AN: Finally new chapter, didn't post last week because of visiting home for the anniversary of my Tio's passing, I just didn't have the time. I really wanted to get a chapter out to you all this week, I had a lot more planned for this chapter, but it will have to roll over to next week when I have more time to write more! If this chapter feels like I ended abruptly, I apologize!

Finally, thank you to everyone who commented and supported by following/favoriting!

Chapter 4 Undelivered

Juvia's eyes twitched as the sun began to rise over the group. Even with her eyes closed, the harsh light blinded her. At some point during the night, Meredy stopped cuddling with Juvia, despite sleeping on the coarse beach, the pink-haired girl sleeping peacefully, snoring even, with her limbs stretched out. Juvia would have found the whole ordeal funny if it weren't for the fact that Meredy greedily hogged Gray's jacket for herself, no doubt on accident. The way the girl slept, Juvia was sure she never shared a bed with anyone in her life, let alone a cover.

Juvia squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to block out the sunlight, still feeling exhausted from her restless night. She cuddled further into the soft mass under her head and sighed contentiously.

When Meredy so kindly abandoned Juvia to the cold, she unconsciously moved to the heat source closest to her; Gray. Just as he said, the cold didn't bother him, and he slept straight with his arms crossed over his chest, though he was asleep, his brows pinched in a scowl. Juvia was amazed by how warm he was and scooted closer to him, curling into his side. She tried her best to cover her midsection, partially regretting tearing her shirt to make a wrap for Erza's foot. She tried her best to stop shaking, not wanting to wake him, but it was pointless. It wasn't until she felt him turn on his side, bending an arm to support his chest while the other one wrapped around Juvia, pulling her further into him.

Juvia's face heated up despite the cold air as she looked up at the boy, but he was still deep in sleep. She wondered if he would remember their current position when he woke up. Had this been in the real world, and they didn't just experience a plane crash followed by one of the most traumatic deaths any of them had seen, she would have pulled away. Being this close to a man she hardly knew was not normal for her, but they weren't in the real world, and she was freezing; she was allowed to be selfish.

She was finally falling back to sleep when she heard Gajeel's voice.

"Fuck, my back feels like it's going to fall off." He stretched his legs out and accidentally kicked Bora in the process recently in a groan of complaint from the older boy.

"That had to be the worst night of my life." Lucy cried, sitting up from her spot and rubbing her eyes.

"Tell me about it," Levy mumbled in agreement, and her voice was huskier than usual.

Juvia felt a low rumble come from Gray's chest where her head rested. She looked up and saw him release a long yawn, blinking his eyes repeatedly, trying to force himself awake. The cheek that rested on his arm was a deep pink, and his lips were slightly swollen from his sleep. When he finally looked down at her, he offered a shy smile and softly nudged her to move so they could sit up.

"Sorry," Juvia whispered, embarrassed that he caught her staring.

"Don't worry about it. How'd you sleep?"

Juvia let out a sarcastic pushing her salt texted hair behind her ear. "What sleep?"

Gray let out an amused hum of agreement.

"It was a rough night for Juvia…but Gray-sama made it better." She answered honestly. "How did you sleep?"

"Honestly, not as bad as I thought, probably because I had good company." Juvia blushed; her eyes glanced to the further end of the beach and witnessed the freshly buried grave.

"How is Gray-sama…" Juvia carefully tried to choose the following words; her wounds still raw. "With Wendy-san, she means, Juvia made everyone so worried about her that no one checked on Gray-sama. Juvia knows he was worried about her too."

Gray sighed, running his hand through his grimed hair. "Not going to lie, it fucking sucks," He admitted. Even though they were sitting up, their bodies were still close, their shoulders brushing together, his knees raised, and one of Juvia's legs pressed against his. Their closeness was comforting. "But Gajeel was right; we can't lose ourselves here. We need to do what we can to keep each other safe."

Back on the mainland - 1 Day before

Lyon tapped his foot on the ground, annoyed as he waited at the airport's arrivals section. He had rushed over after a meeting with a client to pick his stepbrother up from his flight. Gray hated to wait, so Lyon made sure to show up 30 minutes earlier, but now it was well over 2 hours since the plane should have arrived, but due to delays, it was late.

He looked down at his phone and scrolled through his messages.

Gray

To: I'm here, and I came earlier, so don't take too long. Undelivered

To: Did any of your bags have to go to baggage claim? Undelivered

To: Were you too cheap to buy the plane wifi? Undelivered

To: Okay, it's been an hour. Stop being cheap and buy the plane wifi. Undelivered

To: I swear to god I am going to leave this airport and you can find your way ho-

Lyon didn't get to finish typing his message when he received an incoming call from his older sister Ultear.

"Why do you wa-"

"Please tell me Gray is with you?" She interrupted him quickly. "Have you got to the airport?"

"No, he isn't with me, and yes, I am at the airport. I've been here for over two fucking hours."

"Where did he say he was traveling from?"

"Alvarez, why?" Lyon's anger began to dull as he listened to his sister's shaky voice. Something was wrong.

"What was his flight number?"

"Why?"

"What was his flight number?" She repeated, raising her voice.

"Ultear, what's wrong?"

"Goddamn it, Lyon, what was his flight number?" He could almost feel her hyperventilating through the phone, her breaths coming out as heaves.

"Flight 247!" When the line was silent, he heard a loud crash and could only assume it was her phone falling from her hand.

"Ultear? Ultear?" Lyon shouted into his phone. He was ready to leave to make sure she was okay until he saw a girl rush up to a person also waiting in arrivals; she was crying, practical sobbing, but she was clear enough for Lyon to understand her words.

"The plane, the plane from Alvarez, crashed!"

The next several minutes played out in stillness's. He didn't remember running to his car and driving to the airline's departures heading straight for the customer service desk. Other families there demanding information on the crash, only for staff to tell them they didn't have information at this time.

"My fiancé, his name is Ren. He was on the plane; I just need to know what's happening. I need information." Lyon looked at the crying girl next to she was inconsolable.

"Ma'am, we are doing everything we can, we are still trying to find out information. So, please, sit while we try to find information."

"I drove like a maniac to get here, and I am pregnant; please you have to know something?"

"I'm sorry, we are doing the best we can."

Conversations around him were those like these: everyone in distress and panicked for the loved ones. Lyon couldn't help but grab his phone as his shaky hands began to type.

Gray

To: There has to be a mistake? Undelivered

To: Please tell me you weren't on that plane? Undelivered

To: I'll keep waiting, just come. Undelivered

Undelivered. That repeated word tore into Lyon's gut.

The only thing that pulled Lyon back was the loud voice that spoke into the overhead speakers to get everyone's attention.

"There was a plane crash, Flight 247 Alvarez to Magnolia; we lost contact with the plane not long after departure due to interference. We received a distress signal, but-" the man paused as if he was trying to find the best words. "-we aren't uncertain where the plane crashed."

The sounds of instant uproars filled the lobby at the lack of information, everyone yelling over each other, trying to pry as much information out of the help desk as they could.

Everything was chaotic until a booming voice demanded everyone's attention.

"Do you know who I am? I am Jude Heartfilia. I own half of this city. My daughter was supposed to be safe in your airline's hands, and you're saying to plane crashed?"

The nervous work was sweating as she tried to calm the older man down. "Please, sure, we have told you all everything we know. There is nothing we can do for you all right now. Please, everyone, go home and wait for the news to come. The airline will keep you updated with everything we found out."

The older blond-haired man towered to the young employee, unquestionably to intimate her. "You better pray my daughter is fine, or the next time I come up here, I'm taking their whole airline down."

He straightened his coat and pushed his hair back, recollecting himself before turning away to move towards the exit.

Lyon's feet moved on his own, and before he knew it, he was calling out to the older man, "Mr. Heartfilia, wait!" He'd heard his name thousands of times; he knew exactly who this man was and the power he hands on this city if anyone could help him bring Gray home, it was him.

The older man turned with a scowl on his face. "What do you work for the airline?"

"No?"

"Then what do you want?"

"My name is Lyon, I was going to ask-"

"Hurry up, boy. I don't have all day."

Lyon was taking back from his rudeness but reminded himself they were all stressed in this situation. "My brother was on that plane, just like your daughter. If there is anything you can do to help find them, I want to help!"

Jude thought, "Just wait for the airline to give us updates. There's not much anyone can do from there." \

"What about hiring a PI or trying to investigate ourselves?" Lyon offered desperately.

"Investigate what? Information only the airline would know? Listen, boy, I have the stuff to do, and I don't have time for your false hope."

Lyon narrowed his eyes but pulled out his wallet; Jude misunderstood the exchange and spat at the boy with his voice laced in venom, "Don't insult me with your attempt to pay me boy."

"I'm not offering you money, just my business card."

Jude grabbed the card carefully and studied it. "Vastia Co, I've head of them. You're the CEO?"

"Yes"

"Then why are you asking for my money to fund your 'investigation."

"I wasn't asking for your money; I was asking for your help so we can align our resources. I will do what I can when you get tired of waiting for the airline to give your information."

Lyon began to walk away; his body was feeling heavy, and he was still worried about Ultear. He had to check on her.

"You said your name was Lyon?" He turned and nodded. "I'll have one of my people be in touch with you."

Back on the Island

"Okay, now that we got the beauty sleep, we need, it's time to get to work." Gajeel wasn't willing to spend another night in the cold since there was enough sunlight for them to work, he began assigning out tasks.

"I know this isn't the old days, and while I'm usually all of the equality, I think the work will go faster if the boys focus on making the shelter and the girls work on trying to find stuff to sustain us, fruits, water, firewood, anything that will help us."

The girls looked offended for a second until Meredy stood up, dusting their hands off her pants. "Less work for us, I don't mind it." Levy and Juvia nodded their heads in agreement. If the boys were willing to overwork themselves for the sake of being boys, who were they to stop them.

Meredy stood over Gray and Juvia holding out her hand for the blue-haired girl to take; Juvia gave him one last look as if to silently say Juvia will be soon. He answered in a soft smile nodding his head as if to reply I know.

Juvia took the girl's hand, and they headed towards Lucy and Levy.

"We should move Erza to the shade." Levy said, looking down at the redhead.

"What? No, I'm going to help." Erza argued. She tried to stand, but her foot was still extremely swollen and a pain shot through her leg, causing her to fall. Lucy and Juvia reached out to her instantly, but Jellal was the first to grab her. Their hands brushed accidentally, and Lucy snatched her hand back as if she was burned. Juvia stared at her in confusion as Lucy bit her lip avoiding her gaze.

"No offense, but you can barely walk. We'd be struggling to try to drag you with us," Meredy replied, crossing her arms.

Erza opened her mouth to argue, but Levy spoke first. "She has a point; just save your energy. When your foot is better, we will be putting you to work."

"Fine." She gave up and let Jellal lead her to the shaded ground beneath a tree. "Thanks."

"No problem." Her cheeks flushed a bright pink, and Juvia was sure it wasn't from the sun.

The group of four girls made their way into the woods and begin their search, stopping every few seconds to collect wood.

"We should search the area we found last time, Lucy; we can find more berries, maybe?"

"There wasn't much in that area. Would it be worth it to go back?"

"Not sure, but we can split up and find out," the small blue-haired girl wrapped her hand around Meredy's wrist and pulled her away before she had time to complain.

Lucy sighed, and Juvia almost wanted to laugh; it was apparent Levy was trying to give Lucy a chance to talk to Juvia alone after their argument yesterday, but Juvia wasn't sure if she was ready to forgive and let go. When they lost Wendy, it affected everyone, admitted some more than others, but everyone felt something as their youngest ally internally bled to death in the sand.

The two girls walked silently for several minutes, the awkwardness getting to the both of them; however, Juvia refused to show her. Instead, she continues walking, confidently putting one foot in front of the other with her head up. Lucy, on the other hand, twirled her thumbs as she took large steps in attempt to keep up with Juvia's fast pace.

"So, do you think we will be lucky and find anything?" Lucy asked awkwardly.

"Maybe. You and Levy-san did find some berries yesterday so that's a good sign." She offered back dully. She trusted you. Juvia couldn't help but roll her eyes at the thought.

Even with the trees acting as shade, the sun burned onto the girl's skin, and Juvia's ocean-textured hair stuck to the back of her neck with sweat as beads rolled down her forehead. The salty substance trailed to her lips, dipping past the chapped crevasses of her mouth, acting as her only form of hydration.

"Juvia, I'm really sorry about what I said."

"Is that right?" Juvia chuckled.

"Yes. I don't even know why I said it!"

Juvia nodded and continued looking at the area around them. She noticed brown circle shapes on the floor and instantly recognized them as walnuts. She looked up and saw a large tree offering a vast supply above them. She quickly got to work, finding a decent rock, and began craving the pointy side into the tree to mark it for the future.

Lucy bit her lips as Juvia continued to ignore her, the uncomfortable feeling building in her chest amplified as she lowered herself to help collect the fallen nuts. She wanted to tell Juvia she thought she was strong with how she bore everything, she wanted to let her understand she didn't think Juvia betrayed Wendy for desiring to bury her. Candidly speaking, Lucy knew burying the body was the best option, but that meant accepting they'd be on the island for a while, and she wasn't willing to accept that. She just wanted to stay optimistic, she really believed rescue would come in the night. Truthfully, Lucy was so sure they would come that she didn't get an ounce of sleep as she watched closely at the shoreline hoping to see any signs of a search party. As the sun got higher and the night began to flee, so did some of her hope.

"I was just stupid; I know I shouldn't have said those things. I didn't even mean them."

"It's fine, just forget about it." Juvia's voice was dry, and Lucy knew she hadn't been truly pardoned.

"Juvia, I–" Suddenly the walnuts Juvia collected were dropped into a pile and she huffed in frustration.

"Lucy-san, Juvia is sure you are a sweet girl, and she believes you when you say you didn't mean what you said and that you are sorry, but Juvia needs time. She won't forgive you just because you apologize. We don't know how long we will be stuck here, but as of now; we need to have each other's back. Juvia doesn't have to like you or be friends; we just need to respect each other."

Lucy's lips pouted at Juvia's words, she hadn't meant to anger the girl. She wondered if she made the situation worse than before. She wanted to continue explaining herself to the other girl but she was scared that her pressing the conversation would just push the girl further away.

They spent the rest of their time together in silence and Juvia wondered if she was too hard on Lucy. She followed Juvia around like a shadow and looked as if someone kicked her dog. Instinctually she wanted to tell apologize to the girl as well and explain that she too was just under high emotions but no matter how many times her words caressed the tip of her tongue, Juvia remained quiet.

Levy and Meredy rejoined them not long after, holding the ends of their shirts forward to carry the berries they collected.

"We found some coconuts too, but most of the ones on the ground were already dead and the tree was too high for us to reach on our own."

"We can ask one of the guys to reach them for us?" Levy said offering a solution.

Juvia could see Levy's eyes motioning towards her as she had a silent conversation with Lucy, she asked how things went, but Lucy only shook her head in defeat and Levy gave her a comforting smile in return.