Juvia hadn't been sure what to expect once they arrived back in Magnolia, but what came certainly did catch her by surprise. When they left the train station, Gray held her hand and walked her home to Fairy Hills. Before they parted, he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers, giving her a chaste but sweet kiss. Once she was inside several of the girls rushed to her with questions. She was blushing a bright shade of crimson by the end of the QA session. Evergreen was especially detailed in her inquiries. Juvia hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of curiosity the moment she got home. Though, when she thought about it, how could she have expected anything but such a reception?

Once she was settled in her room, she called Gray on her communication lacrima and they agreed to meet at the guildhall for dinner. On her way to the guildhall she ran into Lucy. They greeted each other with enthusiasm and walked together the rest of the way.

"So how are things going with you and Gray?" she asked with a curious grin.

"Oh, well...honestly? It's wonderful!" Juvia admitted, her cheeks flushing again.

"That's so awesome Juvia! I'm super happy for you guys!" Lucy said.

"Thank you Lucy, sincerely. I'm so happy I could burst!" Juvia gushed, clasping her hands together and holding them to her chest.

"I totally get it!" Lucy said with a laugh. "That's how I felt when Natsu and I finally got together."

"Are things going well between you two?" Juvia asked, curious.

"Yup! We're great! I mean, we do argue a lot," Lucy said thoughtfully. "But overall things are awesome!"

The two young mages continued their conversation on the way to the guildhall, when they finally arrived, they were greeted by Levy at the door.

"Hey guys! How's it going?" Levy said, standing between them and the door.

"Hey Lev! What's up?" Lucy said, greeting their friend.

"Oh just thinking about going for a little walk, get some fresh air!" Levy said, forcing a smile. There was a funny edge to her voice that Juvia couldn't quite figure out. What was the solid script mage up to? "You guys should come with me!"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Lucy said enthusiastically, clapping her hands.

"But I'm supposed to meet Gray-sa- I mean Gray darling here for dinner. You two enjoy your walk," Juvia said, shaking her head as she reached for the door handle. Levy jumped in front of her, pinning her small body against the doorframe.

"No! I mean...wait! You can't go in...yet," Levy stammered, scrambling for words.

Juvia tilted her head to one side, confused by her actions. "Levy-chan why are you acting so strange? Why can't I go inside?"

Lucy and Levy glanced at one another and then looked back to Juvia.

"There's a very good reason, so please trust us on this, okay?" Lucy said, smiling warmly and laying a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Juvia sighed and then shrugged. "Alright then, let's go for that walk," she said, chuckling a little.

"Great! Let's go!" Levy cheered, pulling Juvia away from the guildhall.

The three friends set off for a walk down the main road of town. There were several little shops along the way, and they took their time browsing and shopping. Juvia ended up buying a new dress, and decided to wear it out of the store. As she changed in the dressing room, she thought about the last couple hours. Given the way her friends were acting, there was a very distinct reason why they were keeping her out of the guildhall, and quite obviously, it was meant to be some sort of surprise. She wasn't sure what could be going on, and she wondered if Gray knew anything about it. When she stepped out of the dressing room, her friends called out and whistled. She blushed again, and turned to look in a nearby full length mirror.

It was a deep indigo blue and fell just below her knees, the hem brushing the top of her calf. It had a ruffled front, and the skirt flowed against her body. It was her typical sort of outfit, but for some reason she was drawn to this particular dress. The boots she had been wearing didn't go with the outfit at all, so she had slipped on a pair of black ballet flats, and put a flower in her hair. Yes, it looked quite nice. She hoped Gray thought so too.

Twenty minutes later, the girls were back on the street, browsing a produce market. Lucy and Levy got into an oddly detailed, lengthy discussion with the merchant over different varieties of berries. Lucy seemed especially interested, asking all sorts of questions. Juvia was puzzled by her sudden interest in agriculture and different types of produce. From what Juvia knew, Lucy had no background in such an area. This was a very strange day indeed.

They found themselves at a little cafe halfway across town, sipping ice tea while making small talk. Nearly two hours had passed while they were on their "walk" when Lucy's communicator started jangling noisily. She looked to see who was calling and then hurried to answer.

"Mira? ... Yeah, we're still out. ...You are? Great! We'll be right over!" Lucy said excitedly, grinning at her friends as she hung up.

"Looks like things are all ready!" she said, clapping her hands together.

"Awesome! Let's head back!" Levy cheered, letting out a whoop.

Juvia eyed them both skeptically. "What on Earthland are you all up to?"

"You'll see! Let's get back to the guild!" Lucy said with a wink, getting up from her seat.

Levy quickly followed suit, pulling Juvia by the hand."Yeah! Let's go!"

Juvia couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay! I'm coming! I think you two are more excited than I am, and that's saying something!"

It was a surprisingly short trip back to the guildhall, the three young women chattering excitedly as they walked. As they drew near their destination, Juvia began to feel a bit nervous. Her shoulders tensed and butterflies flapped frantically in her stomach. She had been so distracted by her friends' bizarre behavior, that she hadn't even taken a moment to consider what could be waiting for her at the guild. Whatever it was, it must be something important, for them to make such a fuss over the whole thing.

"Here we are!" Lucy said as they reached the front doors of the Fairy Tail guildhall. She and Levy each pulled a door open and proceeded to usher Juvia in front of them with their free hands. She oofed softly as she tripped up a little, stumbling into total darkness. She managed to gain her balance as the lights suddenly flooded the room and a loud cheer came from the crowd inside.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUVIA!" was shouted by a chorus of voices, and Juvia gasped audibly at the sight before her.

The room was decorated to the nines with streamers and balloons in every shade of blue. There was a huge banner with the birthday greeting written across it, her name in sparkling aqua blue letters. That must have been Levy's handywork. And there in the middle of the crowd, beaming proudly at her, was her darling Gray. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she took in the whole scene, feeling a touch overwhelmed by the adoration and gratitude she felt toward the whole lot of them. And no doubt, Gray was behind all of this. Other than Gajeel and Master Makarov, no one really had ever known her birthday, as it had never been a happy occasion for her. Since the death of her parents, it had always been a bleak and lonely day for her. She had once confessed to Gray that she hoped to someday have a nice birthday that she celebrated with friends. The memories of birthday parties that no one attended haunted much of her youth, so she didn't speak of the subject often. That had been during their six months living together during Fairy Tail's disbandment.

Gray stepped forward and took her into his arms. "Happy Birthday, Juves," he whispered into her ear as he hugged her tight. She returned the embrace, burying her face against his chest.

"Oh Gray, thank you! Thank you so much!" she cried, tears flowing freely now. After several moments of embracing, they pulled apart slightly, and she turned to the rest of the guild. "Thank you all! This means the world to me!"

Everyone cheered loudly, and she blushed. Just then, the lights dimmed a bit, and the raucous cheers quieted to a gentle murmur. Juvia looked around, slightly confused, but as she looked up, she saw a soft glow coming from within the crowd. Everyone had parted and Gajeel and Natsu were carrying a platter with a giant multi-tiered cake atop it. It was decorated with a beautiful blue water pattern across a brilliant white and the edges were lined with tiny silver pearls. The top layer had several candles lit, and as they approached, Gray pulled out a stool for Juvia to climb onto. With the extra boost, she was able to reach the uppermost layer of the cake in order to blow out the candles. Taking a deep breath, she blew with just enough force, her eyes squinted shut as she wished with all of her heart. Seconds later another cheer arose, followed by whoops and calls and laughter. Juvia smiled brilliantly as the cake knife was offered to her in order to make the first cut.

After that the festivities were well under way, everyone taking the opportunity to eat and drink to their hearts' content. Juvia loved seeing everyone have a good time, and it only made her birthday celebration all the more special. Every moment was precious and wonderful. There was a small band composed to guild members playing live music, and others had taken to the dance floor. It was when Mirajane took the mic that Gray took Juvia's hand.

"May I have this dance, Miss Lockser?" he asked slyly, grinning at her.

"Why Mr. Fullbuster, how bold of you to ask!" she said with a giggle, her cheeks flushed. "But yes, that would be delightful!"

Gray chuckled and shook his head, leading her by the hand to the dancefloor. Slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. The loosely looped her arms around his neck and settled her body against his slightly. They swayed slowly to the music, easily finding their rhythm.

"I like your dress, by the way," he said softly in her ear. "My favorite color."

"Thank you darling, I'm glad to like it," she said, blushing a little. "I knew you liked blue, but not this particular shade."

"Well of course it's my favorite. It matches your eyes. That's my favorite shade of blue," he said simply, giving a little shrug. She couldn't help but blush again. He grinned at her and gave her a little squeeze. "Happy Birthday, Juves." He leaned in and met her lips with his own in a tender kiss.

They continued to dance to the soft music, Mirajane's angelic voice resonating. She glanced around the dance floor and noticed other couples swaying along. The entire guildhall had a pleasantly warm glow about it, everyone ruddy cheeked and jovial. They had all come together to celebrate her, and it meant so very very much to her. For the first time in a very long time, Juvia truly felt at home.

Several months passed and Gray formally courted Juvia. Though he wasn't really a traditional kind of guy, he knew that Juvia came from a more traditional background. He wanted to do everything he could to make her happy and give her all the love she deserved. For years now, she had faithfully stuck by his side, no matter what he said or did to discourage her. He was the first to admit that he wasn't very receptive at first, and dismissed her love as infatuation. He was the first guy to be nice to her, after years of being mistreated by men in her life. He showed the faintest degree of care for her, and she was a puddle at his feet. During the six months they had lived together, he learned a lot more about her past, and it was no wonder she had been so crazy over him. The fact that he was decent to her was equal to if he had treated her like a queen. She was used to being hurt and stepped on, and that broke his heart.

The fact of the matter had always been that he never quite understood her love for him because he didn't think he deserved that kind of love in the first place. And when her feelings for him didn't wane, when she stood by his side and protected him, protected their guild, she more than proved herself as a member of Fairy Tail. She loved so purely, so intently, that it had frightened him a little. He wasn't sure how to take someone loving him in a way he had rarely known. She loved him despite his flaws, despite his scars. She loved him with her entire self and it damn near made him cry when he thought about how wonderful it felt to be loved by such a woman. For the first time since Ur, he was able to love someone back without fear of rejection or hesitations. She was his equal in every way, and he was beyond happy to have her in his life, let alone as his girlfriend. That was why he wanted to make it official and legal like.

He had already decided when he would ask her. Today was the day that Juvia moved into Gray's apartment, and they would finally be living together again. He would have ample opportunity to ask her in a way that really spoke volumes about how he felt about her. Neither of them were all that big on frills and fancy stuff, and he knew that the more intimate the event, the better. She would have time to celebrate with her friends, and they would share the news with everyone the next day. For tonight, he just wanted it to be them. But before he could propose, he had to clear things with Gramps. He might be of legal age, but he still respected Gramps as a foster father figure. The only other person that knew was ol' flamebrain of all people. It had been because of Natsu's help that he would be able to pull this off.

A few weeks prior, Gray had been spotted trying to slip into a jewelry store unnoticed. The fire mage had taken it upon himself to follow, and wasn't very good at hiding his presence in the store. Juvia was off working a job at 8 Island for Yajima along with Lucy, Levy, and a couple of the other girls. He knew she would be in Hargeon until late that night, so he had time to shop around. He had gone to the other side of town, near the ritzy section of Magnolia. He didn't expect to see anyone from the guild over there, and figured it was a safe bet. He didn't really care if the ring cost a lot. Just as long as it was perfect for her. He would get it custom made if he had to. Once he was in the store and the clerk started asking him questions, he realized he had no clue what size ring she wore or what her preferred jewel cut was. He was about to leave the store when a loud crash came from behind him followed by a string of familiar curses.

"What the hell are you doing Natsu?" he asked impatiently when he turned to find the sheepish dragonslayer.

"Following you, jerk. What're you doing in this fancypants place?" Natsu asked, looking at him curiously.

"Shopping around for something for Juvia, idiot! Why are you following me anyway?" Gray demanded.

"Eh, I was bored. Happy went on that job with Lucy and the other girls. She told me I had to stay home cuz last time I set ol' Yajima's place on fire," he said with a dismissive shrug.

"Why are you on this side of town?" Gray asked, still not satisfied with his answer. With his luck, the girls were making flame boy here trail him, and he didn't want anyone ruining the surprise.

"I was doing a delivery job for some old lady. She needed something heavy hauled across town, and I gave her a quote half the price of the guy with the carriage," he said with a shrug.

Hm. Seemed plausible. And honestly, he knew that Natsu was a shitty liar. It had gotten them in trouble many times as kids.

Gray sighed. "Alright, yeah. Makes sense. Anyway, I'm gonna get out of here. Wanna grab some food?"

"Hell yeah! I'm always down for food. Wait, who's paying?"

"Don't worry, dumbass. I got the bill this time."

"Hell yeah! I'm all fired up now!"

They ate lunch at a nearby brewery that had an ample buffet. It came with a bit of a hefty price tag, but the food and drink were unlimited. They enjoyed a hearty lunch and watched a bit of team dodgeball on the Sports Network lacrima vision. As they were finishing their last round of wings, Natsu looked at Gray.

"So you gonna ask her?"

Gray coughed as he choked on his mead. "Shit...How'd you know?"

"Cuz I've been thinking about it, too."

Gray narrowed his eyes and looked at him skeptically. "Wait, are we talking about the same thing. You've been thinking about what?"

"Asking Lucy to marry me."

Gray gaped at his friend, baffled. It was a surprise to most that Natsu had even gotten around to asking Lucy out, let alone proposing. Natsu had matured by leaps in bounds in the last few years, and Lucy had a lot to do with that. But no one figured him ready for marriage of all things. Gray pretty much figured that he would be married for years before Natsu would ever get around to it.

"Are you serious? You can barely take care of yourself! What makes you think you can handle a wife and a family?!" Gray blurted, gaping at his fire-eating friend.

Natsu smirked. "More ready than you think. But anyway, I've just been thinking about the future and stuff. After I saw you in that jewelry store, I figured you must have been thinking the same."

Gray shook his head. "That's amazingly perceptive, considering it's you we're talking about. Logical conclusions usually aren't your thing, so yeah I'm a little surprised."

"I think about more than food, you know," Natsu defended.

"Right. The way you wolfed down that food totally has me convinced," Gray said with a smirk.

"Eh, whatever. Damn, that was a good lunch," Natsu countered, patting his full stomach. "Let's get out of here."

They paid the tab and made their way out of the eatery. The walked along in a companionable silence, leaving Gray to think about how he was going to find out everything he needed to know. Several minutes passed as they traveled along, and he was no closer to any sort of solution.

"So what are you gonna do?" Natsu asked suddenly.

Gray frowned and shrugged. "I don't know yet. I need to find out what she likes, what size rings she wears, a bunch of stuff."

Natsu considered for a moment. "I think I know how!"

Gray grimaced. "I don't have time for one of your half-baked plans."

"Don't you even want to hear what it is?" he asked excitedly.

Gray rolled his eyes. "I really don't care."

"Lucy!"

"And how is your girlfriend the answer to my problems?"

"She hangs out with Juvia, she's bound to know about that kinda stuff!"

Gray thought for a moment. "You know, you might be onto something, flamebrain!"

They spent the next few hours at Gray's apartment, making plans while knocking back a few beers. For the first time since they were kids, Gray really felt like he and Natsu were friends. They had always been family, no question, but up to that point, they had never really been buddies. It was always a competition between them, whether it was about who was the strongest and fastest or who could eat the most pizza in one sitting. They were always butting heads and fighting, often scolded by Erza. But at the end of the day, they were brothers, and now, best friends.

Gray stood in the kitchen, holding an empty box in his hands. He had lost track of time, distracted by thinking about all of his plans. After they moved in Juvia's stuff, he would take her to dinner, and they would have an awesome night on the town. He would wine and dine her with all the finery that Magnolia had to offer. While it might not seem like much to outsiders, it would mean a lot for them. They spent months saving their jewels to make the necessary upgrades to his apartment so that it would be fit for two people to live in. Gray didn't want Juvia moving into the dive it was before, but his landlord was an old man that had long since seen his prime. Old Man Upton was a kind soul though. He said that if they made the upgrades themselves and satisfied the zoning laws, that he wouldn't charge them any additional rent when Juvia moved in. That and they had the option of switching to a rent-to-own status with their monthly payments. Now the time for them to make their cohabitation official had finally arrived.

Gray set the empty box down on the countertop and reached to open a cabinet. He began pulling miscellaneous dishes from the cupboard. His secondhand set was chipped and mismatched. Juvia had a nice set they were going to use from now on. He had no problem using her stuff. She had great taste in housewares, and gravitated toward a simple style with splashes of color. He was fine with whatever she liked. What mattered to him was having her there. Soon little bits of her life would be strewn across the apartment, painting a picture of their life together. He could see a little basket with colorful balls of yarn with a pair of her knitting needles, and a stack of books that she planned to read, smiling at the thought. He busied himself for the next hour, taking things out of all the cabinets. He quickly filled a single box with most of what kitchenware he owned, save a few coffee mugs and beer steins.

"Gray darling? Could you come help me in here for a moment?" Juvia called.

Gray quickly put down what he was doing and made his way to the master bedroom. When he entered he found Juvia holding up two different pillow shams, eyeing them critically.

"Darling, which do you think would look best on our shared bed?" she asked, looking at him hopefully. He frowned slightly, not sure why it mattered. Though it didn't make much difference to him, he could tell that it mattered to her. He lifted a hand and pointed to the light blue sham with the delicate floral pattern. "Thank you darling!" She went back to sorting out the bed linens, humming happily all the while. Gray smirked and shook his head.

The rest of the day went much the same, and nightfall quickly came. After his shower, Gray returned to their bedroom and found Juvia quietly dozing amongst the mass of pillows on the bed top. Clearly the day had tired her out, and he felt bad for waking her moments later.

"Hey babe, you still wanna shower?" he murmured in her ear, stroking her cheek.

She stirred briefly, but continued sleeping. Clearly, their plans for the evening were quickly changing. Sighing a little, Gray smiled and leaned to kiss Juvia's cheek. He made quick work of removing her shoes and covered her with a throw blanket. All of his grand plans would have to be put on hold because for now, he would let her sleep.

A short while later, Gray settled down in front of the lacrima screen and watched the last half of a sports match while he sipped a bottled brew. An hour or more passed and he found himself zoned out and bored. Watching lacrima vision wasn't typically how he spent his time, but it helped pass the time at least.

"Gray?"

He said up straight, somewhat startled. He stood and whipped around. Standing in the living room doorway was a sleepy-eyed Juvia. She squinted at the light from the lacrima vision set, and looked to him, concerned.

"Juves, you're up!" he said quickly, setting down the remote and then crossing the room to meet her. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"How long was I asleep? What about our reservation?"

"Just a couple hours. You didn't wake up when I came back from my shower, and it seemed like maybe you needed the rest," he said with a smile. "And don't worry. I gave up our sport tonight to someone else and made arrangements for next week. Would have been sooner, but they were all booked up."

Juvia nodded, frowning a bit. "Oh I see. Well that's okay then. I suppose I am a bit worn out," she admitted.

"How about this? I'll draw you a bath, and then order us some takeout? You can soak while I run to get the food?" Gray suggested.

"Oh darling, are you sure?" Juvia asked, looking hopeful.

He grinned at her. "You got it, babe."

Soon Juvia was in the midst of a lavender infused bath, and Gray on his way to grab them dinner. As he walked he thought about the way things had gone over the course of the day. Though his original plans had been put on the back burner, he was still getting to spend the evening with his favorite person in the world. They would still have a nice meal and maybe take in a flick on the tube. No matter what they were doing, as long as they were together, he was happy. It then dawned on him that he didn't really need all the pomp and circumstance to make his proposal special. All that mattered was that he showed her how he felt, and what she meant to him. While he thought she certainly was worth all the trouble, it wasn't really their style. Why wait? He was ready to ask her now! Mind made up, Gray double timed his pace as he made his way home.

A short while later he had returned to their apartment, and Juvia was just finishing her bath. He rushed about the apartment to light a few candles and pulled out some wine. He lit Juvia's favorite incense and turned off the tube. Several moments passed before he heard her calling to him from the bedroom. As her voice drew nearer, Gray readied himself, down on one knee, facing the doorway.

Juvia called out to Gray again. "Darling, are you in here?" she asked as she entered the living room. She noticed that it was rather dim, and it smelled of her favorite flowers. Her eyes traveled downward and fell on Gray, who was kneeling on one knee and smiling at her. He was holding something in his hand, a little blue box. "Gray?"

"Juvia, you make me happy. Happier than I've ever been. For a long time I didn't understand or appreciate you. I didn't know how to accept the love you showered me with. But then I almost lost you, and I never want that to happen again. I want to have the honor of walking by your side for good," he said, cracking open the little box. "Will you marry me, Juves?"

Juvia stood, dumbfounded, for several moments, blinking repeatedly. When it finally sank in, she gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "Oh my goodness! Gray darling! Yes! A million times yes!" She lowered herself onto her knees and threw her arms around him. Gray hugged her to him tightly as tears streamed down her face. After several moments, they pulled apart and Gray held up the box.

"Why don't we try this on for size?" Gray said with a grin and Juvia nodded with enthusiasm.

She held out her shaking hand, fingers spread slightly. Gray moved to slip the ring onto her finger. Not only did it fit, but it was perfect. The aquamarine stone was shaped like a water droplet, and in the middle was a tiny snowflake. It was exactly what she would have chosen.

"Oh darling, it's beautiful!" she gushed, holding her hand out to admire it. The light from the flickering candles played across the surface of the stone, making it shine. "Oh Gray, I'm so happy!" She threw her arms around him again, and he pulled her into his lap.

After a while they settled down to have their dinner and toast their engagement with some wine. It was quiet, but a lovely evening. The time for lively celebrations would come when they shared the news with their guildmates. However, for now, they would just enjoy one another's company and be together.

A few days later Juvia sat down to pen a letter to a long distance friend. She put her quill to paper and scrawled happily as she shared the news of recent events.

Dear Jasmine,Hello! How are you? I hope that this letter finds you well. I'm doing just fine. In fact, I'm wonderful! I have some amazing news to share with you! Gray proposed the other night...and I said yes! Oh I'm so happy!I want to take this time to personally invite you to the wedding! I hope you and your mother can make the trip! It would be lovely if Ms. Anais could come as well, but I'm not sure she would want to come all this way. I would be so happy to have ther! She's a part of the Fairy Tail family, too after all. Formal invitations won't go out for awhile yet, but I'll make sure you're all on the list!

Juvia continued on with her letter to Jasmine, regaling the girl with tales of recent jobs and other goings on within the guild. They had been penpals since they parted ways a year earlier. The girl expressed the desire to leave Montil and see the country. Juvia had asked her to promise that she would continue her studies first, and wait until she was of age. Jasmine had also expressed interest in seeing what Fairy Tail was all about, and working as a mage herself. The girl quickly became like a little sister to Juvia, and she was happy to provide any advice and help she could.

As soon as she was finished, she read the letter over once more to check for errors. Blowing on the surface lightly, she did a tentative touch test to make sure the ink was dry. Satisfied, she folded the sheet up neatly in threes, and slipped it into an addressed envelope. Juvia wanted to be sure to get the letter out in the morning mail, as it would go out on the first train heading west. Jasmine wouldn't receive it for several days yet, but Juvia did her best to be prompt about it. She placed the letter and a tin of fresh blueberry muffins into the outgoing box. The post-person would be there soon to pick it up.

Climbing the stairs back up the apartment, Juvia thought about how much her life had changed in the last year. Not only were she and Gray living together, but they were engaged! She was happier than she had ever been, and not just because she was with Gray. She felt she had grown as a person. The entire experience with the mystery in Montil had been a great period of growth for Juvia. She had gained her independence, stood her ground, and got the job done. Certainly Gray had helped. His help had been invaluable. But for the first time in her life, Juvia had set out on her own to accomplish something, and finished what she had started. Not only was it liberating, but it left her stronger and more confident. Not to mention it had sent quite the wake up call to Gray, and resulted in them finally coming together.

Yes, life was quite perfect these days. Juvia knew that, no matter what the challenge, if she and Gray faced it together, that they could accomplish anything. Their love knew no bounds, and nothing could stop them now. Together they would move forward and embrace the future.