A/N: CHAPTER EIGHTTTTTTT. Hi. :)
Also, Ulcaasi. Congrats on being the first person to comment on chapter 7, and, can I just say, I just about died reading your comment. No one has ever reacted like that to a "plot twist" in any of my stories. Not that many had them, but that is beside the point. Keep reviewing! You make it fun for me haha.
Chapter 8: I'm Fine
Gajeel looked back and forth, expression panicked, from Wendy to the limp Juvia in his arms, now half sitting half lying, in his lap.
"What happened?! Why did she pass out?!" Wendy fanned Juvia's face with her train ticket for tomorrow.
"It's nothing to worry about physically, Gajeel-kun. She's reacting from a substantial emotional shock. It's completely normal." Wendy said nervously, watching Juvia's face for any signs of coming to.
"How do you know the baby is his?" Wendy sighed, she had hoped Juvia might have taken it better, but on the other hand, it was better that she could explain this to Gajeel-kun. Juvia would not have been able to understand the explanation in her panic.
"Basically. Every mage has a specific aura. Healers, experienced and well trained ones, learn to differentiate the auras from one another after a significant amount of practice. Each type of mage and each mage individually, has a specific signature to their power. For example, Gajeel-kun's aura is a moss green. It's darker than the green of normal iron mages because that is something that is derived directly from your own aura, separate from your magic signature. Likewise, the aura of the baby is an ice blue. This is lighter than Juvia-san's own dark blue aura, and darker than Gray-san's white aura. Which means it's possible... no it's almost certain, given the genetic line of mages that this child will be an ice make mage. What this suggests to me, is that as Gray was uh...first...to... well...it was just more likely, using the assumed timeline, to think that it would be more likely for the child to be Gray-san's baby. In addition, Juvia-san's magic is more compatible with Gray-san's because of the similar mediums of their powers. Though at this point, the child is not developed enough for me to tell you the gender, but that is about all I can tell you."
Gajeel wasn't sure what to feel. On the one hand, he was glad the baby didn't belong to rapist. On the other, the baby was now Gray's. So what did that mean? It wasn't as if Gray wanted the baby. No, for him, it just happened. He didn't know what kind of involvement the ice mage would want in the kid's life, but regardless, Gajeel decided, he would definitely be there for the child.
"Mnnngh." Juvia finally began to stir in Gajeel's arms and wake up. He helped her sit up slowly.
"What – uh what happened?" Wendy looked nervously at Gajeel.
"We... we, uh. We found out who the father was. Gray-san's." Juvia's face paled again, and she looked down, staring at her hands in her lap.
"Juvia was hoping it wouldn't be." Wendy sat back, a little shocked at the statement.
"What? You don't want the baby to be Gray –san's? Wouldn't that be better?" Juvia shook her head minutely.
"If the child had been the r-r- the attacker's then Juvia wouldn't have to face him. He would continue his life living freely, or in jail, and Juvia would be free to live her life separately. But now...now Juvia will have to face Gray. He will always know the child was his, and it will always remind Juvia of that night."
Gajeel looked at the girl next to him. He realized that he'd forgotten in the midst of everything that Juvia wasn't even twenty yet. She was dealing with something that most women didn't deal with until their late twenties. Seeing her now, so vulnerable Gajeel realized she was so small, so frail and soon she would become everything to a child whose life would depend on her.
It was daunting even to think of.
Without thinking, Gajeel wrapped his arm around Juvia and pulled her close, resting his head atop hers.
"It doesn't matter who the father is. I'll be there with you every step of the way. I will never leave you. We're nakama, and nakama stick together. No matter what. That's what Fairy Tail taught us, isn't it?"
Wendy felt like her face was on fire as she searched for any place to look but at the adolescents in front of her. Juvia's eyes widened at first at his statement, but soon, she found comfort in his words, and decided once and for all to put her trust in the only man whose respect she'd won by throwing him out a window.
"Thank you Gajeel-kun."
"hn. By the way. Wendy?"
"Yes!" She winced as she realized her voice had climbed an octave from embarrassment.
"Do you think you can do something about this?" Against Juvia's protests, Gajeel yanked Juvia's shirt down far enough for Wendy to see the brand mark that had nearly caused a riot in the guild. Wendy's mortification at the fact that Gajeel was intimate enough with Juvia to handle her clothes like that was short lived as she viewed the now dull brown indented scar in Juvia's skin.
"Well I can –"
"Wait." Juvia's hands softly covered Wendy's. "You all are trying to find Juvia's attacker, aren't you?" At Wendy's nod, Juvia withdrew her hands and re-covered the brand mark. "Then Juvia will leave this until he is caught. It is proof of his crime, and Juvia will do anything to put him away. Even if it means carrying his mark with Juvia a little longer."
It was silent following Juvia's declaration of resolve, save for the sounds of Wendy's silent sobs as she finally succumbed to her emotions.
[6 MONTHS LATER]
The last six months had kept Juvia relatively busy. Gajeel seemed to like her cooking so Juvia had taken to having a meal cooked for him by the time he returned home from his unlikely job of a teacher. She took care to notice the dishes he particularly liked and perfected them to his preference over time. Gajeel from then on, brought Wendy to check up on her at the end of every month, sometimes with Carla and sometimes without. He would also keep her updated on the guild's efforts to catch the Shielded Evil Guild. Juvia and Gajeel had had a hearty laugh upon learning the name. She'd joked that a name like that would only bring to the guild. What was the point of evil if it was hidden? Regardless, though she laughed it off, the memories of the attack were still vivid but didn't affect her as much as it had it in the beginning. The fact that they were attempting to catch him caused her unease thought she was grateful that they were trying. It seemed that after they had disappeared, they appeared to be living in a camp site like situation. Astonishingly, they were having a hard time catching them, since they were masters of being invisible in a crowd. Juvia only wished it weren't this hard on her nakama to do this.
In another development, the dynamic between herself and Gajeel had changed in an interesting way. He had become gentler, though his method of speaking didn't change. His kindness only increased as her pregnancy progressed. He would help her up the stairs, sometimes carrying if he felt exceptionally generous. Gajeel had also begun to kiss her forehead every day before he left for Magnolia, though he complained that it was turning him soft and that he only did it because Juvia said it calmed her down. He would leave every morning around 7, after which Juvia would sleep in until 9 o clock. Then she would go down stairs and make herself breakfast and clean the house, which was spotless regardless but instead it would help keep her mind off Gajeel towards whom she found herself thinking about more than normal. Then around noon, her new found friends would come to visit, bearing treats and occasionally would take her shopping. All in all, Juvia was satisfied with her life, she was happy and well on her way to forgetting the twin trauma that had made her come here in the first place.
It's true. Juvia thought to herself, sitting at her kitchen table listening to Elmira informed them of the progress of her daughters impending wedding to a young man who lived in the next town over. Juvia does not feel as much pain when she thinks of Gray.
"Speaking of which, where are yours Juvia-chan?" The question brought Juvia out of her thoughts and back into her home.
"Sorry, Juvia was distracted. What was the question?" The women laughed good naturedly at Juvia's goof.
"I know you and Gajeel-san eloped from wherever it is that you're from but he still must have given you a ring, right?"
Juvia smiled uneasily. Ah. Juvia had forgotten about this. Juvia still hasn't told them that Gajeel-kun isn't Juvia's husband. And though the thought was in her mind, Juvia could not bring herself to say it.
"So," Sachiko leaned conspiratorially towards her. "Where is it?"
Before Juvia could answer, there was a clattering sound at the front door as someone opened and closed it. Kicking off their jacket and bag.
"Juvia. I'm home! They ended early today, some punkass kid didn't listen to me and accidentally set the principal's hair on fire. Tch. Stupid kid. I told him not to do it. But no. He just ignored me. Anyways, is there anything to eat, I'm star-" Gajeel cut himself off abruptly as he stood in the kitchen doorway, to find Juvia seated at the table with four middle aged women.
"Uhm, Gajeel-kun. You remember the women I told you about?"
He nodded woodenly, trying to figure out the quickest and safest way to retreat.
"Say hello to Elmira-san, Matilda-san, Eliza-san and Sachiko –san." Juvia smiled timidly at him. Before Gajeel could say anything, the four women pounced on him.
"So you're Gajeel! This is the first time I've seen you up close. You're a real cutie!" Eliza tugged him toward the table, sitting him down next to Juvia. Elmira quickly prepared a plate of food for him and Matilda sat across from him with Sachiko, studying him with excitement.
"Juvia-san, your husband is the strong but silent type, right?" Matilda grinned at Juvia's bright red face and her objections.
"Husband?" Gajeel looked at Juvia in utter confusion, who flushed under his gaze.
"So where are your wedding rings? I haven't seen Juvia wear one the entire time I've known her."
"Wedding rings?!" Gajeel was getting more and more confused the more these women talked. He hadn't the slightest idea what was going on.
"We, we didn't have any!" Juvia interrupted.
"You didn't? Why ever not?" Elmira asked, surprised.
Juvia studiously avoided making eye contact with Gajeel as she explained.
"We left our previous home...very suddenly. It was unprepared and unplanned which didn't allow us the luxury of things like...rings." Juvia finished, still not looking at Gajeel.
"Oh you poor darlings! It must have been so hard on you!" Eliza gushed tearily at them.
"Ah! Elmira, the boys will be getting home soon! We have to go!" Sachiko suddenly looked at clock and began to gather her things.
"You're right! Sorry Juvia-chan. We'll see you tomorrow!" Then, suddenly, the whirlwind that had been these women suddenly disappeared, leaving Gajeel and Juvia very much alone.
After a moments' silence, Gajeel turned to Juvia.
"Husband?"
Juvia flinched.
"Why do they think I'm your husband?"
Juvia got up from her seat with some difficulty. She was of sizable girth now, Gajeel thought, watching her walk to the stove. He remembered when the first bump had appeared and Juvia had been so excited. Even more so when they had first felt the baby kick.
"You see, when Juvia first came here and met them, they automatically assumed that Juvia and Gajeel-kun were married and Juvia couldn't...wasn't able to..." She trailed of guiltily.
Gajeel sighed.
"I get it."
"Eh?" Juvia looked at him startled. Did Gajeel-kun figure out that Juvia is feeling funny around him.
"Yeah. It's gonna be hard to explain our situation to them. So it's easier to pretend we're married and more convenient for us too." Gajeel shrugged and dug into the food.
"Oh uhm. Yes. Juvia thought so too." Juvia didn't know why, but suddenly, she felt a little upset.
Gajeel on the other hand, remained confused.
Husband? You mean people have been thinking of us as a married couple the entire time?
Some how the thought didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.
Well you have to admit. It wouldn't be so bad to wake to that piece of work everyday.
Gajeel suddenly had a vision of Juvia greeting him at the front door of his own house, in her normal clothes, and kissing him passionately, saying:
"Welcome home darling!"
Stop that! Gajeel chastised himself, groaning inwardly. It abruptly dawned on him as he watched Juvia's plump figure bustle cutely around the kitchen, cleaning up, that his feelings for her were no longer platonic.
He dropped his spoon on the table, the utensil emitting a loud clatter that startled Juvia.
"Gajeel-kun?" He got up from the table and began walking towards the front door.
"Gajeel-kun?! Where are you going?" He didn't dare look at her now. He wasn't sure what kind of expression he was making and he would die first before he let her see him blushing.
"O-out. I'm jus' gonna take a walk. I'll be back soon."
"Okay?" Juvia watched him leave in confusion.
What just happened? Juvia hopes that Gajeel-kun didn't think Juvia was acting funny. But Juvia is glad Gajeel didn't discover her secret. If he found out, that Juvia was maybe...in love with him, he would surely not want to stay with Juvia anymore. It's clear to Juvia that Gajeel only thinks of Juvia as a friend.
Just a friend.
... ... ...
Juvia? Juvia. JUVIA?! No, no. That can't be right. Levy. Levy. I like Levy. The bookworm. The shrimp. Gajeelgroaned and sat down on a rock a little farther into the forest.
If I'm in love with Juvia, then what about Levy? Gajeel realized that though he had believed he was in love with the book-a-holic, it was really more that he harboured a soft spot for her, since her heart was so forgiving to him. He did love her. Just maybe not as much as he now loved Juvia. He'd known Juvia since his Phantom Lord days, since Jose had brought her to the guild, a cold, empty albeit eccentric shell. She had seen the worst, the evilest side of him and yet, she believed he was a kind, good person. He remembered scoffing at her, thinking her to be yet another weak woman and he made no effort to cover up the fact that he was calling her out.
What a mistake.
Laughing to himself, Gajeel looked at the jagged scar on his bicep, a result of the ensuing battle between himself and the rain-woman. She wiped the floor with him.
Literally.
Then she'd thrown him out the fourth floor window and straight to the ground below, overwhelming him with the sheer flow of her power.
And while he was resilient, it didn't mean he couldn't get hurt. And he had. Badly. In the end, it was Juvia who had nursed his unwilling self back to health. Ignoring all the curses he threw at her. It was the only way he'd known to hold on to his broken pride. It didn't bode well if Jose's right hand man was defeated by a girl wielding a parasol.
Gajeel sighed. Things were just getting messier now. He'd never have believed it back then if you had told him he would fall in love with the ame-onna. But he had. And now, he had to think of a plan of action. It was obvious he couldn't tell Juvia. She had been rejected by the man she had loved with all her soul, then been raped by someone who'd told her she was worth nothing, and now she was pregnant.
There was way too much on her plate to be dealing with him right now he decided. Besides, telling her would be like throwing any sense of normalcy they had now right out the window. He couldn't risk that. Not when Juvia had just learned how to smile again. Juvia's happiness was his first priority and nothing would get in the way of that. Nothing. No matter what, her happiness was something he would protect.
Resolve set in place, Gajeel trudged back towards the house. Upon walking back in, he found Juvia pacing in the living room in circles.
"Juvia?" Her head snapped up and her expression turned to one of relief.
"Oh thank mavis."
"What's wrong?" Gajeel asked, concerned over her anxiousness.
"What's wrong?! Juvia was worried! Gajeel-kun said he would be back soon! It's been an hour!" He pointed a finger accusingly at him.
"S-sorry?'
"Sit down and finish your dinner. Gajeel-kun has barely touched it. Juvia is mad at you." Gajeel sat down at the table again, noting that his food had been re-heated.
"Yeah sorry about that." The rest of the time he spent eating dinner, Gajeel watched Juvia out of the corner of his eye. Everything was so different when you realized you loved the person you previously thought was only a friend.
After dinner, Juvia went upstairs to prepare for bed and get the room ready for sleeping, while Gajeel sat preparing the next day's lesson plan and marking assignment papers.
He heard a faint buzz suddenly and looked in his bag, dropping everything, searching for his communication lacrima. He finally pulled out the crystal ball-esque contraption, setting it on the table as he answered it.
"Hello?"
... ... ...
"Alright. We've been searching for this bastard for months. I think we've finally got them this received intel on their current position. With the help of Lamia Scale, we should be able to corner them properly this time." Erza stood on the stage in the back of the guild, addressing the members. Lucy, Levy, Natsu, Wendy, Gray, and Cana stood at the forefront. Happy, Carla and Pantherlily sat on the stage for a better vantage point.
"This time, we're gonna get each and every one of them. However I don't want any of you to underestimate them. I said it before, they were hit men first and mages second. What they lack in magic they make up for in manipulation, coercion and brute strength. So when you take them down, take. Them. Down. Make sure they stay unconscious. If you can render them unconscious –"
"Aren't we missing someone?" The voice came from behind Erza and they turned to see the Guild Master walk out, carrying a projection communication lacrima.
"Missing someone? Who could we be missing?" Gray called out, impatient to get back to planning for tomorrow's raid.
"Gajeel."
The buzz of guild conversation died down at the mention of the Iron Dragon Slayer. Since the day of his confrontation with Gray, he had returned to the guild only a handful of times. Each time he would always speak with the master and then leave, sometimes taking Wendy with him. Gray had attempted to speak to him but had been rebuffed with a curt.
"Until you decide what you want to do about Juvia, I don't want to hear anything from you." Erza looked at the Master questioningly.
"But how are we going to -?"
"Gajeel will want to be there when we take Amon down." With that, the lacrima whirred to life and in moments with a click, Gajeel's studded face appeared in the screen on the wall.
"Hello?"
Erza stared at the image. Gajeel had even refused to speak to her beyond a few words, this was the first time she'd seen him in months. He appeared to be in a house, the lighting around him was dim and homey.
"Ah, Gajeel."
"Yo."
"How are things on your end?" The master asked, and the guild realized rapidly that wherever Gajeel was, Juvia was with him. This had occurred to Gray to as he was now watching the screen intently as if committing it to memory.
"Good. Yeah, we're doing okay. I guess." There was an odd blush on his otherwise stony face that the Master chose not to comment on, though it was definitely noted.
"Glad to hear it. Now. To business. We found him."
Natsu watched with apprehension as Gajeel's expression darkened.
"Where?"
"In a forest on the south side of Hargeon city."
"So you're going tomorrow."
"It's a guild of 200 mages, minimum. They seemed to have gained members. So the whole guild is going. Whatever you do, Juvia can't know. She'll get anxious and she's in her 8th month now, right?"
Cana felt Gray stiffen next to her. With her absence, it was easy to forget that Juvia was pregnant.
"Yeah. Oh. Gray." Gajeel's eyes zeroed on the ice mage, causing him to jump slightly.
"Just so you know. We know who the father is."
Gray gulped.
"And?" He was almost afraid to ask.
"It's yours. Juvia's been accidentally freezing things for a month now." Gajeel held up a frozen mug wryly.
"Trust me. I want to beat you half to death right now, but I'm also kinda glad it was yours. I don't know what would have happened to Juvia if it was his."
Gray sighed. He could relate. He was half relieved and half filled with dread with the news.
"Uh, where is Juvia-chan, Gajeel-kun?" Lucy asked. She hadn't seen the water mage in 8 months and was worried about her wellbeing.
"Juvia," He sighed, running a gloved hand through his black unruly hair. "You know Juvia doesn't want – "
"Gajeel-kun."
The whole guild jumped in sync at the voice of mage in question. Everyone watched as Juvia walked into their field of vision, climbing down the stairs, very obviously pregnant, dressed in a blue satin night gown that reached her mid thighs, highlighting her pregnant belly. Her hair had grown longer as well, Lucy noted, the blue tresses now reached to the middle of her back.
"Gajeel-kun, are you coming to bed soon?" Their view of the woman was obscured suddenly when Gajeel threw his jacket over the lacrima.
"Y-yeah. Gimme a minute." They heard Juvia's now disembodied voice agree and fade into the background. When Gajeel uncovered the lacrime, his ears were a suspicious red to the astonishment of the guild.
"So. Tomorrow right? I'll be there." His expression turned dark again. "No one touches Amon, that son of a bitch is mine." With that eloquent declaration, Gajeel suddenly cut the transmission, leaving them staring at a black screen.
The guild was silent following the communication. In all of their thoughts, there was only one thought reigning supreme.
If Gajeel was...to Juvia. Then, what about Levy?
"Oi! You don't really think Metal-head's got a thing for Juvia-chan?!" Wakaba hoarse whispered to Macao.
"Idiot! Sssshhh!" Macao hit him, pointing to Levy, standing still, staring at the black screen.
Lucy turned almost fearfully to the bluenette in question and almost wished she hadn't.
The script mage stood, silent, hands clenched at her sides.
"Levy-chan..." Mira Jane reached out hesitantly. Levy looked up suddenly, smiling, startling the take over mage.
"Wow! That was a surprise, seeing Juvia chan like that. Did you see Gajeel's face? He's got it bad haha. I suspected as much, what with them being from the same guild and all. I'm happy for him, it's not like it matter to me. I'm fine with it. I'm fine..."Tears began to swim in the girls eyes, streaming down her face. She raised a hand, almost questioningly to them, as if surprised by them.
"Eh?" She laughed, voice shaking. "Why am I crying? It's not like I care. I'm happy for him. I'm...urghh...I'm happy." Levy forced out, her voice clogged with tears, frantically rubbing at the tears, as her guildmates watched sorrowfully. She finally succumbed, and collapsed to the floor in front of Erza and the Master. Lucy was instantly at her side as was every other female member of the guild. Levy began to sob harder and harder, her hands over her face, repeating one phrase over and over like a mantra. Like a spell that she desperately wished were true.
"I'm fine. I'm happy..."
... ... ...
A/N: hmm. That was a lot of crying. Oh well. I liked it. Tell me what you think. Pretty please?