Chapter 5

Hi guys, sorry i had to delete the other one , this is the same but with a new ending, i got confused and i accidentally wrote more on this one so im just re updating it. But oh well, Hope you enjoy it. (I do not own fairytail)

Fear~

Gray, Natsu, Lucy and Happy kept walking down the road, threw the town. Gray and Natsu were silently bickering I the back, but something was different. Sure, Natsu was still annoyed, but it was Gray. They already had established that he was Joy, because of his yellow cloak, and the way he was acting, but in their usual fights he's more annoyed, but this time he seems happy. He can't stop smiling, while he was annoying Natsu. Natsu's never really seen this smile on Gray before, it's usually a smirk. It's rare to see Gray smile like this, it's weird, but it's also-kinda-nice to see Gray happy, once, in a while.

"You, stupid popsicle." Natsu muttered.

"You, stupid flamebrain." Gray grinned.

Lucy got fed up with this bickering, and told them to shut up at one point, but they ignored her, like usual, and continued fighting.

"You know, I don't think they're going to shut up." Happy said, in Lucy's arms. Lucy sighed.

"Yeah, no kidding." She muttered. "Hey, how long do you think we've been away from the guild" Lucy asked Happy, looking down at him, curiously. Happy thought about it for a second.

"I don't know. Probably not that long."

"I wonder if anyone's worried about us." Lucy mused, putting a hand to her chin, thinking.

"Don't know. Do you think if anyone did find us, they'll be able to get us out?" Happy asked, looking up at Lucy.

"I hope so. I hope Erza or someone we'll be able to find us."

"Yeah." They continued walking on and on, listening to Gray's and Natsu's bickering.

"You pervert."

"You pyromaniac, and who you calling a pervert."

"you, you stripper." Gray looked down, and found out that his shirt was missing.

"Gaahh!" He screamed, but cracked up laughing. Natsu was taken aback. He's never, and I mean NEVER, seen Gray reacted this way to a missing shirt.

"Oh well, that happens all the time. When I was younger, I tried to break out of this habit, but I just gave up and made it my thing, you know?" Gray laughed, looking at Natsu's shocked face.

"You're weird." Natsu exclaimed, completely baffled by Gray's reaction. He crossed his arms, and looking ahead of them.

Happy, and Lucy smiled a little after they saw Gray's reaction. It was funny to see Gray's reaction like that and especially Natsu's reaction. Although in Natsu's defence, it was kind of unusual to see Gray act like that. Normally he would be frantically trying to search for his shirt, or pants. Maybe it was just because Erza wasn't around. Apparently one time, she did beat him up for walking around naked, so… Anyway, it was still funny seeing him like this.

Back in the forest of Marigold town, Erza, Wendy, and Carla were trying to wake the other four up. Wendy was healing Gray first, because he had read marks on his neck, as if he had been choked by someone.

"Do you think they are going to be alright?" Erza asked, worriedly, looking at her comrades. Wendy wiped some sweat of her forehead, and shrugged.

"They should be alright, but I don't know why they're not waking up."

"Maybe they're just exhausted, or something." Carla suggested.

"Maybe." Erza hoped that was all it was. Suddenly she heard a rustle behind a tree nearby.

"Wendy, did you hear that?" Erza asked her. Wendy nodded, lowering her magic away from Gray, since the red marks were fading now.

"Yeah. It came from over there." She pointed at one of the trees, in front of them. They both stood up and walked, quietly towards the tree. Wendy took the right side and Erza took the left. They both jumped behind the tree, startling the figure that was spying on them. Erza requiped a sword, and pointed it at the figure, right at his heart. The man gave a small squeak, and jumped in surprise.

"I wasn't doing anything, I swear." He held up his shaking hands in surrender, he closed his eyes and looked away from Erza.

"Then what do you think you were doing behind the tree watching us?" Erza asked, moving her sword, so it was just touching his skin.

"I was just travelling by, and I-I saw you three there and I was just curious. Tha-that's all. Hehe." He chuckled nervously. Erza held her sword tighter, and she glared at him even more.

"Tell me the truth. Are you responsible for my friend's conditions?"

"I-I-" The man stopped stuttering and grinned evilly. His hands stopped shaking and he put them down. He grabbed Erza's sword with his right hand, and smiled.

"Yes I am, there is that all you want to know?" He pushed Erza's sword away, and stood back from her.

"No. Tell me, what happened, and how can you fix them?" She asked. The man just continued to smirk evilly, and shrugged.

"Now what would be the fun in that." Erza moved her sword in front of the man again.

"Tell me."

"Mmmh, I don't think so." The next thing he knew was that, he felt a sharp pain on his head and it went all black.

Erza growled in frustration, and punched the tree. How could he not tell her? What had he done to her comrades.

"Erza, we'll find a way to save them. I know we will." Wendy smiled, hoping that Erza we'll calm down. Carla smiled in agreement.

"Yes, Wendy you are right. Don't worry Erza I'm sure they'll be fine." Erza sighed. They were right. Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were all going to be fine. She just had to have faith in her friends. They'll be able to figure out a way to save them. Then after they have, she was going to scold them for hours for making her worry.

"How much further do we have to go?" Lucy asked. She felt like they've been walking for hours. Nothings much has changed during that time; the houses were still the same, snow was still around, the sky was still surprising bright blue, the only difference was that it was snowing, now.

"We should be nearly there." Gray replied, putting his hands behind his head, with a grin.

"What do you mean." Lucy asked, looking at him.

"WE're nearly at the exit." He shrugged.

"You mean, we're finally getting out of here?" Natsu asked, excitedly.

"Well, sort of-" He was about to continue, but Natsu cut him of by screaming.

"Yaaaaaassssss! Happy! We finally get to leave Gray's mind. I can't wait, until I get these Gray germs of me." Natsu smiled. Gray coffed.

"Jealous." He smirked. Natsu stopped yelling and looked at Gray, confused.

"What do you mean, I'm jealous?" He asked, completely forgetting about their conversation from earlier.

"Again, you're just jealous of my mind."

"Ppffft, as if."

"You totally are." Gray stifled a laugh.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Hey, look we're almost to the exit." Gray pointed down the road, again. Natsu looked to see where Gray was pointing, but it all looked the same to Natsu. He turned to ask Gray where, but he had disappeared, again. For the third freaken time!

"Where did that bastard go?" Natsu yelled. He looked around, desperately searching for any sign of Gray, before he fully disappeared. Unfortunately, there was none.

"Why does he keep disappearing like that?" Happy asked, who was also searching around.

"Well, last time he disappeared and kept walking, we found him again." Lucy stated. "So, if we keep walking, we'll probably find him."

"Yeah, but he's always different and weird though. When are we going to find the real Gray?" Natsu questioned. Lucy shrugged.

"I don't know Natsu, but hopefully soon."

"Why? You miss him, already?" Happy chuckled. Natsu looked like he just swallowed a fly.

"As if I miss him. I just want to go home already." He explained.

"Suuuurrreee." Happy laughed.

"Shut up, cat." Lucy laughed at their bickering, as they continued down the path.

An hour later, they still had no sign of Gray. The team decided that they'll have a short break then continue. They down in a gap between two houses. Lucy sat on some boxes that were there, while Natsu sat down on the snow, and Happy landed on his head.

"Uugghh! When are we going to find Gray? It's been forever." Lucy complained. Nobody replied, since they didn't have the answer. They all hoped that they would find the real Gray soon and go home. Suddenly, Natsu heard a shift behind one of the boxes further down the alley, and he could hear someone breathing fast. He decided to go over and find out whoever it was, leaving Happy and Lucy behind, who was looking puzzled at him.

"I just heard something over there." He explained, pointing near the boxes. He walked over, and he was not expecting what he found. There was a boy, looking about eight, or nine, with raven hair, sitting there with his knees pulled up and his head bowed in his knees.

"Hey-uumm-Gray?" He asked, unsure. The boy looked up, terrified. His eyes widened as he saw Natsu, and his breathing hitched more. Natsu started panicking a little, unsure of what to do.

"Lucy!" He called, Lucy and Happy quickly came over; with worried expressions.

"What is it Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"I-I don't know. I found Gray, but he's freaking out and out I don't know what to do." The more he spoke, the more panicked Gray became. Lucy quickly walked next to him, and put her arms around him. Gray stiffened a little, but relaxed as she started to say calming things.

"Shhhh, it's ok Gray. It's just us."

"L-Lucy? N-Natsu?" Gray asked, calming down. Lucy nodded with a warm smile.

"Yeah, it's us. Everything's okay now." Gray's breathing began to slow down, and it turned back to normal.

"Is-Is he out there?" Gray asked, in a small, shaky voice. Lucy looked at him, confused, then at Natsu, who shrugged.

"Is who out there, Gray?" Happy asked, flying up to him, concerned.

"D-Deli-" Natsu breathed in deeply. Of course, it was going to be about Deliora. That damned demon. It's never going to leave Gray alone, is it?

"No, he's not Gray" He replied, crouching down, next to Gray, putting his hand on Gray's shoulder.

"A-are you sure?" He asked, still terrified as hell. Natsu nodded in reply.

"Yes, no one's out there, Gray. We were just there and there is no one else, alright?" Gray nodded, slowly. Natsu and Lucy both stood up, and Natsu held out a hand to Gray. Gray hesitantly took it, and stood up with them.

"Now everything's is going to be alright, ok Gray? Just stick with us and you'll be fine." Natsu promised. Gray nodded, slowly and held Lucy's hand for comfort. She jumped in surprise a little, but regained her calm posture, and smiled down at Gray. He looked up with weary eyes, but gave a tiny smile.

"O-kay." They walked out of the alley; Lucy holding Gray's hand. She looked down at him. The tears had stopped streaming down his face, and now he was taking deep breaths, calming down. Although his eyes kept darting in every direction as if expecting something to jump out at them. At least he was calming down now. A thought suddenly popped in her head. Why is this Gray a child, when all the other Gray's have been eighteen? Maybe it was because he was more scared as a child? She didn't know. She wanted to ask him, but she thought he might not have the answer, or does, but she was afraid that he was going to have another panic attack or something. She thought to ask Natsu later.

They walked on, down the street for another fifteen minutes, when Gray's breathing started to quicken, and he squeezed Lucy's hand tighter. She stopped walking and looked down at Gray, concerned.

"Gray? Are you alright?" He didn't respond, but his eyes were darting all over the place again, then suddenly he screamed. He let go off Lucy's hand, and covered his eyes, and crouched to the ground, crying.

"GRAY!" She called, crouching down next to him, and putting her hand on his shoulder. His reaction was immediate, he flinched away from the touch and toppled down to the ground. This caught Natsu's and Happy's attention, and they ran to him.

"Gray! Are you alright?" He asked. Natsu crouched down on the other side of Gray, looking down at him, horrified. Never in the entire time he has known Gray, he has never seen him like this.

"Gray. What's the matter? Come on man-uuh- come on Gray. Talk to me." Natsu shook Gray's shoulder a little, trying to snap him out of it. Suddenly he heard a small, shaky voice.

"It-it's, de-deli-ora." He said through sobs. Natsu sighed. He thought that was it. Natsu started to rub Gray's shoulder, moving it up and down, hoping that he would calm down. It was working. Gray took deep, shaky breaths to calm himself down, but he was still trembling.

"It's ok Gray. Deliora's gone, for good. Your Master defeated it. And at Galuna we saw it crumble into nothing, remember?" He asked, helping Gray sit up. Gray sniffled, and shook his head.

"He maybe physically gone, but he's never going to be gone in my mind." He sniffled, and rubbed his nose. Natsu's eyes widened with fear, and looked at Lucy's and Happy's expression, they looked like they were going to be sick. They were horrified by hat Gray said. He suspected that he looked like that too.

Happy walked over to Gray, and flew into his arms, and snuggled into him.

"it's going to be ok Gray. You might not be able to forget him forever, but we'll always be there to help you, so you'll never have to think about him. We'll be with you forever, and ever, and you'll never be lonely. You won't have to worry about Deliora, if we there for you, Gray. You have me, Natsu, Erza, Lucy, and the rest of the guild, even Lyon's there for you too." Happy smiled, curled up on Gray's lap, and Gray slowly wrapped his arms around him, and smiled a little.

"Thanks, happy." He whispered, quietly. He closed his eyes, and fell into what looked like a peaceful sleep. Natsu was surprised. What Happy said calmed him down. That was probably the nicest thing he ever heard Happy say to Gray. He had managed to calm Gray down, which was good, and what he had said was right. They were going to be there for Gray, forever. Even though the ice prick annoys him half the time, they were still close, and he was going to make sure that Gray would never have to worry about Deliora again. Never.

Hi guys hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading and please review. Thanks.

Graydevilslayerfan101 out~