Juvia recovered rather quickly from her brief fever. In about a day or two she was back to her usual sweet self and continuing with her work which she no longer saw as strenuous. True to his word, Gray started treating Juvia much more kindly. He would greet her in the morning before she left to do her work, whenever he spoke to her his voice was always gentle, and at the end of the day when she returned to her room she find a new flower in a vase waiting for her. She was surprised by his change in behavior but at the same time felt very pleased because she had long suspected that he could be really sweet if he tried.

But he proved to not only be sweet but thoughtful as well. He found himself wanting her to be happy in the Labyrinth and to never let a frown disgrace her lovely features. One example would be during an afternoon when he spotted her in her room looking very melancholic.

She had pulled out a notebook from her backpack and had started writing in it when she turned to a page where the bullies from her world had written a nasty messages while her back was turned in class.

'Freak'

'Ugly'

'Pathetic'

'Mental case.'

'I knew you weren't really Natsu's sister. How could someone as gorgeous as him be related to someone who looks like you?'

'His parents made a mistake adopting you.'

'They should give you back.'

'Hey loser I bet your real dad wrecked his car on purpose as a suicide act because neither he or your mother could live with the fact that they had such a retarded daughter.'

Juvia had meant to erase them that day but she had cried so hard upon arriving home that she had forgotten all about it. But now she had just been reminded of just how much she was hated back home.

"May I come in?" She heard Gray ask and turned to see him standing in her doorway.

"Oh! Yes of course." She quickly composed herself. "Do you need something?"

"No but are you feeling alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"No you're not. I can see it in your face."

"My face?"

"The way it gets all soft and meek like that. Only happens when you're sad. I've noticed."

"I thank you for the concern but really it's nothing you need to worry about."

"You don't really let people know when something's bothering you, do you?"

She turned away from him and busied herself with looking for the basket of sewing tools Mirajane had given her.

"My problems are my problems." She said. "Therefore I should be the only one who should know about them. I shouldn't burden other people with my issues. Besides the problems I have aren't really a big deal. It's just meaningless things that shouldn't upset me."

"I wouldn't call this something meaningless that shouldn't upset you."

She turned back to see him reading her notebook.

"Hey don't read that." She quickly took it from him.

"Is that what the people from your world say to you?"

"No. I mean there are a large number of people who don't always say the nicest things to me. They can be mean."

"Mean? What I just read was down right cruel and I know cruel, believe me."

"It's nothing. Back home I get bullied at school but again that's my problem so I'll deal with it. After all that's what growing up is all about. Solving your own problems."

She put her notebook back in her bag and continued searching for that basket until at last she found it under her bed.

"There we go." She said. "Now if you'll pardon me, I have some work to do."

She started to leave her room but stopped when he blocked the doorway.

"Come with me." He told her.

"To where? What are you doing?"

"I want to show you something."

She followed him down a stairway. When they reached the bottom he took a moment to check and see if anyone else was there. When he was sure that they were alone, he approached the wall and gave the cobblestones a few knocks before a secret doorway opened.

"What's in there?" She asked anxiously.

"You'll find out." He answered.

It appeared to be very dark from within and she could feel a cold chill coming from the entrance. Juvia had never been fond of the dark or the cold.

It had been cold and dark that night when she lost her parents. In fact all she could remember after they skidded off the road was being trapped in the cold and darkness for hours, crying for her mommy and daddy, completely unaware that they were already dead from the crash. After doing it for an hour or two she had passed out, then woke up in the hospital where a policeman told her the terrible news.

"Do I...Do I have to go in?" She asked.

"That's kind of the idea." He said.

"But it looks so dark and cold. I don't like the dark or the cold."

"There's no reason to be afraid." He assured her gently. "In my world things aren't always as they appear and I promise you that what's in there is nothing to fear."

She was still unsure and a little frightened. He sensed this and extended his hand out to her.

"Trust me. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you."

She slowly moved her arm toward his, hesitated briefly, but finally placed her hand into his and allowed him to lead her inside. At first it was just as she had feared it to be, dark as night and cold as ice. She trembled and tried not to flashback to that dreadful night. Gray gave her hand a gentle squeeze to remind her that she was safe and that she should trust him which caused her trembling to cease a little.

Luckily before her fears could get stronger, the darkness faded and there was light. Next thing she knew she was standing in a most peculiar room. It was huge and looked like it was endless, also there was no furniture or doors or windows or anything. They only thing present in that room besides herself and Gray were these small glittering lights floating all about the room.

No they weren't lights. As she was given a better looked at them she realized that they were actually spherical and in someways resembled bubbles. One of them landed into Gray's hand and he proceeded to juggle it.

"What is that?" She asked curiously.

"It's a crystal." He said. "A little trinket I made when I was little. I was often left alone to my own devices growing up and as I was learning to use magic I discovered that I could actually create something from my own thoughts, memories, and dreams. Crystals that could make them viewable and even real for a brief moment. I used these baubles to entertain myself but my father didn't like the idea of me using my powers for mere amusement and childish games so I had to find a way to do it in secret."

He gestured to the room.

"I found this place years ago and began filling it with all my little dreams and fantasies. A special place where my imagination could run wild without consequence. This is my secret room and I have never shown this to anyone. Not even my sister knows about this place."

"So why are you showing it to me?"

"Because I think that you're the only person other than myself who could really appreciate what it has to offer."

"I don't understand."

He tossed her the crystal in his hand, she caught it and looked down at it. Suddenly it changed into a group of brightly colored butterflies that fluttered all around her. She giggled at the sight.

"Oh how sweet." She smiled. "But what was that?"

"Your dreams." He answered.

"My dreams?"

"My crystals can show you your dreams. Dreams, hopes, wishes, anything that makes you happy. It's not real mind you but there's no harm in a little dreaming is there?"

He tossed her another crystal. When she looked at this one it changed into lovely birds who sang wonderful melodies to her. It was incredible, each time she held a crystal and thought of anything that gave her joy the crystal would take the form of that. She had a very impressive imagination and filled the room with many wonderful images. Flowers, stars, even a rainbow or two. Her sadness was quickly forgotten and replaced by wonder. She couldn't remember the last time she had, had so much fun and her smiling face pleased Gray very much.