, (After the HIATUS)
JA'NE!
Rogue: to read more stories of Gray and Lucy,
Gray: check out Itami's GrayLu community – Celestial Ice
Lucy: and show your support by following!