Later that evening it had begun to snow outside which worried Erza because she feared it would lead to a blizzard which might trap their daughter somewhere but Jellal assured his wife that Wendy would be safe wherever she was.

"Maybe we should call Mystogan just to be sure." She said.

"No. Mystogan has everything under control. Between the two of us he was always the responsible one." Jellal said. "Right now you just need to focus on relaxing. I've already run a hot bath for you and when you're done I want you to come downstairs to the old ballroom for a special surprise I have planned."

"A hot bath and a surprise?" Erza said with an intrigued smile. "Trying to spoil me are you?"

"Maybe." He grinned before kissing her cheek and leaving the bedroom.

Erza wondered what surprise her husband was planning. It couldn't be a surprise outing to a fancy dinner or a club, not with it snowing like this. But then again she knew better than to underestimate how romantic he could be even when given little to work with. She remembered back when they were teenagers and he worked as an assistant for a child photographer at the mall, it didn't pay much but he kept the job because he wanted to buy a new car and he obviously couldn't use his college fund to pay the expenses. Lots of their classmates made fun of him for his job or how cheap he was and those who didn't were just some girls who found him attractive and wanted to steal him from her.

When she got pregnant and told him he was just stunned. He went all quiet and left without saying anything which scared her. Adding fuel to her fear was when they didn't see each other for quite some time and hearing her classmates whispering insults like slut, tramp, fat cow, or things like:

"She's going to ruin Jellal's life."

"Do you think he'll dump her?"

"Duh! He hasn't spoken to her in a week."

"She doesn't deserve him anyway."

"If I were his girlfriend I wouldn't be stupid enough to get pregnant."

She was in tears. She could take the insults but she couldn't take the idea of Jellal abandoning her like this. Especially considering how her mother would react once she found out. Since puberty her mother had been strictly telling her countless times not to even think about getting into bed with a boy because it could lead to an unplanned pregnancy which according to her mother would ruin Erza's life because she'd be alone and no one would help her, support her, care for her, or see her as anything but a slut. As expected Erza never believed that she would get herself pregnant on accident or that man she loved would ditch her for it but low and behold she did get pregnant on accident and it looked like Jellal was going to ditch her.

But after that rough week Jellal called her one night. After apologizing for about fifty times he asked her to meet him in his old tree house where they used to play together as children. He had a surprise planned. She went in the tree house and inside he had a candlelit picnic all prepared for her complete with her favorite food strawberry cake. They had just finished dessert when he surprised her with something else. A pair of baby booties with an engagement ring attached to the laces, paid for with the money he had saved for a new car. He asked her to marry him right then and there, she said yes, and never once did she regret her decision.

When she finished soaking in her bath she went downstairs and walked into the old ballroom where she found plenty of lit candles, a blanket laid out in the center of floor, with a picnic basket, and her husband sitting right next to it.

"Jellal." She said with an awed smile. "We haven't had a picnic like this since the night you proposed."

"Sorry it's not held outside." He said.

"Nonsense it's perfect."

"I also have your favorite." He said holding up a plate with a slice of strawberry cake.

"Dear you know I'm dieting."

"Yes but you can have a cheat day right?"

She giggled and sat down next to him while he poured them glasses of wine. From outside the window of the room, Gray watched them. He had heard Jellal mention that he was hoping to seduce his wife tonight and he was curious to see how he would do it. Now he wasn't perverted like Natsu, in fact he planned to amscre once the two started to get intimate but over the last century he had watched couples change their approach to love and intimacy. At first it was more dignified and respectful yet charming and meaningful but come the 1920's, they just lost all class. Men and women just went at it with no emotion, no lead up, no courting, some just met and they went straight to it. Not that he ever watched anyone do it, again he just watched the lead up to it.

He also wanted to see what a married couple who still loved each other looked like. There was no number for how many times he had seen married couples just act horrible to each other. Now fighting was normal in a marriage of course but what he saw went beyond that of regular bickering. Words and insults being said to one another that he couldn't believe anyone would ever say to their spouse. Outright bullying and putting each other down, like they were sworn enemies. But the worst was when they got physical. He had witnessed men and women both smack or hit their husband or wife. He couldn't recall seeing anything so awful.

"So that's what a happily married couple looks like?" He said pleased to see that at least Wendy's parents still loved each other so much.

The sound of a soft laugh made him look away from the window and glance over to the yard. The source of the soft laughter was Juvia standing in the middle of the yard. Her arms were open to embrace the falling snowflakes and she was smiling deeply with her eyes closed. She began to dance though it was shy at first but eventually she became more free with it under the assumption that no one was watching her. But someone was watching her.

Gray was watching her every move with undivided attention. He watched the snow fall delicately on to her: adorning her hair, her face, and her arms as she moved to catch them with each step she took. In that moment she didn't look like a ghoul or a corpse, nothing about her appeared to be dead. She looked just like an angel who's suffering had finally been healed by God and now she was ready to ascend to heaven. For some reason the thought of that made him both happy and sad. If she were to to leave this world and move on to heaven in this moment he would be happy that she had finally found eternal peace but at the same time it would make him sad because he wouldn't be with her.

"Wait what?!" He cried when he realized his thoughts on that last part.

She had heard him and she stopped, feeling very embarrassed. She turned to look behind her where she spotted Gray observing her.

"How...How long have you been standing there?" She asked.

"Long enough I guess." He said. "I didn't mean to spy. Honest. I just looked over and-"

"No, no, no it's alright." She said. "If I didn't want anyone to see me I shouldn't have been outside. Then again no one alive can see me but I forgot about you."

"If I may ask what are you doing out here?"

"I was out here because of the snow." She answered. "You see I remember the snow. When I was alive I loved snow so much and I would dance in it for as long as I could because I knew I could only see it for a short time."

"I can understand why you like it. It's very pretty."

"I know. So what are you doing out here?"

"I was watching Wendy's parents. I wanted to see how they went about...Wooing each other? Let's call it that."

"Oh...Mind if I watch with you?"

"I don't see why not."

They both went back to the window and watched Jellal and Erza as they drank, dined, and laughed. Then when their meal was finished Jellal put on some music and invited his wife to dance with him. The music being played was a nonverbal song by piano which really matched the decor of the house and the whole time the couple danced they gazed at each other with pure love and adoration.

"They look so happy." Juvia observed. "I can't remember the last time I ever danced with someone like that or if I ever did."

"Would you like a reminder?" Gray asked before honoring her with a bow.

She smiled and answered his offer with curtsy. He moved his left hand to meet with her right hand. Her left hand went up to grasp his shoulder and his right hand went down to support her waist. They could hear the music from outside and when the rhythm picked up the two started to waltz, mimicking Jellal and Erza's steps. At first it was nothing more than harmless fun. Just two friends dancing and smiling playfully at each other but as their movements became more in sync with each other something changed.

Playfulness turned to romance and nostalgia. They held each other closer as they danced and their visions started going between seeing what was happening now and what was happening somewhere else. One moment they were alone outside dancing in the falling snow flakes and in another they were inside dancing in the ballroom under the chandelier lights surrounded by many other couples who were waltzing. Back and forth they kept going, unsure what was real and what wasn't. Then something touched.

What touched was their lips in a soft, chaste, yet loving kiss. Suddenly there was a flash and they were brought back to reality and moved away from each other.

"I..." He said. "I'm sorry...I...I didn't mean..."

She couldn't answer. She only put her fingers to her lips and shed a tear for a reason she did not know.