Chapter 22: Return of Dragon

The snow fell on the Fairy Tail Guild hall. The wind wound through her hair, midnight blue like the night sky. Her emerald eyes shined brightly in the bright winter sun as she stared at the newly built guild hall of Fairy Tail. As Arion stood outside those large doors, she wondered if they remembered her. It HAD been 3 years.

On the other side of those same doors, Gray Fullbuster wondered if SHE remembered HIM. If she was alive to remember anyone. He had spent the last 3 years sulking, believing she hadn't made it. Believing that the black dragon, Acnologia, had overpowered her.

He had finally given in and started dating Juvia (who couldn't be more excited). She was running around nearly screaming about how "Gray-sama loved her" a lot more than back then. But, him on the other hand, still hoped for a chance to see his dragon again.

"Mira, I think I'm gonna go home for the day." The depressed ice mage sighed, getting up from his seat at the bar.

"Not feeling well again today?" He nods. "Well feel better, Gray?" Everyone had been very concerned about him since they came back. He just wasn't the same Gray. He rarely even fought with Natsu. On occasion he would call the fire dragon slayer out for his stupidity but, it wasn't the same as a full on fire vs ice showdown.

He pushed open the guild doors and his navy eyes grew large. The doors slammed loudly behind him. "A-Arion…?" He stuttered. He didn't know what to do. The piece of him that he thought died when he stepped through the portal, was standing before him right now. How could he have been so stupid? He knew she wouldn't have let him go so easily, so quickly. It felt like only yesterday that he showed her the ice, that he confessed. 10 years had passed since then. 10 years of arranged marriages, stupid arguments, near death experiences and waiting. And his reason for all of this was her, his dragon princess.

"Hey, Ice Boy." A soft smile spread across her lips. The snow landed on her nose gently as she looked at him. She hasn't changed a bit. Her green orbs poured into his navy ones. Her chocolate skin melted under his gaze, a gaze she hadn't felt on her for years. "You're looking well." She nested her hands into the white jacket that Gray could have sworn that he had just the other day. His hair is longer now. I've missed him so much.

"Arion. I've really missed you." He took her hands from the pockets and into his then squeezed them tightly.

"That's why I came to see you." She turned from him quickly. She felt relieved though she didn't want the first time he's seen her in a while to be her sad. "So much has happened since then."

Gray hugs her firmly from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. He left little kisses in her hair. "Tell me about it. Tell me everything." Arion was fighting her tears given that she hadn't fully recovered from what happened with Griffin.

"Griffin..."

"Did he-?"

"I don't know what to do Gray." she whimpered. "He did it for me! Sacrificed himself... for me." The snow continuously fell around them. Gray embraced her tightly, as if to shield her from anymore pain.

"Shh shh shhh. It's okay." Arion whined louder, she just couldn't help it.

The guild doors slammed open abruptly. "What's goin on-? Arion?" Arion didn't have to look up to see that it was Erza Scarlet. Her voice and scent were all too recognizable. "Is she okay?"

She could feel him shaking his head softly above her. No she was most definitely not okay. "Gray… I-I couldn't." He kiss her head again. "I couldn't save him." She was shaking in his arms. "I-"

"Look at me. I'm here for you." he wipes her eyes free of any tears. That was easy considering that Arion had used nearly every single tear up in the past years that they were separated. Gray. She couldn't help but laugh at this icy boy. He always could make her happy when she was sad. Be that as it may, the tears still welled up.

"Lets get you inside."

"Oh. Gray welcome back. I thought you were..." Mira stopped mid sentenced. Her eyes grew wide in realization. "Ari?"

The white-haired mage quickly made her way to the dragon girl. "Mira!" The dragon called. All heads in the guild turned and gasped as they looked in my direction. Confusion swept over the whole room as they gaped in awe at me. I looked around nervously. There were a lot of new members I had never seen before and a lot of old members I had missed.

"I missed you so much! I will make you the best welcome home milkshake I can. Chocolate just like you like it!"

As the princess looked around she noticed the dragon slayers sitting in the back of the hall. No doubt they smelled her arrive in front of the guild. And called a meeting to figure out what to do. "Actually can you put a hold on that?" She released Gray's hand from hers and made her way to that very table.

"S-sure?" Mirajane had such a look of confusion as Arion seemed to wonder away aimlessly. Though she had an aim.

The dragon slayers.

They stared at her with varying eye colors stalking her movement. The three couldn't help but to feel uneasy. Was she just going to lie to then again. Would she betray their trust once more. When she got to their table, she did something no one expected, she bowed. She knelt to her knees and put her forehead to the ground. Her previous tears flowing at even stronger in this instance. "Forgive me!" she screamed. The tears nearly created puddles on the guild's floor. "I'm begging for your forgiveness!"

They hadn't expected her to do that. Besides Gray, these three knew her better than any other, and they hadn't seen that coming. She was supposed to be slightly cocky and very sarcastic and...and...not this.

"Get up." Gajeel commanded harshly.

"Huh-?"

"Get yer ass up, hatchling!" She couldn't believe he had just called her that. She was groveling to him for forgiveness and he called her the most annoying nickname she had ever gotten.

"Uh- Gajeel. I don't think that's really helping."

"She wants my forgiveness? I ain't givin' my forgiveness to some little washed up-"

"I tried." Arion quickly interrupted the metal-breathed Gajeel. "I looked everywhere for two and a half years looking. They're gone. Please understand that I tried." They couldn't comprehend her words for a second. When they finally got it, they were awestruck. Did she really care enough about them to look for their parents? Yeah. Yeah she really did.

"Thank you, sister!" Wendy stood from her seat at the table and ran to a hug from Arion, nearly causing her to fall over in surprise.

"Thank you? For what? I couldn't find them." She was awestruck. She'd failed yet was being...thanked?

Wendy hugged her tighter. " You spent nearly three year searching for them. That's all I could have asked for."

"I'm sure that if Grandine or Igneel could see you guys right now, they would smile." She smiles to herself at the thought as she hugged the blue haired girl. "Though Metalicana might be disappointed."

"Why you-?!" But the princess ignored her metal eating "brother". Something was off about this situation. The noise in the room picked up. Every one had picked up their original conversations.

"Natsu? Where'd he go?" She couldn't find him anywhere. In truth, she hadn't actially seen him leave the table. When she caught his scent, she followed it to the large entrance door. "Natsu?" The salmon haired dragon slayer turned to face her. Her who attacked him on first sight. Her who beat him in all his challenges. Her who deemed him a "Sun Child". What the hell did that mean anyway?

"Yeah? What?"

"Why'd you leave so fast? Are you mad at me still?"

"No! Why would you think that?" He flashed her a large toothy grin as he usually did. It just didn't seem right. It seemed forced and over played. He was hiding something.

"I lied to you. Igneel, remember?"

"Oh yeah that... Whatever." He once again gave that smile carelessly. Natsu, don't act like you don't care about Igneel anymore.

In a brief lapse of judgement, she squeezed his arm roughly. "What's up, Natsu?"

~Meanwhile~

"Juvia is fine with this, Gray-sama." Gray sat at the bar quietly until he heard the rain woman's voice sound abruptly behind him.

"Huh?" The confusion was imminent in his voice. What's she talkin' 'bout?

"Juvia wishes to finish. Juvia notices that you are unhappy unless you're with Arion and Juvia doesn't wish for you to be sad. Juvia wants you to be happy forever and if you can't do that with Juvia, then Juvia understands."

"Juvia I-I don't know what to say..."

"Just say okay, Gray-sama." Tear stream down on her face and she can feel her heart racing at her sudden decision. Juvia won't let Gray-sama be sad! She won't! All through her thoughts, warm tears roll down her pale cheeks causing her to cover her face in shame. She didn't want Gray to see her cry.

"Juvia. Thank-. W-why are you crying?"

"You're thanking Juvia. Juvia has always wanted your acceptance and she get's it when she's letting you go." Gray hugs Juvia but not for long enough for her to get comfortable.

"I owe you one for this Juvia." As he speaks, he's already searching for Arion, leaving Juvia to her feelings.

Gray had found her. In their spot. In the place where the ice-made dragon watches the boy. She heard him approaching long before he appeared. She could hear his heart beating all the way from the guild. "So." The boy spoke.

"So." She replied in an almost monotone voice.

"Your hair's blue again."

"It would seem so."

"I like it." She couldn't help but to smile at this awkward conversation with this ice mage. Though suffocating, it was rather refreshing to her. She spent so much time not saying a single word. She had no one to talk to for Griffin had died. She didn't want to see anyone when she grieved. That was just how she was. Even the slightest bit of interaction was welcome here.

Interrupting her thoughts, he asked, "Are you staying this time?"

"Do you want me to stay?" She counters.

"Do you want to stay with me?"

"I'd be lying if I said no."

"Then stay."

"Gray..." She sighs. "We were supposed to meet here a month after my wedding." She took that moment to change the subject. She didn't want to talk about leaving him, not again. But did she really want to stay? Of course she did. She just didn't know how. Something was weighing on her mind. Heavily.

"Yeah but, you never showed up."

"Well... I got caught up, y'know?" She found herself laughing bitterly at her own thoughts. "Near death experiences and what not."

"I nearly died and left you alone for seven years to suffer. I won't do that again."

"You nearly died because I couldn't take care of my father when I had the chance. His own arrogance wasn't even my fault but, I can't help but feel guilty. Why is that? Why did I have to come to this guild?" Drowning in self-pity, the princess turns from him, hugging herself around the waste. "I couldn't just stay put and wait for Griffin to pull me from my cellar and to my execution. Damn it. I've been the cause of so much pain."

"No you haven't."

"Huh?"

"You're a fairy tail wizard. How many times do I gotta remind you. That guild mark on your neck proves it." He pokes the soft spot on the left side of her neck where the guild's mark lied. "Trust me. Everyone here has caused damage in someway. You're no different so stop crying and come back for good."

"Thanks Ice Boy. I needed that."

"So are you staying in Fairy Tail?"

"I guess the tribunal won't need me back for awhile." She smirks up at the taller navy-eyed boy. "I'm sure Roen can take care of it."

"Good 'cause I'm not giving you back for awhile." Taking her in his arms, he gently places a kiss on her cheek and she can't help but giggle at how his lips tickled her face. He found himself laughing into his kiss. "Arionette Calliope Silver. What would I do without you?"

"I don't know. What have you been doing for the past three years."

"Just kiss me!" Gray doesn't even wait for her to answer before stealing a kiss from her lips. He grew worried when she didn't kiss him back. "What's wrong?"

"I-I have something important to tell you."

Okay so... We're done here!

I know! I know! "What the heck! You can't just do that!" Well don't worry I'm actually am working on a sequel so don't worry or yell. It will be called Children of the Sun So check that out when its out.

Tell me what you thought and such (and such) also.

Alright. DQA out! BYEZ and thanks for reading!