Author's note:

Hello, hello! I'm very excited to be posting this next chapter. Although it is a little shorter than my other ones, it's setting up something really big for the next few chapters. I really hope you enjoy this and the next few ones because I think they're some of the better ones I've written. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. That privilege belongs to Hiro Mashima

Fenris spent the next few weeks in an emergency hospital tent that the guild had set up. Construction began right after their battle with Phantom, but there was no room yet for a hospital room so they had to make due. He didn't realize how serious his injuries had been until everything calmed down. He had a few cracked ribs, a concussion, and two broken fingers on one hand and a broken wrist on the other.

But he was recovering fast, partially due to his powers. Growing up, he realized he recovered from injuries faster than most people. Curious, one day he cut his finger with a knife and focused his meditation on healing that cut. It took a few hours, but by the end of the day the cut had vanished. Not a trace to be seen. It wasn't the same as actual healing magic. Instead, he discovered he was able to speed up the process of natural healing. This didn't allow him to heal injuries within minutes like a healing mage, but it did allow him to recover faster.

His friends periodically visited him while on bed rest. Faelen never left his side, but others came and went when they had the time. Most people were focused on the reconstruction of the guild, which was going well. It was proceeding much faster than anticipated due to everyone's help and Fenris was looking forward to finally sleeping inside. Lucy had come to visit him, thanking him for his help in defeating Phantom and blaming herself for his injuries. He assured her it wasn't her fault and, after much convincing, she finally believed him.

Erza, Cana, and Levy also visited him periodically to check up on him. Gray and Natsu visited just to bug him. The first day he was in the hospital, he wasn't able to move due to the loss of magical energy and they made sure to take full advantage of this. But after he was finally able to move, they stopped, although they still visited to laugh at his expense.

Kalea visited him most often. She would come to see him at least twice a day and she would always bring food with her too. She told him everything that was going on since he couldn't be there himself. Apparently, after Lucy had visited him, she left to go back to her home at Heartfilia Estate. Erza, Gray, and Natsu had gone after her, thinking she was leaving for good, but it turned out she was only visiting her father one last time to confront him about the Phantom fiasco.

While he was in the hospital, he noticed a change in Kalea's attitude towards him. She was much more…gentle. Not that she had ever been rough or harsh with anyone. But she did tend to answer questions rather bluntly growing up, never showing too much emotion. But when she visited him, she often spoke in a soft, soothing tone. She didn't let a day go by without asking him how he was. Occasionally, she would even put her hand on his arm. This caught him off guard as Kalea didn't like being physical with anyone.

Although he was curious about the change, he never mentioned it when she was around. He found he liked it and didn't want to make things awkward. Unfortunately for him, Mira also noticed. She was staying with Fenris to give him his medicine and, one day, asked her about it.

"So Kalea… you and Fen seem to be getting along much better lately," she giggled.

Kalea jerked her head up from talking to him.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about Mira," she stuttered.

"Ohhhh I think you do," she winked.

Kalea quickly got up from where she was sitting next to Fenris.

"I-I have to go help with the building." She walked out of the tent.

"Mira, why'd you have to go and say that. She was just talking to me about something important," said Fenris.

Mira giggled some more. "Oh I just was taking note of the change."

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After he was finally healed, Fenris started helping with the construction of the guild. He found it to be a good way to train himself physically. He didn't use any magic, only his own strength and stamina. Kalea was still treating him nicer than usual even after he was released from the tent. She didn't leave his side during construction, staying with him from morning until night. He liked this side of her. He liked it a lot actually…

And he wouldn't deny it, he was taking advantage of his injuries when it came to Kalea. Occasionally, he would "fall" over, holding his side. Or he would "struggle" to lift a piece of lumber. When Kalea would help him, he couldn't help but smile. She was having the strangest effect on him.

Although construction of the guild moved quickly, it still took months to complete. Fenris couldn't complete jobs while he was still recovering, so he spent most of his time helping out. And although Kalea hadn't been seriously injured during the fight with Phantom, she didn't take on any jobs. She stayed with Fenris every day.

"Are you okay with rent?" he asked her one morning.

She was lifting a door up to the second floor for Elfman to grab. As he took the door, she turned around with a questioning look.

"I'm fine Fenris. Don't worry about me," she said.

"But…I do worry about you. I just want to make sure you don't make any decisions that you'll regret," said Fenris.

"I…" She paused, not finishing her sentence. Not wanting to make things awkward, he quickly changed the subject.

"Well as long as you have enough money that's fine! Help me with this frame will you?"

The physical labor helped the days go by quickly for Fenris. However, the lack of jobs and repetitive days was making him stir crazy. Then one day, he finally had some entertainment. One morning, while he, Kalea, and Faelen were taking a break, Loke and Lucy strolled into the guild, looking happier than usual. When they told everyone what happened, people were shocked.

"You're a celestial spirit?!" asked Natsu.

Loke laughed. "Well, I guess it boils down to that."

Kalea walked up to him. "I never would've guessed Loke. You hid it well," she said.

Natsu jumped in between them and pointed accusingly at Loke. "Hold on a sec! Why aren't you a cow or a horse or anything?!" he bellowed.

"I mean, neither is Virgo. You know her. She looks just like a regular girl, right?" Loke responded.

"Nope! She can also look like a huge gorilla!" exclaimed Natsu.

"Haha! Now that you mention it, I guess you're right!" said Loke.

Lucy interjected. "Loke is from the Lion Palace."

"Lion?!" bellowed Natsu.

Happy waddled towards them, jumping onto Faelen's back and settling down. Faelen licked his cheek.

"Lion…isn't that like a grown-up cat?" he asked.

"Exactly!" said Loke.

"Exactly wrong!" shouted Lucy.

"Come to think of it, you still look exactly the same," said Gray.

Loke merely smiled and shrugged. "It can't be helped. Lucy is my owner now, and I'm at her bidding. I have to be Lucy's knight in shining armor, appearing to rescue her whenever she's in danger."

He jumped up and took Lucy in his arms, much to her protest.

"And thus! We head off to discuss our future in depth," he said, running off with Lucy.

"Hey! Put me down!" she yelled at him.

Natsu came over and sat down next to Fenris. "Must be nice huh? I want a celestial spirit of my own!"

He looked over at Faelen.

"Is Faelen a spirit?" he asked.

Fenris sweat dropped.

"Of course not idiot. He's just a…giant wolf," said Fenris.

Happy pawed at Faelen's back.

"What kind of spirit would you want Natsu?" Happy asked.

He grinned. An evil grin. "A dragon! What else?! Here I am, knowing everything a guy needs to know about how to be a dragon slayer! But what's the point if I don't have a dragon to fight with?"

"Celestial wizards don't use their spirits as punching bags or sparring partners!" Lucy said, walking back to them when Loke eventually put her down.

"Absolutely true! Celestial spirits are meant for love!" said Loke.

Lucy grimaced. "You can go home now."

"Wait just one minute!" said Loke, rummaging around in his pockets. He pulled out a handful of what looked like tickets.

"Here!" he said gleefully.

He handed them to Lucy, who asked, "What are these?"

"I can't spend long amounts of time in the human world anymore," said Loke, putting his hands back into his pockets. "These are tickets to a resort hotel I intended to go with my girlfriends, but now… Since I feel that I owe everyone, they're yours. Go and have fun!"

Lucy squealed, jumping up and down before shouting, "At the seaside!"

She handed tickets to Gray and Natsu, then paused, frowning. "Oh…there aren't enough tickets for everyone."

Loke shrugged. "Those were all I had unfortunately. I gave one to Erza already. So have fun everyone!" He disappeared with a pop.

Lucy looked at Kalea and frowned. "Do you guys want to go instead of us?"

Kalea shook her head and smiled. "No! Loke gave you the tickets! You guys go. Really, it's fine."

Fenris shook his head with a wry smile. "I'm still injured anyway. I probably wouldn't be able to enjoy it."

Still looking doubtful, Lucy hesitated. "Are you sure…?"

"We are. Don't worry Lucy, go have fun," said Kalea.

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Three weeks after Team Natsu left for their trip, Fenris was on his way to the guild to help with construction. When he got there, everything seemed normal. He started helping out when he realized something; Kalea wasn't there. He started looking around for her but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Cana, have you seen Kalea this morning?" he asked.

"Hmm? Nope. Now that you mention it she hasn't been around at all today. But I mean, if anyone would see her first it'd be you but since you haven't I'm guessing that means she isn't here today," said Cana.

"Why would I… whatever. Okay thanks. I'm gonna go see if she's alright then. It's not like her to skip out helping with construction," said Fenris.

He and Faelen left to go visit her at her apartment. But she wasn't home. So they went out to town to try and find her. He searched all day but couldn't find Kalea anywhere.

He was a little worried about her but he figured if she didn't show up tomorrow at the guild then he'd start worrying for real. The following day, he arrived at the guild and she was nowhere to be found. So, he and Faelen set out again to search for her. They searched high and low but they kept coming up short. It was late afternoon when Fenris decided to check the park. He had checked the entire park yesterday but she wasn't there. As they got further in, past the tree she usually sat at, Faelen's ears perked up.

He ran over to a nearby playground, Fenris running after him. On a bench, her knees pulled up to her chest, was Kalea. And she was crying again. Seeing her sitting there, crying her eyes out, pulled on Fenris' heart. Although he had seen her in this state before, there was something different watching her now. He didn't want to sit on the sidelines anymore and watch her go through whatever she was going through.

Slowly, he walked up to where she was sitting, Faelen creeping along after him. Hesitantly, he sat down on the other side of the bench, not knowing how he should get her attention. Kalea continued crying, seemingly unaware of his presence. Fenris remembered Mira's words the first day Lucy came to the guild.

Mages of Fairy Tail are all… carrying something.

"Fenris…please go away. I'm really not in the mood to talk right now," she suddenly spoke. Caught off guard, Fenris turned his head and saw her watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"Well that's alright," he said, trying to be casual. "We don't have to talk. I don't feel like talking anyway. I just wanna rest."

He laid his head back and closed his eyes. A few moments later he heard her sniff. Opening one eye, he saw she was looking up at him, her eyes full of tears. As he looked into her eyes, he felt his heart swell. He couldn't take it. He absolutely hated seeing her like this. Out of all the people in the guild, even if he would never admit it, he cared about her the most.

He needed to know why she was acting like this. He needed to understand where her tears were coming from. But it didn't seem like she was going to ever open up to him in that way. So, he made a decision. Maybe if he told her something, she might be willing to share her story.

Fenris had yet to reveal his past to anyone besides the Master because he didn't want any sympathy. He didn't want people feeling sorry for him and begin to treat him differently. He was who he was because of his past. He wasn't going to allow it to take control. But he knew he shouldn't keep it a secret forever. Everyone in the guild was his friend, his family, and they deserved the truth. He decided it was time to reveal it. To Kalea. As he made his decision, he realized he wanted her to know. He wasn't sure why but it just felt right telling her.

"Kalea. I want to tell you something. It's about… why I came to Fairy Tail. It's kind of a long story though. Would you be willing to sit here a while?" he asked.

She looked up at him, eyes still full of tears, and nodded.

She's so… beautiful… he thought. Why was he thinking that right now? He shook his head, focusing on what he was about to do. Then he took a deep breath, and began his story. It took him hours. Not only did he tell her what happened, but he told her everything he was feeling throughout it. He told her every little detail about his life, even before the attack. It all spilled out of him with such ease.

By the time he was finished it was dark. The park was lit by Lacrima lights so they could still see but the stars were out and the moon was shining down on the river. Kalea was silent throughout his entire story. When he finally finished, his mouth felt dry. Fenris didn't think he had ever talked for so long. Kalea was still silent, even after his story, which worried him. Was that too much? Did he go too far in revealing so much about himself?

Before he could say anything else, she suddenly threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. He was shocked at first. He hadn't expected this reaction. But then, after a moment's hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, rocking back and forth. After a few minutes, she lifted herself from him.

"Fe-Fenris… I'm sorry. I-I didn't know… I-I fe-feel so… s-stupid," she cried out.

He smiled at her. "You aren't stupid. Kalea you're the complete opposite of stupid actually. There's no reason to feel bad. It's in the past," said Fenris.

"But you shouldn't have had to go through that!" she shouted. "You of all people didn't deserve that!"

He looked at her, surprised by both her words and her sudden aggression. He didn't know what she meant.

Then she looked down and muttered, "I'm sorry… I know I'm being a huge crybaby right now. I'm really sorry about what happened to your family and friends. I wish it hadn't… you could've lived a happy life and…" she stopped.

"I am happy though," he reassured her. "I got to come to Fairy Tail. I've met a lot of great people. I've met you…" he trailed off, not sure where he was going.

She jerked her head towards him. Those eyes… she was killing him with those eyes.

She touched his face with one hand. He froze. Her touch was… electric. Her hand was so soft. They sat like that for a minute before she took her hand away and sat up straighter.

"I'd really like if you didn't tell anyone what I'm about to say. Nobody else knows about it, including Master," she said. Fenris nodded, not sure what she was about to say.

She took a deep breath… and began.

Author's note:

And there we have it! Fenris has finally revealed his past to someone else. Not only this, but he's finally getting Kalea to open herself up a little more. Now, the next few chapters we are going back in time to reveal Kalea's past. I'll warn you now, these next few chapters are much more serious than what you've seen up until now and there are some scenes that are a little more M rated rather than T rated. I'll put this warning on the next couple of chapters too but I just wanted to let everyone know now. See you next time!