Juvia stood in her dressing room wearing her victorian style costume with make on her face and her hair up all prim and proper. From the surface she looked like a real professional actress but inside she had butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so nervous. If she didn't do this role right she could say goodbye to her acting dream.

Knock-knock!

"Come in." Her anxiety turned to utter joy when she saw Gray come in to her room holding a small bouquet of flowers. "Gray. You made it."

She hugged him with relief.

"I just wanted to wish you luck and give you these." He said handing her the flowers. "Sorry that it's so small but I couldn't afford anything bigger."

"They're perfect." She said before smelling them. "Besides I'm just glad you're here."

"I heard that Gajeel wouldn't be able to come."

"Yes but I'm not upset with him over it. Levy needs him more than I do but it's bad enough that my parents will never be able to see me perform and now my poor brother has to miss it with Levy in the hospital. But the fact you came makes me feel much better."

"Really? I didn't think I mattered that much to you."

"Well you're pretty much my best friend and they're not easy to come by." She said. "Is your aunt with you?"

"Uh-huh. Good thing too because there was no way she was going to let me miss your show."

"I was wondering Gray, after the show I'm going to the hospital to be with Gajeel and Levy. Would you mind coming with me?"

"I would like to but there's something I have to do after this. It's very important."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you but if I can get this thing done quick. I'll go with you. I won't make any promises but-"

"It's okay. I understand." She said with a smile. "You better get in your seat. The show starts in five minutes."

"Right. Break a leg."

He left her dressing room and sat with Ur in their reserved seats. Before the show started, Gray searched the audience for Natsu. When he spotted him he became determined to go after him as soon as the show ended.

Five minutes later the curtains went up and the play started. Juvia was a natural. She said every line perfectly and with just the right amount of emotion. He could notice that she would get nervous a few times but he would just give her smile which would boost her confidence right back up. With the spot light shinning on her, in that victorian pastel dress, with her hair being pinned up with beads, she looked like an angel. At least to Gray she looked like an angel.

When the play was over the audience clapped, cheered, and some of the members even whistled. Juvia was on cloud nine when she got back to her dressing room. She didn't fail. She put on a good performance and the audience liked her.

"Now I can breathe." She said figuratively.

She was just about to undress when she heard a knock at her door for the second time.

"Oh Gray is that you?"

She opened the door but jumped back when she saw that it was Natsu on the other side. He was staring at her in a way that made her shiver.

"Oh...Hi Natsu." She said trying not tremble. "Wha...What are you doing back here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"What about?"

"About why you're lying."

"Excuse me?"

"Lucy told me what you said to her today." He stepped into her room.

"Natsu it's not what you think. I was worried."

"Worried? Why? You don't honestly think that I would hurt her do you?"

"Honestly I don't know what to think right now. I saw you attack my brother. Can you blame me for being a little concerned?"

"That doesn't give you the right to spread lies like your yellow journalist of a brother!" He snapped before kicking over a chair.

"Natsu you're scaring me. I think you should leave."

"Why are you scared? I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to show you what happens to people who run around telling or printing lies!"

"Natsu stop. I mean it. If you don't leave right now I'll call security."

But he didn't back down. He moved to grab her but was stopped by having his own arm be roughly grabbed by Gray who gripped it tightly with seething rage.

"Bring that hand any closer to her and I tear off your whole arm." He growled before shoving Natsu out of the dressing room and in front of Lucy who had followed him backstage.

"Natsu what's going on here?" She asked.

"Nothing." He said. "Come on let's leave."

"Wait a minute what were you doing in Juvia's dressing room?"

"I said it's nothing. Now let's go." He grabbed her arm roughly.

"Hey that hurts." She broke away from him. "Don't touch me. What's the matter with you?"

"Are you deaf? I said it's nothing."

"Don't believe him Luc." Gray said. "He and I need to have serious talk right now. Why don't you help Juvia get undressed and go with her to the hospital to see her folks? She could really use a friend."

"Alright." Lucy said before running off.

Gray then grabbed Natsu forced out of the theater and into the nearest alley.

"Thanks a lot." Natsu groaned hatefully. "I had a great thing going and you blew it!"

"For future references when a girl says don't touch me and runs away that's a bad date." Gray said. "Face it pal you're making enemies out of everyone."

"Well lucky for me I can take anyone."

"Starting with the girls I see."

"I've had just about enough of you!"

"And I've had just about enough of this suit you're wearing! Look what it's costing you! Lucy doesn't want to be with you, everybody thinks you're psycho, and your brain is being eaten away!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Erza got back to me on that slime! It's a parasite and it's trying to takeover you! If you don't take it off you're gonna go brain dead!"

"I don't believe you!"

"Why would I lie?!"

"Because you're-"

"If you say it's because I'm jealous I swear I'll kick your scaly ass! This stuff is going to kill you and if you think I'm going to just stand back and let that happen you have another thing coming!"

He pushed Natsu up against the nearest building wall and brought out his claws out.

"What are you doing?" Natsu said.

"I'm going to tear this ooze off your body! I'm sorry if this hurts but it's for your own good!"

"No! We won't let you!" Natsu shouted in a voice that didn't sound even faintly human. He changed into his suit, over powered Gray, and started to strangle him with all the strength he had. Gray coughed and gasped for air, he tried to force Natsu off of him but he was too strong.

"Natsu!" He choked. "Stop! I can't breathe!"

"We won't let you separate us."

"Please! We're friends! More than friends! We're family!"

"He doesn't need friends! Or family! Or you! Which is why we're going to kill you!"

"Wait! What?! I didn't say that!" Natsu thought. Finally he became aware of what he was doing. He saw Gray struggling for breath and he was the one depriving him of it. Natsu immediately released Gray's throat and looked down at his hands in horror. Did that actually just happen? Did he just try to kill his best friend?

He was trembling and almost felt he couldn't breathe either. In blind confusion and fear he ran. He wasn't sure where he was going and at the moment he didn't care. All the mattered is he had to get away from people before he hurt them.