The snow continued to barrel towards the mages, there was very little time to act but they knew that something had to happen, and fast. Gray rushed forward summoning all of this magic power "ICE MAKE SHIELD!" he screamed. A wall of ice formed over the group sending the snow over their heads and off the back of his shield.

"UP, get up," Gray pulled Juvia to her feet, "we have to move fast, this won't hold under the weight of that much snow."

Freed and Bixlow pulled Laxus from the snow and moved toward the inn they'd been using as a base camp. The ice shield cracked and fractured, giving out under the weight as they all cleared the area, looking back Juvia realized just how close they had all come to an icy death.

Once back at the inn, Juvia as near the bed Laxus was placed on, he hadn't opened his eyes, but he had a much stronger heartbeat and was breathing easily now that he'd been warmed up. Juvia laved her bandaged fingers through his and waited for him to wake up. He had a broken arm and concussion, but Wendy had managed to heal everything else. Pulling her seat closer Juvia laid her head on the edge of the bed, exhaustion sinking into her body dragging her into a deep sleep.

She awoke to a soft touch on her hand, she slowly lifted her head and was greeted with a small smile from Laxus, "Hey you," he said in a soft whisper.

"Laxus," tears brimmed her eyes, "you're okay! I've been so worried."

"I'm sorry," he grimaced, "What happened?"

The door opened and the thunder legion peered in, "I thought I heard his voice," Freed said, "may we come in?" Juvia nodded and Laxus grinned at his team.

"Sorry it to so long for rescue, Boss." Bixlow said.

"How long?"

"Almost three days, we didn't know exactly where to look at first," Evergreen said crossing her arms, "But Juvia showed up and took over."

"You were out there? That was dangerous," Laxus said in disbelief.

"I know But I couldn't sit back and not do anything," she cried.

"And she was the one that found you , her plan ended up being the only one that worked," Freed explained.

Laxus asked, "What plan?"

Freed explained, "She got Meredy to do a sensory link on you two and found you that way."

"Wow," Laxus said, "so those things I fetl were real? I swore I was losing my mind but there was something that reminded me of you that kept me somewhat awake out there." He blew a breath, "and this—" he put a hand hear his stomach, "—feeling, it's hard to describe, but it was right here."

Juvia laughed, "you felt the baby move, Meredy felt it too, it was my first time that I was absolutely sure it was the baby."

"That's amazing," he squeezed her hand, "That makes it all feel even more real, somehow."

"No, I get it," she said.

Bixlow joked, "let's just be glad the second avalanche didn't take the rest of us down."

"Second? What the hell? How'd you manage that?" Laxus asked exasperated.

"We had just found you," Juvia began, "but when the wall of snow came there was no time to move you."

"Gray shielded us with ice, sent the snow over our heads, but we still had to hurry to get out before the ice gave out," Freed continued.

"I owe my life –and yours – to Fullbuster?" Laxus sighed heavily, "figures, going to have to thank him."

Juvia paled, "I thought I couldn't be more scared than hearing you were missing, but the second avalanche …and the baby…."she cried into her hands, "I thought we were going to die."

Laxus touched her cheek, "But we're fine now, and apparently it will take more than an avalanche to kill me."

Juvia giggled through her sniffles, "just be more careful from now on, I don't want to lose you."

Two days later Laxus was able to travel back to Magnolia, the train ride home took a toll on him due to his fatigue but Juvia, the thunder legion and Mira all accompanied him back. The accident had caused Mira and Freed to be more open wit their own relationship and Juvia found herself feeling closer with Mira after receiving her help with the risky rescue plan. Once off the train Laxus and Juvia returned home together and he notices that she was acting differently from the entire time since they'd found out about the pregnancy. She had become so harsh, he tended to wonder what had turned her so tough and cold but now her warmth had returned, she was happy and caring once again. He laid back on the sofa watching her flit between cooking and cleaning, she really had a renewed energy about her. "Juvia," he asked unable to resist any longer, "I'm glad yo see you back to your old self, but I have to ask, what happened?"

Turning the stovetop off she walked to his side, sitting on the floor next to the sofa. "Well, honestly, I didn't know how to handle anything there for a while, I was scared and worried we weren't going to be able to handle having a baby, but once I felt her move that just changed."

"Her?" he asked raising an eyebrow at Juvia.

"Oh, well obviously I don't know the gender but I feel like it's a girl, it just kind of slipped out."

Pushing himself up he pressed a kiss to her lips and for the first time in a while there was a heat behind it, they'd both resigned to the idea that the passion had been lost once so much had changed in their relationship, but it had returned and Laxus felt the reminder of how he felt about her. "wanna make a little wager?" he asked with a wicked smile.

"Oh? Like what?" she asked.

"IF the baby is a girl, you can have something you want. Anything your heart desires," he smiled.

"And if it's a boy?" she questioned.

"I get what I want." He grinned at her.

"Deal, although I have no idea what I would want," she admitted, "What about you?"

"How about we keep it secret," he stood and made his way over to a bookshelf, "we can write it down and put it in this box, and lock it, then give the key to someone else to hold until the baby is born."

"Alright." Juvia grinned, "I accept your wager, how about we have Mira hold onto it for us"

"Sounds good." Laxus said grabbing a scrap of paper and jotting something on it before shoving it in the box and locking it. "put yours in when you are ready and we will take it to Mira together, but as long as mine is the only one in there I will hold the key."

"Fair enough," she giggled.

Laxus looked at her sitting on the floor smiling up at him, "I missed this side of you," she tilted her head, "leave the moody stuff to me, you've got a beautiful smile and a good heart." Standing Juvia quickly closed the space between them and kissed him and he prayed nothing would change the way they'd become.