If you are reading this and it is not yet Sunday, June 28th, 2015, then you are one lucky duck. I'm probably not going to be able to update this Sunday because I'm going on a trip tomorrow and Sunday is the day I get home. I don't think I'll have much writing time over the trip either, so I'm doing an early update this week. I know, I know. I'm a veritable goddess. Yes, thank you, thank you.

That came off as extremely conceited. I apologize; I'm just glad that I managed to get this done. I have packing to do, but I did it! Huffah for me!

Righty-ho. Time to shut up. Enjoy the chapter!

I've cried, and you'd think I'd be better for it, but the sadness just sleeps, and it stays in my spine for the rest of my life. - Conor Oberst

"You…abandoned her?" Gray echoed. "Where did you go?" His stomach twisted into knots at the thought of a friendless, lonely, forgotten Juvia sitting at home by herself. "How could you just leave like that?"

Jace stared at the ground. "It was the second hardest thing I've ever done."

"What was the hardest?" Gray asked automatically. Jace's eyes darkened.

"Coming back."

For a moment, Gray tried to imagine if he left Fairy Tail without a second glance. Simply walked away from his friends, his family, his life. Even if it was for their well-being, the pain of leaving behind everything he loved tore into his heart.

And then he imagined returning.

"How did you do it?" he asked. "If I were you, I don't think I could've ever gone back. How did you manage it?"

Jace smiled as though someone had pointed a gun to his head and said, Do it, or else. He said nothing, just clapped his hands once.

The river disappeared. It was replaced by a rough wooden table, and the grass under Gray became hard and uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat and glanced around. "Jace…?" Beside him sat a boy, no more than ten years old, slumped limply on the table. Empty beer mugs clustered around him, some tipped on their sides. One was clenched in the boy's fist, still half-full.

"Juvia…" he mumbled, and Gray blinked. The ice-blue hair and dark eyes clicked, and he realized the boy next to him was Jace as a kid. He was in an illusion. But it wasn't a simple illusion. It was a memory.

Jace lifted his chin from the table to take another gulp of beer, the amber liquid spilling onto his chin. Gray reached out to take the tankard away from him, but his hand passed right through it as though it wasn't even there. Jace didn't even notice. "Juvia," he breathed again, and when he blinked, his cheek shone wetly.

A tall, muscular woman approached the table, hands on her hips. "You gonna pay for those, kid?" she demanded. Her voice was rough and deep, like a man's. Gray blinked. Probably because she was a man. Looking around again, he discovered that he was in a tranny bar. Fantastic.

"Shut up," Jace snarled, surging up from his seat unsteadily. Gray was pretty sure the kid was drunk. His eyes were bloodshot and wild, and even though she – he? It? – was at least twice his size, the tranny took a step backward. "I don't wanna hear y'r shit righ' now, so jus' keep y'r mouth shut," he slurred. Yeah, he was definitely wasted out of his mind.

The tranny finally remembered that she could snap Jace in half with one hand and leaned forward. "The only reason you're not dead right now is because you owe me more than I could sell you for on the black market, understand? You might want to watch who you talk to with that filthy little mouth of yours, you little–"

She was cut off when a jet of water struck her squarely between the eyes and sent her flying into the bar, displacing several bar stool-occupants in the process. Gray and Jace gaped at the lithe, pale figure stalking past them, her arm shimmering blue. She pushed the metal tip of her dripping pink umbrella into the tranny's solar plexus, making her gasp and writhe in pain. "The only reason you're not dead right now," she said crisply to the half-conscious tranny, "is because you deserve to be tortured slowly and painfully" – she drew out the words as though they were a delicacy she wanted to savor – "until you're nothing but a pathetic, limp lump of meat begging for your life." She paused to smile coldly, sharp enough to cut a hole in a sheet of metal. "Understand?" As she turned away, she tossed over her shoulder, "You might want to watch who you talk to with that filthy little mouth of yours."

Dimly, Gray still remembered what Juvia had been like when she was in Phantom Lord. Her dark eyes were hollow and cruel, and she never smiled. Her skin was paler somehow, as someone had drained all of the blood out of her body and left the white husk behind. Every aspect of her, every nuance, radiated malice and despair.

Looking at the girl in front of him, Gray thought that the Juvia of Phantom Lord was a sweet, joyful person compared to the girl who had been abandoned by her only friend.

"Juvia," Jace whispered. She stared back at him like one might stare at a stranger who said hello to them on the street. "Juvia, I'm so–" He broke off when she opened the blue purse hanging from her wrist and pulled out a matching wallet. She extracted a thick wad of bills from it and dropped them carelessly on the table. "What are you doing?"

"It's raining," she said, lifting a hand to touch the teru teru bozu hanging from her collar. "If you're going to leave, wait until it stops."

"Juvia, wait," Jace begged, stumbling after her on unstable legs as she headed for the door. His hands shook. "Juvia, let me explain–"

"Juvia is sorry, Jace," she said, turning back to look at him. Her eyes were still empty, her face still expressionless. "Juvia didn't know that you were unhappy being with her." She turned away again. "Juvia only wanted you to be happy."

Just as she reached the door, Jace lunged and tackled her around the waist, sending them both to the sticky bar floor. He buried his face in Juvia's shoulder and held her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Juvia. I messed up."

"Let go," Juvia said.

"I left because I was scared for you. You were so absorbed in the illusions I made for you, I thought one day you just wouldn't come back, and it would be my fault. I was a coward, and I'm so sorry. I love you, Vivi."

Inexplicable anger surged in Gray's stomach. Only the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to the illusion kept him from tearing Jace off of Juvia and punching him in the nose. Well, that, and the fact that he had no idea why he wanted to do it so badly.

Juvia's eyes softened a little, a fraction of the distance disappearing. It was just a fraction, but Gray could see the difference.

"It's okay, Jace. I love you too."

It took every ounce of Gray's strength not to murder Jace when the illusion faded and vanished. He was back on the riverbank, sitting next present-day Jace. Jace was staring at him thoughtfully. Gray's blood boiled.

"I've never seen someone move around during an illusion before," he said, when Gray did nothing but glare murderously at the burbling water passing by.

"What?" Gray said distractedly. "What did I do?"

Jace pointed at the pile of fabric between them with a badly-hidden smile. Gray felt himself flush – his stripping habit had always been pretty embarrassing, more so when it happened around people not in the guild. And– Yep. He'd taken off his pants too. Thank Mavis his underwear had stayed on.

"Oops," he said weakly, pulling his pants on. Jace chuckled.

"So. What'd you think?"

Fresh anger replaced the stale, half-forgotten grouchiness simmering somewhere in the pit of his stomach. The thought of what she said made him feel nauseous. "Are you two dating or something?"

Jace stared at him. Then he burst out laughing. "Dating…Juvia…?" he gasped. "Are you…for real?"

"I'm missing the joke here," Gray snapped. "What is it?"

Jace leaned casually on Gray's shoulder, catching his breath. "I haven't laughed that hard in ages," he chuckled. "Sorry, it's just, there are so many things wrong with that."

"So tell me," Gray said impatiently. Jace scrutinized his face.

"You really don't know, do you? I thought she'd tell you."

"Tell me what?" Gray exploded. "Are you married to her sister or something? Is she secretly your mother? What is it?"

Jace made a face. "Ew, no. But the first one was kind of close. Juvia is my adoptive older sister."

The only sound was of the river rushing past and the wind in the grass. Overhead, the sun shone brightly, smiling down on the earth.

"What."

"Not only that, but I don't swing that way," Jace continued, his eyes sparkling mischievously. He wasn't disappointed – Gray shot to his feet, his expression a mixture of panic and surprise.

"You're– Seriously?"

Jace grinned, flashing his pearly whites. "One hundred percent serious. Relax, I won't attack you or anything." Gray sank back to the ground, scooting over a foot or two. Jace eyed the distance and smirked. Gray shrugged and crossed his arms.

"Sorry, you just surprised me. So, you're Juvia's gay brother, huh?"

Jace laughed. "That's me. Which is why it's so funny to see you jealous of me."

Gray stared blankly at him. "When did that happen?"

Jace raised an eyebrow. "You looked about ready to tear me limb from limb when you heard Juvia tell me she loves me."

"Well–" Gray paused. "That's because..." He snapped his mouth closed. "It's just that–"

"Go on," Jace pressed, smiling a little. Gray scratched his head uncomfortably. He wasn't entirely sure why he had reacted so violently to those three words. Probably because Juvia was his guild mate, and he was protective of her.

But that doesn't really explain it, a soft voice whispered in the back of his head. Why would it bother you if she loves her childhood friend?

"Juvia loves you, Gray-sama."

"You're lucky, you know?" Gray blurted out. Jace looked surprised. He probably did too. That wasn't what he had meant to say.

"What do you mean?"

"Ah… Um, well, it's just…" He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Because, you've got Juvia. My sister… She died. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"It's complicated," Gray said, staring out at the horizon, where the sun was slowly disappearing. It would be dark soon. "But basically, she's gone. Even I don't really know what happened. I have a brother, an adoptive one, and everyone at Fairy Tail, but it's like…" He searched for the right words. He wanted to say this right. "There's this one space that no one else can really fill. She's gone, and the spot she occupied once upon a time is empty. And that's something that never really goes away."

He glanced over at Jace after a minute, surprised by his silence, and blinked. Jace had a hand cupped over his mouth, his eyes staring out past the river. Tears leaked out onto his cheeks, streaking his skin. "Hey, you okay?" Gray asked, a little frantic. "I didn't mean to make you upset. I was just trying to explain–"

"Sorry," Jace said shakily. "I'm fine. It's because I was trying to imagine how it'll be after Juvia's gone, and I just crying. Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out." Gray dug around in his pockets and came up with an old tissue. He handed it to Jace, who smiled weakly and wiped his face.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Gray said, patting Jace's shoulder. "I totally understand. But you know, Juvia's gonna be around for a long time. You don't have to worry about that until…" He trailed off when Jace bit his lip, his eyes shining. "What?" A deep, heavy sense of foreboding settled in the back of his throat, suffocating him. "What am I missing here?"

Jace sniffed and apologized silently to his sister. No matter what she thought she wanted, it was time to give up her secret. Gray deserved – needed – to know.

But it wasn't his place to tell.

"Juvia's staying at Porlyusica's place," he said, standing up. "If you want answers, that's where you'll find them."

Gray stood too, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Thanks," he said. The last light of the day caught the chiseled planes of his face, and Jace almost smiled. His sister had good taste.

"Sure," Jace replied. "Oh, and Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad Juvia has friends like you."

I like this chapter a lot. I got a couple reviews saying people wanted to see more of Jace and Gray talking about the past (which I was planning on anyway) so here you are. Hope you liked it. Oh, yeah, and I guess Jace is gay now. I don't really know how that happened. I just thought it would be cool. And I'm not trying to make Gray seem homophobic or anything, he just strikes me as the kind of guy who would kind of go 'whoa' when someone told him they were gay. Idk, but it's in there now and I don't feel like changing it.

Hmm, what else? The quote doesn't really fit, sorry. It struck me, and I couldn't find a good quote for this chapter, so that happened. Whatever, it's a fantastic quote. Good for you, Conor Oberst (no clue who he actually is).

Remember to review, favorite and follow! I love hearing from all of you!