Author's note: Hello everyone! I know a lot of you have been eagerly awaiting this chapter, and I'm very sorry for such a big delay. I hope it lives up to expectations! Thank you so much for continuing to read and support my writing! Feel free to leave and comments or criticism! Enjoy~

Nyx stepped off of the train, taking in a big breath of the salty sea air. She couldn't help but smile. Lucy stepped off behind her, stretching and letting out a contented sigh.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" she cheered eagerly.

"The beach, the beach!" Happy chanted, running off the train, jumping with excitement. Erza followed him, a small smile on her lips.

"This will be quite refreshing, won't it?"

"Come on Gray sama, stay with Juvia!" Juvia pulled Gray off of the train behind her. His expression was sour. Nyx had refused to sit beside him on the train ride, and had chosen to instead sit with Gajeel to help him through his motion sickness. After a few moments, Natsu and Gajeel stumbled off of the train. Both of them appeared ill, though Natsu seemed a little worse for wear. Nyx rushed to Gajeel's side to support him. He was about to push her off. He was an iron dragon slayer, he didn't need a little girl to help him. Then he looked at her, and the concern that welled in her blue eyes stopped him.

"Are you alright?" she questioned.

"I'll be fine," he muttered, looking away from her, but resting a hand on her head. She grinned, and pulled on his arm.

"Good, then lets get to the inn. I was hoping we could make it to the beach for sunset tonight." The group made their way towards the inn they had decided on. After arriving and checking in, they took the hallway that led to the two rooms they had paid for. Nyx stopped at the first door. "Let's take this room Gajeel." He nodded. Natsu grinned.

"Alright, Happy and I will-" Gray shoved the salamander away from the door. Natsu glared at him. "What the hell's your problem!"

"I'll be taking this room," he stated simply. Nyx gave him a look of utter exasperation. Juvia quickly clung to his arm.

"Then Juvia will take this room as well!" Natsu moved on to the next door, muttering something under his breath. Happy and Erza followed him.

"So after we change, we'll meet you guys out here?" Lucy suggested. Nyx nodded, and opened the door. The room consisted of two large beds and one bathroom. The wall opposite the door was a large window the looked out over the small seaside town. With a happy giggle, Nyx flopped on to the windowside bed.

"Isn't this great?" Gajeel sat beside her.

"It's alright I guess." Gray cleared his throat, his eyes blazing as he looked at Gajeel.

"I thought we were supposed to be getting changed?" Nyx scowled at him

"Relax Gray, we're here to have fun. Don't go ruining it for us." He opened his mouth to protest, but Juvia quickly ran over, grabbed Nyx by the wrist, and pulled her up.

"Why don't we go get changed Nyx san?" Nyx nodded, grabbed her bathing suit from her bags, and followed Juvia to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, Juvia looked at her with sad eyes. "Juvia doesn't like when you and Gray sama fight." Nyx sighed.

"I'm sorry Juvia, it's just..."

"They'll learn to get along eventually because they both care for you," Juvia said with a reassuring smile. Nyx smiled back, Juvia's words giving her a bit of optimism.

"I hope you're right." The girls changed quietly, and once they were both done, Nyx knocked on the bathroom door. Gray had changed into navy blue swim trunks, while Gajeel sported black.

"You can come out," Gray responded. Juvia stepped out first, giving a little spin to show off her bathing suit.

"What do you think Gray sama?"

"It looks fine," he said flatly. Juvia's smile fell.

"Did Juvia pick the wrong one? Would you have prefered a different color? A different style?" She sounded as though she was ready to cry. Nyx stuck her head out of the bathroom and shot Gray a stern look. He seemed to panic for a minute.

"Oh, uh...uh no! That's not it at all! It looks great on you Juvia, really," he quickly blurted out. With those words, her spirits seemed to lift again, and she threw her arms around him.

"Juvia is so glad!" Nyx's attention wandered towards Gajeel, and as he eyes fell on him, she could feel her cheeks grow warm. His eyes met hers, and he raised a brow.

"What is it Jewels? Are you coming out or what?" She suddenly felt self conscious.

"Well, I uh...I might just change back into my clothes, I mean...I'm not going into the water, and-"

"Just come on." He walked over and took hold of the handle, trying to pull the door open further. Nyx shook her head, pulling as hard as she could to keep the door closed.

"No, let me change back!"

"Come on, don't be such a pain in the ass!" he insisted, giving the door one last sharp tug. With a yelp, Nyx was yanked forward along with the door. The handle slipped out of her grasp, and she fell right into Gajeel's arms. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed as close to him as she could, that way he couldn't see her suit. "Stop goofing off," he grumbled, taking hold of her shoulders, and holding her away from him. "You're being…" He stopped. She hugged herself to hide as best she could, but that didn't take away from her looks in the slightest. The gray bathing suit accentuated her curves, which he never really noticed when she wore her regular clothing. It was also the first time he had seen any of the scarring beyond her face, neck and arm. He had never really noticed how much damaged he had actually done. He was disgusted with himself, and yet he found the scarring strangely beautiful. He could feel his face growing hot, and the tightness in his chest. Nyx refused to look at him. His hands traveled from her shoulders down to her wrists. He gripped them gently and pulled her arms from her body. Her face burned a bright red. "Stop that," he said softly. Nyx looked up at him, surprised to hear the uncharacteristically affectionate tone out of the dragon.

"But I-" He placed a tender kiss on her forehead. He then looked away from her, suddenly embarrassed by his own actions.

"You look fine," he mumbled. A small smile appeared on Nyx's lips. Suddenly she filled with all of the confidence in the world. She stood on her toes and pecked Gajeel on the cheek.

"Thank you…" Gray stood silently, watching his sister and Gajeel, his arms folded and a scowl plastered on his face. Juvia still had her arms wrapped tightly around him, and was nuzzling his shoulder, but he paid her no mind.

"Are you two ready or what?" he snapped. He received a glare from Gajeel, and an expression of surprise from Nyx, as if she had forgotten he was there. He felt a slight pang of guilt, but ignored it. "Come on, let's get going," he said impatiently. With a nod, Nyx took hold of Gajeel's arm, and they made their way towards the beach.