Gray felt an inner gravity pulling on his mind, trying to submerge him back into the state of murky unconsciousness. He was hovering over the line between sleep and wakefulness, which would explain why his body felt like nothing but a lump of flesh, immoveable as a stone at the bottom of the ocean. He tried opening his eyes and force himself awake, but could only manage cracking them to slits. His vision was hazy, making the things he saw a mess of blurred shapes and various shades of white he couldn't comprehend. A strange beeping noise seemed to be coming from above. Or was it below? When he took a breath, the air felt sterile, like it was too clean. It was hard to make sense of anything, so he closed his eyes again.
Instead of drifting back into the oblivion of a dreamless sleep he had momentarily awoken from, random images started flashing in his mind. They went too fast for him to understand, like he was watching a reel of film speed through each frame, turning everything into a blur of color and sound. He peered closer at the images, trying to force them to slow down so he could discern their meaning—if they even had one at all.
Suddenly, there was a tug-of-war going on inside of Gray's mind. It seemed half of him kept trying to coax his mind back into unconsciousness—almost like it feared the images. Shadowy hands grabbed at him, insistently tugging him away. The other half pulled at his mind with a sense of urgency toward the flashing frames, imploring him to figure out their message. Gray's curiosity won out in the end as he brushed away the tendrils of sleep from his mind and focused his full attention on the images racing one after the other. The longer he stared at them, the more sense they started to make. Then, he realized they weren't random images at all. They were his memories. The images slowed and he finally saw what part of him had been so adamant against remembering.
Gray gripped Juvia tighter, racing through the Grand Chamber Hall of the Doge's Palace in an endeavor to escape this hellhole and save her. Each breath he took felt like he was breathing in sharp fragments of glass that scraped against his insides. His vision was bleary, his muscles were jelly and his body felt close to collapsing. Pain claimed every inch of him, but he kept on running.
As he ran, his mind kept jumping from Gold Pistol, to Lyon, and finally, to Lucy, making his heart swirl in a mixture of emotions. He wanted nothing more than to kill Gold Pistol for all that he had done. He was the reason Lyon and him had lost their families. Even Juvia lost her mother because of that monster. Gray still blamed himself for Ur's death—if it weren't for him, she never would have been in that situation in the first place. Yet, knowing that Gold Pistol was the one that had pulled the trigger made Gray's heart loathe the Boss even more.
Fury still raged inside of him against Lyon for all that he had done. He had kidnapped and abused Lucy, planning on killing her just to make him suffer. Gray would have gladly let Lyon kill him, allowed his blood brother to have the revenge he desired; but after the torment he put Lucy through and what he had done to Juvia...he could never forgive him. Yet despite his rage, Gray mourned Lyon's death. He mourned him for the memory of what Lyon had meant to him.
Gray glanced back, looking over his shoulder and spying the crumpled form of Lucy in front of Gold Pistol. The emotion that twisted his heart the most was the guilt he felt as he escaped. He had dragged his dearest friend into this world, and now he was leaving her behind. Lucy had been the one redeeming factor in his new life. They connected through their art, and over the past five years, she had been one small light in his desert of darkness. He wanted to help her, pick her up and take her far away from the Mafia Underworld and the wolves and monsters that prowled there. But, he couldn't focus on that now.
'Lucy is my concern! Juvia is yours!'
Gray didn't know how Natsu had done it, but he had given him the chance he needed to save Juvia. He felt terrible for leaving Lucy behind, but remembering the ferocity Natsu displayed in his desire to protect her, he had to trust that she would be alright, that Natsu would keep his promise.
Juvia needs me.
Gray snapped his attention away from Lucy when he noticed he was being chased. There were three members of Phantom Lord closing in on him as he urged his body to move faster. One member of Phantom Lord broke away from the others and stood in his comrades' path, as if he was blocking them.
"The Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo! It's the closest hospital. Don't look back! Keep running and save her, Gray!" The mercenary yelled over his shoulder at Gray, but that voice...It didn't sound like it belonged to a man at all. In fact, it sounded extremely familiar.
Gray's mind was completely blank as he sprinted to the boat Natsu had mentioned. His body moved on autopilot, fueled by his desire to save Juvia. He placed her as gently as he could on the speedboat and tried not to look at the blood covering her or how pale her skin looked. A boat covering was folded in the corner and he tucked that around her delicately, trying not to jostle her too much. The keys were taped under the seat, grabbing them, Gray twisted them into the ignition, causing the boat to roar to life.
But where was the hospital the mercenary had mentioned? Gray wasn't as familiar with Venice as he was with Rome or Florence. He had only been here a couple times for clients, but he had never needed to go to the hospital. His thoughts were anxious as he considered all the possibilities of him taking the wrong route. He couldn't afford that. Not with Juvia's life at stake.
"Damn it!" He swore, looking around in desperation for a sign that would lead him in the right direction.
Despite the lateness of the night, there were still couples or small groups strolling the streets. Most looked like tourists, or drunk men stumbling back home from a night of partying. None of them looked like they would be able to offer any help. A soft humming sound drifted to his ear, making Gray turn toward the water. A gondolier was pushing his gondola along the water, coming up beside his boat. He locked eyes with Gray, nodding his head in greeting. Gray reacted, reaching out and grabbing the gondolier to drag him onto the speedboat. The man's eyes went wide in fear, struggling against Gray's grip and speaking rapidly in Italian.
"Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!" Gray shook the man, trying to get him to understand. "Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"
The gondolier still shook with fear, but his eyes widen even further when he took note of the blood covering Gray and then Juvia in the back of the boat.
"Morte!" The man breathed, looking at her. Gray only knew a few words in Italian, but he understood what that one meant. The word clanged through him, making his chest constrict painfully.
"NO!" He yelled at the man. "Juvia's not dead! Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"
The man looked into Gray's eyes and then nodded his head, finally understanding what Gray wanted him to do. "Si. Si. Si. Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo!"
Gray let go of the man, going back to check on Juvia as the gondolier stepped behind the wheel. Leaving his gondola behind and directing the boat up the Rio de Palazzo de Canonica, the man raced through the maze of canals of Venice. The city hurtled past them, the gondolier expertly guiding the speedboat to their destination. He whipped past his fellow gondoliers, the slow-moving water buses and water taxis still ferrying tourists, ignoring the angry shouts of protests hurled in his wake. It seemed Gray's own desperation was fueling the man's manic driving, as they turned corners sharply and kept going faster and faster.
The gondolier pushed the boat to its limits as he sped up the Calle Cavallerizza Castello. "Qui!" The man pointed ahead to an arched entrance where a yellow and red boat was docked. "Qui! Qui! Qui!" The man repeated. It was only when he started to slow the boat down did Gray understand. This was the Ospedale SS. Giovanne e Paolo. He scooped Juvia in his arms again, holding her close to him as he leapt from the boat onto the landing, not even bothering to waste time for it to come to a complete stop. The man was shouting something after him in Italian, but Gray could barely hear him over the pounding of his own heart––not like he could have understood the words anyway. Gray offered up his silent thanks to the gondolier as he raced through the automatic doors and started screaming.
"HELP HER!" Gray cried out the moment he was inside the hospital. "SAVE HER!" He repeated those two phrases over and over again as he raced down the hallway, coming out into a lobby area. The faces of strangers all turned his way, eyes wide in shock. It seemed like time had stopped. No one moved; no one breathed. Everyone just stared.
"SAVE HER!"
Time snapped back into motion. Large men in scrubs rushed a gurney toward them; one of the men took Juvia from Gray's arms and placed her gently on it. A petite, female doctor raced to the gurney and peeled back the boat tarp.
"She's been shot," Gray explained. Because of me. He finished in his head, reliving the third most terrifying moment in his life. Twice, people he loved had died trying to protect him. He couldn't do it again. He couldn't just watch as another person sacrificed her life to save his. His parents. Ur. Their deaths haunted him always. He didn't want Juvia to die like them. He wasn't worth her life. "Juvia…"
The doctor started rapidly shouting instructions at nurses who scurried about to follow them. The woman pointed down the hall and the two men started to rush Juvia away. Gray jogged along the gurney, watching as they removed her wig and mask to place an oxygen mask over her mouth. The doctor turned to Gray, asking him questions he couldn't comprehend.
"...famiglia…"
"Family? Me? No." He replied, picking out the only word he could understand.
One of the men blocked Gray's path, shaking his head as Gray tried to follow after the gurney. "...non famiglia…"
Not family. Gray thought of Gold Pistol and the anger inside of him made his blood run cold. Her only remaining family member had wanted to kill her. Juvia was all alone now, just like he was. He wasn't related to her by blood or by law, but how could those things matter? The fact that he wasn't part of her family hadn't stopped him from caring about her.
Juvia was getting further away and as he made to follow after her again, the man stopped him, repeating what he had said before, but the only words Gray could comprehend were "...non famiglia…"
"Like that fucking matters!" Gray shoved the man, causing him to crash into the wall. He raced to catch up to her, not wanting to let her out of his sight for a second. Gray was afraid that once she disappeared from his view, she would disappear forever. There were too many things he needed to ask her and things he wanted to say. Most of all, she needed to know that he was here—that he wasn't going to leave her. "JUVIA!"
More men came rushing at him, grabbing his arms and trying to restrain him, but Gray continued to struggle against them. He was yelling now, yelling at the men to let him go and yelling to Juvia that he was still here. He shoved another man off of him, raced a few steps, but there were still more hands reaching out for him. His body wasn't strong enough, it had been through too much. He couldn't fight them off and Juvia was getting farther away.
"Calm." The petite doctor was in front of him, her gaze steady and firm as she spoke to him in English, the word heavy with her accent. There was a quiet in her eyes, making Gray feel as if he was staring into the eye of a storm. He stopped struggling. She said some words in Italian and the men holding him back, released him. "Calm," she said to him again.
"Calm?" His body was shaking, like it was trying to resist that word. He reached out and gripped the woman's lab coat, staining it with Juvia's blood. She held up her hand, stopping the men behind him from grabbing Gray again. "CALM? I CAN'T BE FUCKING CALM! JUVIA'S DYING AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! IT'S ALL MY FAULT! SHE—"
He felt a slight pressure in his arm and glanced down to see a needle sticking out of it. Clear liquid was slowly pressed into one of his veins, his blood rushing it throughout his body. He felt the effects of it immediately. His arms went numb and he let go of the woman's coat.
"Please." They just didn't understand. He needed them too. His eyelids felt heavy and the corners of his vision were darkening. The woman nodded to someone behind him as he began to fall. "Please, don't—" The words felt heavy on his tongue, but Gray needed them to know. "Don't let her die."
The tranquilizer coursing through him pushed him to the edge of consciousness. Before Gray was shoved into the void, he heard two words:
"I won't."
Gray bolted upright and started tugging at the wires and needles stuck to him. The machines monitoring his vitals started screeching in protest. He flung back the covers, but as he stepped off his bed, his body crashed to the floor. Pain laced up his entire body upon impact. His door flew open and a doctor with two nurses entered the room. The doctor was male, speaking to Gray in Italian as he motioned to the nurses to help him move Gray back to the bed.
"Stop!" Gray batted their hands away. His movements were sluggish and awkward. The effects of the medicine had worn off on his mind, but not on his body.
The doctor frowned, instructing one of the nurses to hand him Gray's medical chart, hanging in front of his bed. He looked over the information and shook his head.
"You need to get back in bed," the doctor spoke in English with only a hint of an accent.
"I need to go," Gray managed to say, trying to pull his body across the floor. The pain coursing through him was making it difficult to speak, to think, to do anything. Even breathing was painful. Every breath just made the pain pulsate through his body, like it was a living thing with its own heartbeat. None of that mattered though. He tried to block it all out. There was only one thing important to him and that was getting to Juvia.
The doctor knelt beside Gray, trying to coax him to be reasonable. "You have eight fractured ribs, several bruised organs, lacerations all over your body, not to mention the one at the back of your head which required several stitches. The wounds on your wrists were badly infected too. You're extremely malnourished and dehydrated, on top of having high blood pressure." He handed the clipboard back to one of the nurses. "You need rest. Let your body heal. It's obviously been through quite an ordeal. Wherever it is you need to go can wait until—"
"It can't!" Gray protested, slamming his fist onto the ground. His injuries were nothing compared to what she might be going through. What if Natsu hadn't won against Gold Pistol and that man sent more members of Phantom Lord after Juvia? What if she was being attacked right now? No one was with her that could protect her. He needed to see her to make sure she was okay. He needed to see if she was still al—
Tears dripped down Gray's face. It was his own weakness that had led to Juvia being shot. If he wasn't so weak—so useless, she wouldn't have felt the need to rescue him. He should have been the one to protect her. He should have been the one that was shot. Instead, like his parents, like Ur, she saved him.
"Please," Gray begged, reaching out to grip the doctor's arm. "Please, take me to her. I need to see Juvia."
The doctor's brow crumpled, his eyes scanning over Gray. He passed a hand over his face and nodded. "I don't know if this is a good idea or not," he said, bending to Gray to help him stand and sit on the bed. "But you're obviously not going to stay here and rest like you should. Vitalia—" The doctor broke off and started speaking in Italian. One of the nurses—Vitalia—left the room and came back a moment later with a wheelchair. "Sofia." The other nurse moved to Gray's side and gently lifted his arm to rest across her shoulder. Understanding what they planned to do, Gray shook his head to stop them.
"I can walk." Gritting his teeth, Gray shakingly got to his feet, only barely relying on the doctor's and Sofia's help.
"Your body is still weak," the doctor said, watching as Gray leaned against the bed. "It's a miracle adrenaline alone allowed you to move in your condition, let alone carry that girl all the way here, but it has already gone beyond its limits."
When Gray didn't respond, the doctor sighed heavily, instructing Vitalia to return the wheelchair. "Why are you torturing yourself like this?"
The pain had wrapped its misshapen body around his bones, sharpening its teeth against his muscles, while its claws clutched his organs. Everything hurt. He was one throbbing body of pain. However, he needed to feel this. This suffering was a small means to atone for failing to be strong enough to save Juvia.
"Just show me the way."
With a nod from the doctor, Sofia handed Gray a white loose t-shirt, a pair of light blue cotton pants and some hospital slippers to change into before stepping outside with him. Gray tried his best to hurry and change into the new clothes instead of the hospital gown he was wearing, but his injuries made the process a slow one. Once he finally changed, he shuffled out of his room where the doctor was waiting for him outside the door.
The doctor led him to an elevator that was located three rooms down from his; however, it felt like Gray had walked miles. By the time the elevator doors closed behind him, he was exhausted. The cool walls of the elevator provided some relief as he rested his head against them. The doctor kept frowning in his direction, but he ignored him. This pain was nothing compared to what he had put Juvia through.
The doors opened up, depositing Gray and the doctor to their designated floor. The atmosphere on this floor was vastly different from the floor Gray had woken up on. There was a heaviness that he couldn't quite understand. The doctors and nurses had alert eyes, as if they were absorbing every detail of the patients they cared for. His skin prickled, not liking the place at all.
"What floor is this?" Gray asked, breathily.
"The Intensive Care Unit."
Gray didn't have time to process that information. A male nurse started speaking rapidly in Italian to the doctor, in hushed tones while pointing at Gray. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but their body language made it clear they were arguing about something involving him. It took him a moment, but then Gray realized that the nurse was one of the people that tried to restrain him from following Juvia when he had first come to the hospital.
"...non famiglia…" The male nurse said, looking pointedly at Gray. Those words rang through him, delivering a new kind of pain.
The doctor turned to Gray, his mouth set in a grim line. "He said because you're not family you're not allowed to see her. I thought they would make a special exception, since you were the one who brought her here and all."
"Who said he's not family?"
A man stepped around the corner, wearing a black suit and black sunglasses, undeterred by the fact he was indoors. Gray immediately went into a defensive position, despite his body's protest. The man walked like someone that possessed power or like someone with extreme confidence in his abilities.
Is he a member of Phantom Lord or is he a part of the Italian Mafia? Gray thought, searching for some clue to see where this man's loyalties laid.
The nurse, the doctor, and the man all started speaking in Italian. It was only when the man said the word "fidanzato" did the other two quieted. The male nurse paled, giving Gray a frightened look. The man smirked and gave the two a dismissive gesture. The men scurried away quickly, causing Gray to be even more confused.
"Sorry about that," the man said. "I was just going to see if you were finally awake and bring you here, but it seems there's no need to now. She's in the room down this hall here."
"Wait, who are you?"
The man didn't answer, he just started walking in the direction he had indicated. Gray ground his teeth together but followed him anyway. At the end of the hall, two other men in similar suits were stationed on either side of a door. Gray recognized them immediately, having been present whenever he was with Juvia before this mess ensued.
So, the Italian Mafia is here. The realization brought some comfort to Gray; however, he wasn't about to let his guard down. As the man and Gray approached the door, the two guards eyed them, their hands shifting to reach the weapons no doubt concealed on them. A nod from the man and the two relaxed.
"After you," the man said, holding the door open for Gray. Gray held his breath as he entered the room, unable to prepare himself if his worse fears were reality. His heart raced faster as he passed through the threshold and stopped completely when the door shut behind him.
Juvia was there, tucked into the white sheets dressing the bed. Wires and tubes were hooked into her, connected to machines on either side of the bed. From this distance, she looked like she was sleeping, but were there dreams in that darkness?
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Gray's eyes slid away from Juvia, toward the source of the noise. A machine displayed green peaks that steadily appeared with every 'beep.' He moved to it automatically, looking from the machine to Juvia. There was no explaining the emotion that welled up in his heart.
"She's alive."
The world shifted and a great wave of relief rocked him. The man had entered the room with Gray and moved to place a chair behind him. He collapsed into it, feeling heavy and light at the same time. His vision started to blur again, as tears piled in his eyes, spilling over like two rivers. Gray didn't care if the man saw him like this. Nothing—Nothing mattered at all to him, except the person laying on that hospital bed. Barely alive, but alive nonetheless.
"Juvia…" Gray grasped the sheets as he peered up at her. The tears of joy would not stop. Gray wept, emptying himself of all the grief and despair and guilt that had built up inside of him. He wouldn't have to live through the pain of losing someone else he cared for. He wouldn't have to endure that torment. Juvia would not be added to his list of sins.
She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. Juvia is alive .
The mafia member pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the bed and sat down. "The surgeons had to repair minor damage to her intestines. They said the bullet didn't do any other major damage though. They were shocked it missed rupturing any of her organs. The major issue was the amount of blood Juvia lost. Don't worry." He smiled, shaking his head as he saw Gray go pale. "They had enough of her blood type on hand to help replenish the amount she had lost. It's going to take some time, but they expect Juvia to make a complete recovery."
Gray stared at the man across from him. He looked like a member of the Italian Mafia, but now, he had the same voice as the Phantom Lord member who had helped him escape with Juvia. A voice that was most definitely feminine.
"Who are you?" Gray asked.
"Six years ago, you had such devastation in your eyes," the person removed his sunglasses and then his face, shocking Gray. "Now look at you."
Gray stared wide-eyed at the person now sitting across from him. "Ultear!"
"It's been awhile, hasn't it, Sterling?"
After Ur's death, Gray felt cursed. All the people who had cared for him had died because of him. He joined the Russian Mafia, working to drown himself in the darkness he felt he was destined to live in. For two years, he worked in the Underworld, not even caring what happened to him. When Ultear found him, he was just a shell of a person. Yet, she offered him a way out of the Underworld. She offered to help kill Sterling Surge and start a new life in America as Gray Fullbuster.
"The other girl and Natsu are alive and well." Ultear set her disguise aside and leaned in her chair. "Her injuries were only minor, but they decided to keep her here for a day for observation. She's still sleeping, last I heard. The hospital staff were complaining about Natsu though. Some have even compared him to a dragon guarding a princess."
"Lucy! Thank God she's alright!" Another wave of relief hit him. He hadn't lost anyone. This time, he had been lucky.
"It seems the boy I found wallowing in the Underworld, has finally chosen to step into the light." Ultear leaned forward, resting her elbows on the bed. "You've opened your heart to others."
"The light?" Gray shook his head. "I'm still cursed Ultear. Even if I left the darkness, it won't leave me. Because I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't protect the people I care about. I just caused them pain. Juvia...Lucy...I almost got them killed. Just like...my parents and your mother."
Ultear sighed as she stood and walked over to Gray. "You stupid boy." She embraced him, holding him tightly to her. "You didn't kill your parents. You didn't kill my mother."
"But Ultear, because of me Ur—"
"The woman who raised you wasn't my mother." Gray stilled, looking up at Ultear as she pulled away from him. Her hands gripped his shoulders and he could see her eyes were hard. "My mother was one of the three Bosses of the Russian Mafia. She was a cruel, heartless woman that would even abandon her own daughter for power." Ultear scoffed, her eyes hardening at some dark memory. "She was a real bitch of a woman."
"Ul—Ultear?"
"Be quiet," she hushed him softly. "When I was only eight years old, I cut ties with my mother and escaped out of that darkness. It had been twelve years since I had seen her, but the night I heard she died, I was so happy. Though the news was welcomed, I had to know for sure. I came back to my nightmares to see for myself, to confirm with my own eyes that the Snow Maiden was gone. It seemed everyone really believed my mother was dead, but something, call it instinct, or fate or whatever, kept nagging at me. I never met my father. He died before I was born, but he had built a cabin in Siberia that she took me to once. In one rare moment of kindness, she told me it was the only place of light she had left in her life. I went there, drawn to it almost, and was shocked at what I saw.
"A woman that looked like my mother was there, smiling and laughing in a way I knew my mother never would. The woman looked so free, so alive. I couldn't understand what could make her change so drastically. Then, you and Lyon came running out, throwing snowballs at her. You three looked like a little family. When you and Lyon smiled up at her with all that innocent love in your eyes, I knew Ur, the Mafia Boss, was dead. When I left the cabin, I made sure my mother remained dead and kept the darkness from finding that last bit of light." Ultear pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Gray's eyes, even though now, her own eyes were streaming.
'Don't let this moment of darkness keep you from smiling again. I love you, Sterling. '
'You and Lyon became my light after a life of darkness. I didn't think I could be happy again or that I deserved it after all the things I have done. I have so many regrets, but you two will never be one. I can't thank you two enough for allowing me to love you. The world took a great deal from you, but don't let it take your heart too. Let yourself smile again.'
"But it was all my fault! I couldn't let go of my revenge, so I sought out that darkness. I've hurt so many people and I've done terrible things." Gray held his head in his hands as he remembered his mother's and Ur's last words to him. "If I died that night instead of Ur, I wouldn't have hurt all those people. No one would have to suffer because of me."
"I was disappointed to see you and Lyon running around in the Underworld, despite your mentor's efforts to keep you from it. Yet, I knew she wouldn't have given up on you, so neither did I. That's why I offered each of you a chance to escape that place. Lyon ignored my offer, but you took it." Ultear bent down and lifted Gray's head. "If you hadn't made that choice, Juvia would have never been saved."
"What are you saying? Gold Pistol said it himself. He only wanted to kill Juvia because she cared about me. I don't know why he thinks we're engaged, but it was enough to set this into motion." Gray claimed. "It was because of me that Juvia almost died."
"Your engagement was my doing. I needed Gold Pistol to get spooked and make his move." Ultear nodded at Juvia. "Juvia had sent me a report indicating he had been extra secretive lately. She was against it though, because she was embarrassed and didn't want you thinking she made the whole thing up for no reason." Ultear chuckled. "I hadn't realized Gold Pistol had looped in Lyon, and what your mentor's other pupil had in store for you. It was a mistake on my part. I couldn't blow my cover, but I worked on locating your whereabouts to send help. I knew Natsu had been hired, but contact was impossible. However, once I found the general location of your whereabouts, Juvia rushed ahead to save you despite knowing the danger."
"Wait. She's been working with you all this time? So then, did she know about her uncle and that he killed her mother?" Gray asked, amazed by this revelation.
"She knew," Ultear's face darkened a little. "Juvia was hiding in the room when it happened, witnessing the death of her mother at the age of eight. The organization I work for offered her a chance to leave the Underworld, out of respect for the Tempesta, but she chose to stay and fight it. At the young age of eleven, Juvia started helping out my organization by spying on her uncle; but she was never made a member. It's a special relationship we have with her."
"She was there? So, all this time, she's been pretending and living with the man who murdered her mother." Gray watched Juvia for a moment, unable to comprehend the nightmare she had lived through for so long.
"She has some of the same scars as you." Ultear whispered. "The organization really respects her."
"What is this organization? You even know Natsu. Is he a member too?" Gray thought back to when he escaped with Juvia and how Natsu had worked together with Ultear to defeat the Phantom Lord members.
"I can't answer those questions." Ultear's face became void of any emotion, making it clear that questions about whatever organization she worked for were off limits.
"Fine," Gray nodded, dropping it for now. "But can you at least tell me about Natsu? That guy...I don't trust him. He's getting closer to my friend Lucy too. Gold Pistol even called him the Salamander. When we fought and when he killed Lyon—"
"Lyon isn't dead." Ultear cut in.
"What?! But I saw Natsu shoot him. How is that possible?"
"I can't tell you about that either. Just know, he's still alive. And as for Natsu, the only thing you can trust about him, is that he will keep his promises." Ultear climbed off the bed and placed her hand on Gray's shoulder. "He's made a promise to the organization, and if he should break it…" She trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. You just don't have to worry about him, now."
Even with Ultear's words, Gray couldn't be at ease. There was something off about Natsu and it didn't sit well with him. He was tangled up in too many things. The Mafia. The organization. Natsu was connected to two powerful entities. There was no way he was just an ordinary treasure hunter...
"Your friend, Lucy, is safe. You're alive and so is Juvia. The one responsible for that darkness inside of you, is no longer able to reach you or Juvia or anyone else you care about. You don't have to worry about the Underworld anymore. Rest now. You deserve it." Ultear moved to the other side of the bed and grabbed her disguise.
"You make it sound so easy." Gray muttered.
'You can never run from your past...It's attached to you. No matter how far you think you've run, it will find you again. But when it does, you're supposed to be stronger than you were before. If you aren't, it will swallow you and anyone you care about.'
"I got lucky this time, but what if it something stronger comes and takes everyone I care about again?" Gray asked, remembering Natsu's words. "What if I'm not strong enough to face it? What if next time...someone I care about really does get taken away from me?" And then he whispered, "What if I'm not strong enough to save her?"
"There's more than one way to be strong. There's also more than one way to save someone." When Gray looked unconvinced, Ultear asked, "Why do you think Juvia took that bullet for you?"
"I…" Gray didn't have an answer.
Ultear set down her disguise again and reached over to smooth a lock of hair from Juvia's face. "Juvia once told me, she was afraid of opening her heart to anyone. She felt if she cared about someone, they would be taken away from her again. I tried to encourage her that isolating herself from others wouldn't be what her mother wanted for her, but she wouldn't listen. She kept being afraid of her past repeating itself. Until you came here. You made her heart realize something stronger than fear."
"Something stronger than fear?"
"I've already said too much. When she wakes up, ask her about it." Ultear picked up her disguise and resituated it on her head again. In front of Gray's eyes, Ultear transformed back into a member of the Italian Mafia. If he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it was her. "It's time for me to go now. I'm happy you have found people who care about you Sterling," Ultear paused and then corrected herself. "No, you're Gray now. And I know your parents and that mentor of yours would be happy too. I can't tell you what to do, but maybe this time, don't be afraid to let yourself be happy."
"Gray…" Juvia breathed his name in her sleep. Immediately, he reached out and grabbed her hand wanting to let her know that he was here.
"Some people claim it takes a great strength to lay down your life for another, but I disagree. Strength has nothing to do with it. I believe, it takes a great love for that kind of sacrifice. Your parents, and your mentor all felt that love for you. And a certain hard-hearted girl. That great love is not easily achieved either. Stop all this talk about deserving darkness, Gray. You're not cursed. You're loved."
Gray felt Juvia's fingers twitch weakly in his grasp. He squeezed her hand gently, in response. When he looked back, Ultear was gone.
'You're not cursed. You're loved.'
Could he do it? Could he let himself know happiness? Could he believe that he wasn't destined for darkness?
Gray didn't have any answers. His world had flipped so many times in such a short period of time, he didn't know what to think. He was still afraid of his past and all that lurked there, but he knew one thing was for certain. Gray felt tears slip down his cheeks as he looked down at Juvia's hand in his. He knew he might be selfish; but, he never wanted to let go of her hand again.
Ultear nodded to the real members of the Italian Mafia as she exited, indicating Juvia was safe with Gray before she strode to the elevator. She took it down to the floor Gray had been stationed on. She slipped into a utility closet and quickly changed her disguise, switching from a mafia member to a blonde nurse. Leaving the utility closet, Ultear walked down the hall until she reached the private room she knew Lucy was in and entered.
"How was the reunion?" Another nurse sat on the window ledge, an annoyed look on her face as she typed away on her phone.
"Reunion? I merely went to check on an investment." Ultear crossed the room and retrieved the clipboard at the end of the bed.
"You're a horrible liar, Ul." The nurse giggled.
"And you're a horrible nurse." Ultear sighed. "I thought I told you to never break character when you're in disguise, Meredy. What if it wasn't me who walked in here and someone else?"
Meredy set down her phone and smiled at Ultear. She was wearing a light green wig that was shaped into a bob and a similar nurse outfit like Ultear. "I knew it was you. No matter how well you disguise yourself, I can always tell it's you." The phone buzzed again and Meredy groaned.
"Is it headquarters?"
"I wish. Natsu won't stop texting me. He left less than thirty minutes ago, but he wants to know detailed updates on Lucy's condition." Meredy rolled her eyes. "I complained about him before, but I rather preferred the scowling and brooding Natsu to this one." The phone buzzed and Meredy angrily typed back a response. "He needs to finish his errand, so he can bother the real nurses."
"Are you regretting not taking the captain up on her offer? I could have handled this mission by myself." Ultear read through the medical analysis, checking on Lucy's condition.
Meredy scrunched up her face and hopped down from the window sill. "And be the third wheel to that awkward couple? No, thanks." She crossed her arms to form an 'x', shaking her head furiously. "Besides, we're a team!"
Ultear just chuckled as she replaced the clipboard. "Have you submitted the report back to headquarters?"
"I haven't submitted it yet," Meredy rocked on the balls of her feet while responding to another one of Natsu's texts as she spoke. "So far, I wrote that Salvatore Lupo, a.k.a. Gold Pistol, was a false lead. His surge in unusual activity was directly related to a failed attempt to eliminate Juvia Lockser and claim complete control of the Italian Mafia. He also planned to eliminate Gray Fullbuster, formerly known as Sterling Surge, who was a disciple of the late Ur Milkovich, a.k.a. the Snow Maiden. Natsu Dragneel, a.k.a. the Salamander, was hired for his treasure hunting services by Gold Pistol to locate Gray as a means to mask the Mafia Boss's true intentions from the members of the Italian Mafia.
"Lyon Vastia, a.k.a. The Sub-Zero Emperor, the second pupil of the Snow Maiden, was involved in the incident due to Gold Pistol's manipulations. Lyon planned to kill Gray in order to avenge the death of their mentor, whom he falsely believed killed the Snow Maiden. All parties converged at the Doge's Palace, where Juvia was unintentionally shot by Lyon as she pushed Gray out of the path of the bullet. The rest of the report you can pretty much imagine, since you were there. I explained how we took Lyon into custody as well as the few subordinates of his we found unconscious in the building. They're being transferred to headquarters as we speak for the organization's evaluation. The damage report and restoration cost of the Doge's Palace is attached, as well as the documents containing each eye witness report and how the team dealt with them. The Spoils Clause in Natsu's contract will explain why we handed over Gold Pistol to him."
"That's true. Despite admitting to the deaths of the Tempesta and the Snow Maiden, our investigation cleared Gold Pistol of the threat we initially feared. There was no indication that he could be of any use to the organization either, so it all works out." Ultear nodded. "Good job."
"Thanks, writing reports are fun for me." Meredy beamed, but then furrowed her brow like she remembered something unpleasant. "Well, they're usually fun. I can't figure out what to say about her." She paused her texting and looked over at the bed.
"Lucy Heartfilia. " Ultear looked at Lucy, her gaze turning serious. "Claiming I'm shocked to see her here would be an understatement. Thankfully, Gold Pistol nor Lyon were directly after her for reasons we might dread. We're lucky we were already on this case otherwise….Well, I don't want to think about that possibility." She walked over to the empty chair beside the bed and collapsed into it, rubbing her temple. "Give her a false name in the report. There can be no record of her in our database. She's not supposed to exist to us. When we get back to headquarters, we'll personally fill in First though."
"You're right. I'll make the additions to the report." Meredy stated, happily making notes on her phone. She paused her typing, struck by another thought, and looked over at Lucy again. "Um...I know we're not supposed to acknowledge her, but Natsu seems really attached to Lucy. So, shouldn't we do...I don't know...More? Knowing what could happen, is it really okay to just let them stay together?"
Ultear paused, mulling over the situation in her head. "We won't do anything. For now," she finally determined. "You know how Natsu is. The second you tell him he can't have something, it'll make him want it more. He'll wonder why our organization wants to keep a supposedly ordinary girl away from him in the first place, and that might lead him seeking answers we can't afford for him to know."
"It makes me uneasy though, Ul." Meredy leaned against the bed. "If he ever found out," she looked down at her buzzing phone. "We'll have to do what First instructed."
"Yes. I know." Ultear's expression turned grave. "We would have to kill him."