AN: What three months without update? ~whistles guiltly~

#

Gray looked at his girlfriend, worried as they sat on a booth, the detective across from them, carefully watching Juvia's reaction but anyone could see she was shaken up. She was pale and taking it hard, her hands were shaking under while he held one of them under the table.

"So, Miss Lockser." Detective Ryan seemed unmoved by Juvia's reaction. "Can you tell me what the note means?"

Juvia took a glance at the paper on the table – it was clearly just a copy but it held the same weight as if it was the real thing.

"No." Juvia shook her head, her voice barely a whisper.

"No?" The Detective frowned. "Your name is on this note, from a girl who killed herself and you know what pushed for it to happen and-"

"I won't tell anything to you." Her voice was a bit louder, then.

He raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Because when Juvia went to tell you what happened, you did nothing!" Her stunned state seemed to be leaving her and filling her with anger. She let go of Gray's hand. "Instead, you bullied me so no, I won't tell you anything and if you are here to make threats-"

The Detective seemed genuinely confused, then. "Wait, wait, wait. Miss Lockser, I've never even seen you until today."

"You, Oak Town police." She practically spat the words.

"You went to the police with whatever information you have, before?" Detective Ryan seemed intrigued. Juvia got up and didn't leave only because Gray was in the way. "No, don't. Whatever happened, Miss Lockser, I had nothing to do with it." He told her. "I transferred there just four months ago."

Gray checked the man out and he seemed genuine enough and Juvia was too shocked to think straight.

"Juvia, take a breath." Gray wasn't really used to be the voice of reason but Juvia was busy freaking out – with reason, of course, but freaking out either way. "Sit down. Let's hear him." He asked her gently. "Please."

The blunette hesitated but sat back closer to him and her hand met his on her lap – they were so close he could feel her trembling. Gray glanced at the Detective and he took his cue.

"Miss Lockser, I'm new at the precinct." He told her. "Whatever happened, I wasn't there."

Juvia snorted. "So what? If I tell you what happened, you will actually do something, instead of doing what your colleagues did to me?" She shook her head and got up again. "I can't do this right now." She said and gently pushed Gray's legs away so she could leave the booth.

Gray watched as she walked towards the door of the diner and he looked at the Detective. "Are you here to try to harass her?"

The dark-skinned man raised his eyebrows. "I don't even know what I would harass her for. I am here for answers."

Gray narrowed his eyes but the man seemed truthful enough. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow afternoon." Detective Ryan informed him and took a cart from inside his coat, giving it to Gray. "Call me if she wants to talk." Gray stared at him in suspicion and the older man rolled his green eyes. "I was never here to arrest her, kid. Like I said, I just want answers 'cause that note is unusual."

Gray took the card. "I'll talk to her."

"Alright." Detective Ryan nodded and Gray left, stopping by the table with his very confused friends just to grab his coat before he ran outside, after his girlfriend.

He found her walking her way out of the parking lot and down the street, her blue hair easily standing out even with just the incandescent lights of the parking lot and he had to jog to catch her before she stepped out of the parking lot.

"Juvia, hey, hey, hey." Gray finally caught up with her and grabbed her forearm, so she could stop and when she turned around his heart broke when he saw her tears. "Oh, Juvia." His shoulders dropped.

"She's dead." He put his coat around her before pulling her to a hug. Juvia started to sob into his chest and all he could do was hold her until she was ready to talk.

#

"This is my fault." Juvia whispered. It was the first thing she had spoken in a while and Gray froze for a moment.

"What?" He was shocked and looked down to his girlfriend just to find her with eyes wide open, terrified.

"It-it- It was because of Bora." Juvia told him. "She ki-killed herself because of him and I..." Tears escaped her eyes. "I had the evidence to lock him u-up bu-bu-but I never used it."

"Juvia-"

"No, listen!" The blunette said. "If-if he were caught, she wouldn't have-"

"You don't know that." Gray shook his head and put a hand on her cheek to make her look at him. "Perhaps even if he had been caught, she'd still have done it. You don't know, I don't know. The only one to blame here, is that scumbag Bora." He told her.

"I could-"

"No." He told her firmly. "You did what you could at the time and no one supported you. You went to the police, you tried to do the right thing and instead of help, those assholes harassed you instead of help, as it was their job."

"Maybe-"

"Juvia." He said it firmly again. "Don't go down that road. You couldn't have known she would do this. This whole thing almost ruined you, got you to leave your college and your town because no one believed you. You tried."

The blunette tightened her arms around him. "Juvia told some of the girls, the ones she could reach and Carly-san... she was one of the girls who didn't believe me because she thought Bora didn't need to rape anyone." She whispered and Gray frowned. "She yelled at me when I told her what I thought, and I left, never saw her again." She sniffed. "Now she's dead."

Gray didn't know what else to say, so he told her, quietly: "I'm sorry, Juvia." He caressed her back. "Come on, you can't finish your shift like this."

"No, I have to work." Juvia tried.

"I think people will understand." Gray kissed her temple.

#

Thankfully, Juvia had a good relationship with the other waitress and had covered for them whenever they needed so when Juvia had to leave early, they were happy to cover for her.

While she got her stuff, Gray went to their friends' table and explained he needed to take Juvia home. They were all curious, but Gray didn't explain much besides his need to get her home. They looked concerned but didn't push it.

The ride to her place was quiet, as it was the walk to her apartment but just as it was when she first told him about what happened, he asked what she wanted him to do and the answer was the same: she didn't want to be alone.

What changed was how she took his hand and led him to the bathroom with her and Gray was unsure until she started to pull his clothes off him. It seemed she needed it and he wasn't going to deny her.

When they went to bed, Gray held her but they couldn't let her fall asleep before they talked about the Detective.

"Juvia?" She made a sound to make sure he knew she was listening. "Detective Ryan gave me his card. We should talk to him tomorrow, he seemed pretty honest to me." Juvia's body clearly tensed. "If you want, of course. Perhaps now it's the time you've been waiting for." She didn't say anything, so he kept speaking. "You didn't keep those earrings for two years as proof of what he did because you wanted to, but because one day you wanted justice. You said it so yourself you needed someone to believe you. Perhaps... this is it."

She stayed in silence for a few moments. "What if he is as awful as those other cops were?" She whispered.

"I will be there with you and back then you didn't know how to stand up for herself. I have seen you punch a guy who touched you without invitation. Gajeel did a good job there."

For the first time in hours, Juvia actually chuckled – as light as it was. "Juvia doesn't think punching Detective Ryan will go too well, she would probably be arrested."

Gray chuckled as well. "Oh, there's that." He caressed her arm. "He said he doesn't leave until tomorrow." He told her after a few moments. "Just think about it, okay?"

"Okay." The blunette agreed and kissed his cheek, mumbling a 'good night'.

#

That time, when Detective Ryan entered the diner Juvia chose to meet him with, both her and Gray were ready. The dark-skinned man sat across from them on the booth and aside from their 'good mornings', the three of them stayed in silence for long minutes.

"Why did you come here?" Juvia finally asked. "She killed herself."

"Yes, she did, but she also made it clear some sort of crime had been committed against her for her to leave a note like that." The Detective told her. "When I got her name on the system, I saw she was raped almost three years ago and suddenly the note made sense. You know who did it."

"Juvia can see you earned your Detective badge." She said, bitter and she felt Gray's hand on her thigh, signalizing her to calm down.

The Detective ignored her words. "I didn't know you've had been to the precinct before. Nowhere in the files of that Serial Rapist says there was a suspect of that someone step forward with information."

"Juvia did." The blunette told him. "When she figured out, she went to the station."

"There's no record of that."

"Of course not." Gray scoffed. "Juvia went there and instead of listening to her, those policemen harassed her after she had been assaulted by the son of a bitch."

Ryan frowned. "You were raped as well?"

"No." Juvia shook her head. "Gray-sama is referring to the fact that Juvia had a black eye, courtesy of the man who raped those girls."

"Let me guess this straight." The Detective said. "You were attacked by the man but he didn't rape you? Did you escape before?"

Juvia looked in Gray's direction and the hand on her thigh squeezed and he nodded – she felt better with him there as support. "It was my ex-boyfriend." Juvia proceeded to tell the Detective her findings, her conclusion and how Bora reacted, all without saying his name and while she spoke, he took notes and made questions, making Juvia relax a little; it was different from the first time.

Once she was done with the story, Ryan put his pen away and asked, his green eyes were gentle but she could see he was also burning with anger inside. "Now, Miss Lockser, I need the names of the... policemen you spoke with and if possible, the day and time you were there."

"Tetsuo and Gianni." Juvia told him and gave him the other information he needed.

"I see." Juvia just knew those two would be in trouble by the way the Detective looked. "Now, Juvia." He used her first name for emphasis, she knew. "I need the name of your ex-boyfriend."

Gray put his arm around her waist and Juvia was grateful for the support. "You probably know him, you probably saw him around." The Detective frowned, but nodded. "Bora Sinclair, son of Police Captain Shouta Sinclair."

He tried to hide his surprise, but Detective Ryan couldn't, not completely. "I've met him, both of them, in fact." He seemed to think. "The boy seemed a bit odd, my gut told me not to trust him."

"Your gut was right." Juvia muttered.

"This is big, Miss Lockser." He told her. "An accusation like that..." Juvia's body tensed and the dark-skinned man noted. "No, don't, I am not Tetsuo or Gianni. I want justice, but we are going to need proof, a tight case for us to prosecute." Ryan seemed to think for a moment. "I'm going to need the earrings."

Juvia shook her head and Gray jumped in. "No. That's what they kept asking her for when she was kept there for hours so they could make them vanish. She will not give you anything until you tell me there's an investigation on Bora, open."

"The only reason I am talking to you right now is because it seems to be Carly-san's last wish." Juvia told him. "Juvia is doing this for her and she kept those earrings safe for years to bring justice to the other girls and she will not give them to you unless it is a real investigation."

The Detective's fingers started to tap on the table as he thought on his course of action. "What you gave me is very circumstantial at best, I'd never get a warrant for DNA with just that and not the earrings. Sometimes he was sloppy and there were DNA on the scenes, but we never had anyone to test." Juvia's shoulders dropped a little. "But... I could ask for the footage of the day you went to the precinct. You said he hit you? That's a crime and I can have him brought in for interrogation." Juvia perked up and she glanced at her boyfriend and saw him straight his back on the chair. "I can get him to speak a little and I might be able to get his DNA. It's a long shot, but hey, he might fall for it."

"You are really going to try?" Juvia couldn't believe her ears.

"Of course I will try." The Detective told her with certainty. "I don't care whose son he is, if he is guilty, then he deserves to go to prison. I don't give a crap about Captain Sinclair's status but just to be clear: I open the investigation and you will give me the earrings and testify?"

Juvia raised her chin. "Yes."

"Alright, then." The detective nodded. "I will check everything you told me so we won't have any loose ends and I will keep you posted, Miss Lockser." He got up and offered her his hand.

"Thank you." She shook his hand and watched as he did the same with Gray before he left after saying goodbye. "Oh my god." Juvia said quietly, putting a hand over her chest.

"What? What is it?" Gray was concerned.

"Is this really happening?" She turned to look at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Is he really going to investigate Bora?"

"It appears so, yes." Gray nodded and gave her a kiss on the lips. "I am very proud of you."

"I didn't do anyth-"

"You did." He cut her off. "I could feel you shaking the entire time and I know you were scared, but you told him everything he needed to hear, and you are ready to take on that bastard. You were very brave today."

"Juvia felt much safer with you here, so thank you."

"Anytime, Juvia. Whenever you need me, I'll be there."

#

A week later, Juvia had just arrived for a few minutes at her apartment after being dropped off by her boyfriend when she realized the had left her cellphone in his car after their date. Since she noticed soon, she managed to video-conference him from her computer and ask him to return. Thankfully, he wasn't too far away.

Sadly, that night they would need to spend apart, since he was going to his parents' place for the weekend (sadly, she couldn't move her shifts and go with him that time) and she couldn't be without her phone for that long.

Two minutes after hanging up, she heard a knock on the door, Juvia went to get it, saying loudly enough for her boyfriend to hear: "You were much closer than Juvia thought." She said, reaching for the knob. "Why didn't you use your key to get-" The moment she opened the door and saw who stood there, her eyes got wide and her blood froze inside her veins.

Right there, in her doorstep, stood Bora Sinclair.

She had less than a second to process the fact that her ex-boyfriend was there before she saw a punch come right at her left cheek, throwing her body against the door. Her right side collided with it and his punch was so strong she almost couldn't make sense to what he started to yell, it sounded like 'How dare you rat me out?' and 'Fucking nosy bitch' but then he punched her again and with the force of it, she took a few steps back, tripping on her rug.

Bora reached for her hair and dragged her further inside the apartment while Juvia kicked and screamed. "They treated me like a fucking criminal!" He yelled.

A long time ago when Gajeel had taught her how to fight, he had told her many times to never fall down, if possible. If she fell down, things wouldn't look good for her and the first kick on her stomach made her scream in pain. Has she been screaming? Had she asked for help? Maybe, she couldn't remember.

It was all a blur. A blur, and constant pain.

Somewhere inside he, her body still remembered a position that could help so she curled up on herself, covering her head the best she could but apparently Bora wasn't having it and used all his strength to make her loosen her stance by punching her ribs repeatedly and at one point the pain was too intense, Juvia let go.

He took the opportunity and straddled her and after punching her face another time, his hands went to her neck as he tried to strangle her.

"You are trying to put me in jail? Me?" Juvia tried to push him away, she scratched his arms and hands, his face, tried to kick him, get him off of her but nothing she did seemed to work. He was still babbling nonsense but Juvia didn't make it what it was, not when she couldn't breathe and there were dark dots in her vision. "I'll show you. I'll show you."

It felt as if Juvia's body had been held by strings and the strings were suddenly cut, her arms simply fell, her body softened, and darkness was about to swallow her when suddenly, there was no more weight on top of her and no hands on her throat.

She could breathe.

She took one deep breath, started coughing and her lugs hurt, but she was breathing. Or was she? Was she dreaming? No, dreams didn't hurt that much. She looked around, still feeling her strings cut but then she noticed the reason why she wasn't unconscious.

Gray had appeared and was exchanging punches with Bora but the son of a bitch had Gray on one of the walls and seeing her loved one like that gave Juvia enough strength.

The blunette got up, gathering force from god knows where, grab one of her trays from the counter and hit Bora on the back of the head and while it didn't knock him out, distracted him enough for Gray to turn the fight around and Juvia's eyes didn't quite keep up, but a few moments later, Bora was on the floor, unconscious and Gray was panting on top of him.

Oh, she thought, they were safe now.

"Juvia?" Gray asked, concerned and he had such a beautiful voice she wanted to stay awake to hear more, but it appeared she couldn't. She felt the strings being cut again as her body lost its strength – the last thing she heard was a panicked 'Juvia!' from her boyfriend – and darkness surrounded her.

#

AN: I'm... just going to leave this here and walk away now.