Gray took a deep breath as he stood alone underneath the tree where he had asked Juvia to meet him. This was it. He was finally going to do it. After avoiding it for Lord only knows how long, he was going to officially tell Juvia how he felt about her. There was no backing out. He was going to do it and nothing would change his mind not even his own insecurities.
"Hello my Darling." She greeted him with a smile. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Before I answer, we're alone right? Nobody followed you?"
"No."
"Good. I don't think I'd be able to do this if other people were watching."
"Is something wrong?"
"No. I just...I just have to tell you something."
"I'm all ears."
He tried to look her in the eye while doing this but he was so nervous that he could only look down at his feet. God what kind of man was he?
"It's like this...You...You and I...We've been through a lot together and I know you've always had a thing for me...Well no it's actually way more than a thing...I just...What I'm trying to say is that after all we've been through together and after what happened with our last battle I realize that I-"
But before he could get the words out he had looked up and saw that she was gone.
"Juvia?" He looked around for her but she was no where in sight. "Hey where did you go?"
No answer and without warning everything around him started to become very dark. Very dark and very cold. So cold that it actually felt painful against him which was weird because an ice mage of his level shouldn't be affected by the cold.
"What the hell is going on? Juvia! Juvia!"
She still did not answer his call but he did see someone in the distance. Thinking it was her, he quickly approached it in the darkness. But drawing closer to the person he realized that it wasn't her. It was another woman. Another woman who he had known so well. Another woman who had a place in his heart. But unlike Juvia this woman was dead. It was Ur.
"Ur?" He said not believing his eyes. "You're alive? What is this?"
"Do you love me Gray?" She asked.
"What?"
"Do you love me Gray?"
"I...I...I"
"Because it was your love that killed me."
"What?!"
Suddenly he saw ice rising from her legs and slowly enclosing her body.
"I loved you." She continued. "You returned my love. So I died to save you. Your love drove me to kill myself."
Her entire body turned to ice and right before his eyes she shattered into a million pieces.
"No..." Gray couldn't breathe. "No! No! Not again!"
"Did you love us son?"
He turned around when he heard another familiar voice and there stood his father.
"When you were born your mother and I loved you right away. In time you loved us in return. Because of that love, when Deliora attacked your mother and I shielded you from him rather than save ourselves so we died."
His body turned to ice too.
"Dad! Wait!" He reached for him but the frozen figure just shattered like the first one. "Oh God! This isn't happening! Is not happening!"
Next thing he knew he was getting flashbacks of the worst moments of his life. His parents throwing themselves on top of his younger self so that he would be spared from Deliora's killing blow that took their lives. Ur using ice shell to save him from that same monster even though it ended with her sacrificing herself. And finally Juvia forced to commit suicide when they were trapped in an ice lock followed by her using water make blood to revive him. When that memory faded she appeared in front of him again, all smiles and stares of love.
"Gray wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?" She asked. Already the ice was enclosing her but she didn't seem to notice.
"No!" He shouted desperately as his arms embraced her. Hoping that maybe his body heat could somehow stop the freezing. "No please! For the love of God! Don't!"
His efforts proved futile however and she went to pieces of ice in no time. He crumbled to his knees and gathered up the pieces into his hands. Horror furthered into him when the icy pieces melted instantly. The next thing he knew he heard the voices of his father and teacher say,
"We are dead because we loved you and you loved us. Everyone you have ever loved has always been willing to die for you. Her fate will be no different. She's already given her life for you once. What happens when she does it again but can't be brought back? Your love will destroy her just it destroyed us."
"No...No...NO!"
Gray awoke from his nightmare shouting in horror. If he had a roommate then they would have heard him, been awake in a second, and most likely calmed him down. But he was completely alone so it took him a little bit longer to come back to reality. He was sweating, breathing hard, and his heart rate had increased rapidly. The events of his dream were being replayed over and over again in his mind.
After all these years he was still traumatized by the horrible deaths of his loved ones. He thought that he would have gotten over them by now. After all both of the first two events had taken place eighteen to seventeen years ago. However Juvia's recently almost death must have reawakened the trauma.
"It's not true." He said as he tried to Will his brain to forget the dream immediately. "It wasn't like that! It wasn't like that at all! It wasn't! They didn't die because they loved me! That's not how it happened!"
Of course it wasn't true. Of course their deaths wasn't because they loved him and he reciprocated their love. But because of his nature to constantly feel insecure and guilt, he couldn't help but doubt himself. He couldn't help but wonder that maybe his nightmare had some merit.
...
The next morning Juvia was quickly hurrying over to visit Gajeel and Levy. The reason for her being in such a rush was because she had a surprise for them that she had been working on for a week and she just couldn't wait to give it to them. When she arrived at the little house where they lived together she didn't have time to knock because the door was already opened by Gajeel who was preparing to go out.
"Levy are you sure that you want golden strawberries?" He called back to Levy. "You know they only grow high up in the mountains and they're guarded by vulcans."
"If you need help then bring Lily with you. He's been there and he's taken down the vulcans before." She called back. "And while you're at it pick me up a caramade frank."
"Yes Dear." He groaned. "The things I do for love."
"Uh...Good morning Gajeel." Juvia greeted.
"Oh morning Juvia." He said.
"Levy getting cravings again?" She asked him.
"This time she wants those stupid strawberries Erza used for that cake she made for Asuka. They only grow at the top of a damn mountain that's infested with giant apes. Why do pregnant women have to be so unreasonable?"
"There, there Gajeel. Not much longer now."
"Yeah I'm not so sure about that." He said. "It's been ten freakin months and not one contraction. I'm starting to think that baby is never going to come out. I'll be stuck with a hormonal mad woman until I die!"
"What was that?!" Levy cried.
"Nothing! Nothing! I live to serve you my queen!"
Juvia held back a giggle.
"Come on Lily we have work to do!" Gajeel called for his cat and then turned to Juvia. "Sorry Juvia but I can't talk now. Duty calls. Lily! Hurry up!"
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" The cat said flying out the door. "I can't believe I have to go through this nonsense again."
"Don't complain. This is the only difficult thing you've had to do in a year."
The iron dragon slayer and his exceed them left on their mission, and as soon as they were out of sight Juvia released her giggle. She couldn't believe how much starting a life with Levy had changed Gajeel. Years ago if anyone had asked him to climb a mountain and face vulcans just to retrieve a strawberry he would have just told that person to shut up and maybe even punch them. But now...
"Gajeel are you still there?" Levy asked when she felt the wind coming from the door still being open.
"No Levy he's gone." Juvia answered. "It's me Juvia. May I come in? I have something for you."
"Sure."
She entered the house and closed the door. Then hurried into the other room to present her gift.