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Leaving Hurts,
Hate Burns,
Love Heals

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Chapter 20: Epilogue

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     Gray and Juvia walked along a gravel pathway, their fingers interlocked as they held hands. Juvia was snuggled up close to Gray's arm as she lovingly rubbed her cheek on the softness of his jacket. They were making their way to retrieve Storm from their guild mates home.

The Redfox's humble abode was in sight. Both Gray and Juvia saw 5 silhouettes; 1 tall person, a medium, and 3 toddlers. The 3 little ones - Storm, Lilly, and Gale - looked to be playing tag, whilst Levy and Gajeel stood and watched.

But, they appeared to be noticed once Gajeel looked straight their way - him and his keen nose and all (thanks to him being a Dragon Slayer). Levy noticed, too, once her husband nudged her shoulder.

When Levy looked in the direction Gajeel told her to, she was blown with happiness. Seeing Juvia looking happy was delightful to the fellow bluenette. After seeing her friend so down for 3 months and longer really made a dent in Levy's heart.

"Storm, look." Levy said in a soft spoken voice which made Storm stop from his running. He looked at the two walking towards them - quickly identifying them as his parents - and ran up to them.

He had a big smile on his face, seeing his parents closer than they were when Gray had returned. Juvia always told him about all the wonders of love, and how to quickly catch onto people who are head over heels for each other. This information deemed helpful, with knowing how much his parents loved each other - although it was sometimes gross. He knew Gray and Juvia were fighting because they were doing the one thing Juvia told Storm was not a healthy relationship - yelling and fighting. So, seeing his parents after two weeks of endless fighting and suddenly closer, really made him happy.

Juvia let go of Gray's hand as she bent down to meet her son as he leaped into her arms. She wrapped her arms around her little boy as he threw his around her neck. Gray also knelt down, placing a hand a top of Storm's similar in color hair.

Levy, now with Lilly in her arms, and Gajeel started for the family who were acting as if they hadn't seen each other in a while. The joy on Levy's face was unreadable, as Gajeel smiled at seeing Juvia so close to Gray without ripping his head off. He also had to smirk a bit, smelling Juvia all over Gray - that darn Dragon Slayer nose of his deemed good and bad. He, Natsu, and Wendy could always tell when their friends slept with one another, their sense of smell was the help of that.

Juvia and Gray both stood, in Juvia's hand was Storm's little baby one. "Thank you so much for taking him for the night." Juvia says gratefully as she smiled.

Lilly started squirming in her mother's arms, causing Levy to set her baby girl on the ground. "Let's go play, Stormy!" the girl, with her blue hair in curls, looked so darn cute. Especially when she gave nicknames to her friends. Luna's was Lu, and Gale's was Galey. She already had a list of nicknames for Mirajane's kid, Erza's, and even Evergreens.

"Silly, Lilly!" Storm says as his lips fork in a chess smile. "I told you not to cwall me Stormy!"

Lilly giggled as she grabbed her friends arm, dragging him to go back and play with Gale who was occupied playing with a toy truck. "Whatever, Stormy!"

"Hey!" the two's giggle fainted as they walked further away from the couples.

"No problem, Juvia. I'm glad we were able to help you guys make up!" Levy smiles, a hand covering her laughing mouth.

"Yeah, I can smell it." Levy took the back of her hand and smacked her husband.

Juvia's cheeks bloomed in color for no apparent reason. She didn't know why she got so embarrassed when her Dragon Slayer friends pointed out the obvious intercourse she and Gray had. It was already obvious they had had sex, Storm was their proof. Juvia nodded her head bashfully. "But seriously, thank you!"

Juvia gave Levy a soft smile, but when she turned to Gajeel she gave him a glare. Gajeel just raised his brow at his best friend as she walked up to him and gave him a friendly smack on the head. "That's what you get for playing Juvia for a fool!"

Gajeel rubbed the non-throbbing head which was just hit, looked at the woman in front of him. "It paid off, didn't it?"

"It did." Gray joined in on the conversation, grabbing Juvia's wrist and pulling her back. "Thanks."

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever."

Juvia regained herself as she looked back at Levy sweetly "But seriously, how could we ever pay you back!"

Levy looked at her husband with a nauty glint in her eye and a dangerous smirk. She looked back to Juvia and lifted brow. "Return the favor sometime, most likely tomorrow." Levy winked and Juvia laughed.

"Ew. I don't need to know what you guys are doing." Gray said disgustingly, looking away as if scared by the visions of Levy and Gajeel....

"Will do. Just let us know!" Juvia gives a wink back as both she and Levy shared a giggle.

The couples stayed in silence for a while as they all laughed, taking in the moment. Gray's arm slithered it's way around Juvia waist from the back, pulling her side closer to his.

Levy softly smiled to the couple in front of her. "I am so glad you guys made up.... Juvia you looked so hurt and it honestly hurt me..."

Leaving Juvia for 3 months really made a dent in their relationship. It Hurts when a loved one leaves without you knowing it.

"Juvia is glad too."

"Gajeel really was hurting for you... It was really sweet!" Levy looked into the sky which was a beautiful blue. "You two really are so close. He was genuinely worried!"

Gajeel stares at his wife with a fake pout, himself being a Tsundere and all. "God, woman. You really had to say that?" at this Levy just shrugs with a sweet smile.

"But really... When Gray came back, I saw the pain in your eyes and how you avoided him..."

And yet, when that loved one comes back it's like a whole part of you is torn off. You become to hate your loved one, as if they had cheated or done something hurtful to you - indeed they did by leaving you. The inside of you Hates him or her, and you seek revenge - you want them to feel like you did, go through what you had to. The hatred towards them Burns, but somewhere deep down you want to hug them with all your might and slap them silly for leaving. All in all, one beats the other and it becomes chaos.

Juvia looked towards the ground as Gray rubbed her hip bone, looking at the same thing as Juvia. The girl really felt bad for all the yelling she did, all the hurt she turned towards Gray. "It was horrible.... wasn't it."

"It really was." Gajeel says a little to seriously, which gains a slap from his wife.

"Gajeel!" Levy says after smacking his stomach, Gajeel then looked at her confusingly.

"No, it's fine...Juvia knows how horrible she was to Gray-Sama..." she looks at Gray at that very moment, sorrow shown in her eyes. Gray looks at her and shakes his head, telling her silently it was fine, and when he opened his mouth to talk, she beat him to it. "But it's fine, what matters now is Gray and Juvia are together and happy, making Storm happy as well. And as long as Storm is happy, Juvia is happy."

Gray looks at her with her heart warming smile smothered on her face cutely. He leans down and gives a quick kiss to her temple. "I love you so much..."

They share a kiss as Levy and Gajeel stand watching. Levy had a smile on her lips while Gajeel's reaction was unreadable, his hand wrapped around her hip much like Gray was doing to Juvia.

Pulling away from their kiss, Juvia smiled one last time before turning her head towards her Bestfriend and his wife. "Well, we better get out of your hair." Juvia says as she quickly calls Storm sweetly - him looking towards the direction of his mother and immediately standing up and saying bye to Lilly and Gale. "Thanks again for watching Storm last night. Just let me know when you need me to return the favor so...you know"

Levy blushes as she smiles, placing a hand on her hip. "I will certainly let you know. And just so you know, if you ever want to give Storm over for the night again, I wouldn't mind."

"Of course! We're doing service, aren't we?" the two mothers laugh as Gajeel and Gray avoid the conversation, knowing fully well this "service" would be happening a lot.

-

Storm walking in the middle of his parents, held both of their hands as they walked around town - having Family Time which they hadn't shared in a while.

They went out to eat and shared a lot of laughs, went to some stores, and had the best day ever since Gray had left and then returned.

Before they knew it, it was night time. Juvia held a sleeping Storm in her arms as she and Gray stood by a lake, looking into the starry sky. The moon shined in the water, and so did the stars. It was a really pretty night.

Gray was silently staring at Juvia as the stars in the night sky reflected in her eyes, making her eyes even more gorgeous than they already were. She was a silent observer of the night sky, a warm smile on her face as she looked around at all the constellations.

Having he couldn't take much more of her cuteness, Gray circles his right arm around her lower back, pulling her closer. He had been doing that a lot - getting her closer to him. Why? Because he was afraid she'd run away. Of course she wouldn't really run, but Gray just really wanted to cherish his wife more. He knew she forgave him, but he still felt bad about him leaving. It really hurt her, and that in return hurt him.

'But it's fine, what matters now is Gray and Juvia are together and happy.' her words from earlier rang in his head as he continued to watch her. She was truly amazing - an amazing Mom, an amazing Wife, and an amazing woman. He questioned everything in his brain as to how he had her. He was barely anything, to himself at least, while Juvia was absolutely an angel. He knew Juvia saw something different in him than he did himself, which added to the never ending list of 'Why Juvia is the Best Human Being in the World To Me'.

Juvia swiftly turned her head to catch Gray looking at her, while he was in another world. "Gray?" she asks aloud, shaking Gray away from his thoughts.

"Hm?"

Juvia kisses his cheek as she looks into his eyes. "Where were you a moment ago? You looked in a trance."

"I was just in my own thoughts about how.... You're the best to me." she smiles sweetly to him as she hoists Storm higher up, keeping him from falling off of her hip.

"Juvia is flattered." she brought her lips to his as they shared a chaste kiss. "You're the best to me, too." she says as she pulls away, smiling to him sinfully, yet innocently.

Gray shares the same smile, pulling her closer. "I love you, do you know that?"

She nods her head as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Do you know I love you, too?"

Gray laughs and kisses the top of her head as they swayed. "Always do, and always will. Even though I don't really understand why you do."

Juvia lifts her head off of him as she looks into his eyes. Gray visibly stilled as he saw the smirk he knew all too well. Her eyes showed 'need' and 'want' for him, it was further turning him on. "Want me to....show you?" she bites her bottom lip as she stares at him with hunger.

"Do we need to give Storm back to Gajeel and Levy for the night?" he asks, lifting a brow as he nudges her shoulder.

"Not exactly." she closes her eyes as she lets the breeze blow her hair. "I can stay pretty quiet, it's you that's going to be a problem." she smiles the same sinful smile, just without the innocence.

Gray smirks, squeezing her hip. "Oh?" he kisses her lips hungrily, and when he pulls away he goes back for more. "Shall we go home, then?"

Juvia untangles herself from his arms, starting to walk away. "One step ahead of you, Gray."

He shakes his head as he looks back to the lake, making a quick decision never to break her again for a wrongdoing he will do. He smiles at the thought of how perfect she is before starting to walk off after her.

He was in love with Juvia, and he was planning to stay with her forever and always. Even through death.

But- Love beats it all. If you truly are in love with someone, you won't let some petty fighting get in the way of your love. You fight for your Love, because it Heals all.

All in all......no one deserves to be unhappy. Even when Leaving Hurts, and Hate Burns when they return, Love Heals mostly everything...... No Matter what.

L.H.H.B.L.H

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THESE ARE WHAT I LIKE TO CALL "End Titles". I'd love it if you read it :)

It breaks my heart every time I write the epilogue to a story 😭

I appreciate all of your support on this book. Give yourself a pat on the back AND a high five, AND a round of applause. Yes, you deserve all of it. Even though it's sad to high five yourself...but whatever!

You readers were truly amazing and I adore all of you (it honestly feels like all of you are my lovely children)!!!

Again, thanks for reading this story and for all of the support! You are a truly amazing person, SO DON'T EVER THINK YOU AREN'T, cuz you are! If you still think you aren't, smack yourself silly!

This is not the end of me, though! I still am planning on writing many Gruvia Fanfictions, and even remake some. I even have a plan for a Jerza fanfic! But of course, I have other stories and I'd love it if you'd check them out!

--»» Many Emotions (A Gruvia Fanfiction) (A/N: I am planning to rewrite this one. It was my first Fanfictions ever written, so it's very crappy. A little fun fact, I was supposed to rewrite them before uploading this Fanfiction, but I got too antsy and impatient.)

--»»Maid Café Secret (A Fairy Tail fanfiction)

--»»Gruvia Comics & more

..............And many more up on the list!

If you follow me I will be sure to let you know when I plan to upload the new Fanfictions, but If y'all want me to I can write a quick chapter letting you guys know (on THIS story)!

You won't be getting rid of me so quickly! I will update a Starting Tag for an ending little thingy 4 this story. I will be tagging all of those who read this story, so let me know if you want to get tagged!

Alrighty, I will actually go now!

BYE MY CHILDREN! Here is one last quote for y'all.

I LOVE YOU ALL! YOU WILL MOST DEFINITELY DO GREAT IN LIFE! If you need someone to talk to, I am here!  *virtual huggles for you all*

                                        - Your Author, CandiesPhobia :)