FEW DAYS LATER

MEREDY'S POV

I'm currently on my way to meet Lyon. After hearing what happened during the past weekend from Juvia-chan, I don't know what's happening in that mind of her husband.

When I heard that Mr.Gray has agreed to be a friend, I thought this would be a good chance to get them together.

And from the way Juvia told me how Mr.Gray has interacting with her. It seems somewhere in his heart he might be interested on her.

That's why I told her to change her dress sense. Not to seduce him but a way show herself a bit attractive.

But looks like everything went down the drain with the emergence of Stella again in his life out of nowhere.

When I reached the cafe, I saw Lyon waiting for me. He saw me and waved his hand.

I smiled and went upto him and hugged him from behind,

"Sorry I made my baby wait for me. Please accept my apology."

Lyon chuckled and turned to face me with his handsome smile, "Only if my baby gives her lips to me."  He pointed his lips.

I blushed and gave him a quick peck on his lips and sat across him.

He looked confused, "What was that? I told you to give me a kiss not just a peck." He pouted which made him look cute.

Yeah, me and Lyon are dating now. This past saturday, he confessed his feelings to me and even I also felt the same towards him. Hope our relationship blossoms into a beautiful love.

"Oh I didn't knew you meant a kiss." I clicked my tongue to annoy him.

But soon he broke into laughter after seeing my expression.

"Okay baby, for now let's forget about ourself and focus on Juvia-chan and Mr.Gray. I'm really worried about her."

I told Lyon everything which Juvia-chan shared with me. And how depressed she was past few days.

"Yeah even I heard from Gray that he saw Stella while coming back home.
  What I don't understand is that how can a dead person appear suddenly out of nowhere?"
Lyon added.

"I guess, it might be someone else who looks similar to her. When I thought everything was going accordingly much to Juvia-chan's delight, but now the really hurdle comes into play. I really feel sorry for her." I said.

"Yeah your point seems valid but Gray is damn sure that is Stella not someone else.
    Even I feel sorry for her, poor thing, why didn't this Stella appear before him 3months prior.
    At least Juvia-chan would have been happy with someone else."

Lyon huffed and banged his palm on the table earning others attention on us.

"Baby, I guess for now, we need to find who that person really is? Is she really Stella or someone else?     
      If she is the real one, then what was her purpose to play dead all this while?
     And now what is she expecting from Mr.Gray?"
 I told him my confusion.

"You need not worry about that as Gray  along with his police friend is looking for her detail. They will find out in no time.
     But whatever may be the result, Juvia-chan is the one who will be affected by it mostly. Let's hope for the best."

He caught hold of my palms and squeezed to assure me that everything will be alright.

LATER AT THE EVENING

GRAY'S POV

Since the day I saw Stella again, I had been searching for her everywhere. But I'm not able to find her.

Stella, whom I thought was dead suddenly appears out of nowhere which made me startled.

What I'm not getting is that why did she fake her death? What could be her reason? Moreover, is she really the Stella whom I knew and loved?

All these questions are bugging me that's why, now I'm at the bar drinking whisky while waiting for Jellal to show up as he is the superintendent in police department. He might help me out to find out the truth.

"Yo Gray!! Good evening, sorry I made you wait." Jellal apologised for been late by half an hour.

"Nah!! It's okay. See I want your help as….." I told him everything and even he looked shocked after hearing about Stella.

"Are you sure that is Stella?" He asked to confirm once again.

I nodded my head in agreement. He thought for a while and agreed to help me out.

"See Jellal, I'm counting on you. I want to know the truth from her. What was her reason to do something like this?"

I said as I drank 4th shot of whisky.

"Don't worry, we are friends after all. It's my duty to help you guys. Erza and others will be happy to know that she is still alive.
   After knowing everything, you can start over again. What do you say?"

Jellal asked me casually as he drank the beer.

This thought didn't strike me at all. I'm happy that Stella is alive and doing well.

But somewhere in my heart, I'm not feeling the same towards her.

As I kept drinking another shot of whisky, "For now I want to know the truth from her. That what is going in my head right now."

I stuttered as the alcohol began to kick in my system.

But I didn't stop drinking, "Man, I guess you need to stop drinking. It's enough for the day." Jellal tried to snatch the glass from my hand.

"No stop, Jelly bean. I wanna drink more. Right now I'm confused. Really what the hell is happening in my life?"

I shouted and banged my head on the table continuously. I guess, the alcohol took its control on me as I began to lose my consciousness.

JELLAL'S POV

"Gray, get a grip on yourself. Stop shouting and banging the table with your head." I tried to stop him.

Looks like he has gotten himself fully drank. I have never seen him behave like this in public.

"Why did she leave me? Why did she fake her death? Am I really not worth for her?
   Then why is she coming into my life once again when I found a new happiness?" Gray began to cry. I feel so pity for him.

In our group, he is the one who hasn't settled down yet. Ever since the death of his girlfriend, his behaviour changed into rude and harsh attitude. Only focus on his professional career.

We tried to convince him to focus on his personal life and began to date another girl and start over again.

But all our attempts failed as he proclaimed that he still loved her.

Now what caught me offguard was when I asked him if he would pursue his relationship again.

He didn't answer my question but changed the topic. And what did he mean by new happiness?

This is really strange to began with as didn't he feel the same towards Stella anymore?

"Hey Jelly bean, take me home. *hiccups* I wanna sleep now." Gray shouted as he drank another shot.

I stopped him and put his arm around my shoulders to balance his weight.

I paid the bill at the counter and made way towards the parking lot.

I searched for his car but it wasn't there. So I took him to my car and made him sit on the back seat.

"Man, where does he lives now?" I sighed and started the engine.

Suddenly he blurts out his address. His place is near Mira's cafe so it would be easy to leave him and go home.

Soon after half an hour of driving, we reached his home. It's quite big for a single person to reside.

Again it was difficult to balance him as he was not steady and kept on moving around.

'Hope uncle is at home or else who will take care of him in this state?' I thought myself and hit the door bell.

As the door opened, my eyes widened due to shock so did that person's.

"Je-Jellal-San and Gray-sama…." She called out.

Once I regained my composure, I spoke, "Juvia, what are you doing here in his house? How do you know him?"

"Firstly, come inside Jellal-san. What happened to Gray-sama? Why is he like this? And why is he stinking ?"

She asked as she caught hold of Gray's other side to help me.

We went inside and made him lie on the couch. He kept on mumbling something incoherent words which were beyond our capability to understand.

"He's drank. That's the smell of alcohol. I guess, you have few things to explain." I told and crossed my arms against my chest.

Then she told me everything from her marriage to purpose of her contract. I can't believe Gray could be such a cold hearted person.

'Looks like Natsu and Erza were right. He sure is an Absolute Zero.' I thought myself.

I have known Juvia since the time Erza and girls used to live opposite to each other.

Back then, she was still a middle school girl who used to come talk and play with the girls.

Both myself and Juvia has blue hair colour of different shades, due to which we kinda resembled each other making us look like siblings.

Slowly we got to know each other and our bond indeed grew as a real brother and sister.

Hearing her story and cries, my heart is in pain. I made her sit down on the couch opposite to the one in which Gray was laying so that she could relax and calm down.

"Look Juvia, I understand your feelings. Don't lose hope everything comes to an end.
   I'm sure you will get a good news by the end of this one year."
I hugged her and patted her back.

"I hope so too, Jellal-San. Please don't tell Erza-San and others, they will be mad at Gray-sama.
     I don't want any harm to be inflicted on him.
   Now that his Stella is back, he will go back to normal and happy mode." She cried hardly while saying the last part.

I told her why Gray called me and asked me to find the truth behind this Stella.

Now I get it why he didn't want to talk about starting over again and his new found happiness.

But I didn't tell her about this as I don't want to build up her hope and see it crash in front of her eyes later. I want both of them to be happy in their own way.

As I hugged her to calm her down, just then Gray got up and pushed me aside and hugged her,

"Jelly bean *hiccups* don't go touching *hiccups* what's mine. Got it?" He glared at me in a deadly manner.

"She's my wife and *hiccups* belongs only to me. *burps*" Suddenly he throws up on Juvia. Poor girl!!

But she remains unmoved nor does show slight disgust on her face.

Gray again falls back on the couch. Man, this idiot is hard to handle when he is drunk.

"Jellal-San, just stay with Gray-sama. Let me clean up this mess."

She smiled and went inside a room where the bathroom was located.

Firstly, she cleaned up the vomit on her clothes, then came inside the living room with bucket, mopping stick, waste cloth to clean the floor.

After cleaning the floor, now Gray is the one who needs to be clean, "Jellal-San, just help me carry Gray-sama back to his room upstairs."

As I and her caught hold of his body and brought him to his room.

Before making him lay on the bed, Juvia removed his ruined shirt and inner vest and laid him bare chested on the bed.

She bought a hand towel from the bathroom to clean his face to remove the vomit stains.

I stood on the side lines and watched how that little sister of mine was taking care of her drunk husband.

After wiping his face with clean towel and water, she went downstairs and bought a tall glass of water and a bowl.

Juvia made him sit upright after few attempts and gently shook him,
"Gray-sama open your eyes. Please Gray-sama, open your eyes." Finally he heard her plea and opened his eyes.

She told him to gargle so that his mouth won't smell bad due to vomit and instructed him to throw the content on the bowl which he did.

"Juvia, I'm really amazed to see you like this. I never thought a carefree and happy-go-lucky girl like you can take care of her dear ones this well and more importantly with patience. I'm really proud of you."

I ruffled her hairs which made her blush.

"Jellal-San, I would do anything for my Gray-sama. I love him. He's my world and my life.
  But looks like this dream of mine can't become reality."
She began to cry again. I consoled her.

After sometime, she made me eat dinner which she was making when I arrived with Gray.

"See Juvia just hope for the best. I want you and him to be happy in your own ways.
   And in his current I doubt, he will remember the scene which he created tomorrow morning.
  Stay away from him. Hope you understand what I'm trying to say." I advised hoping she grasps the exact meaning.

I could see the blush on her cheeks which shows she understood.

And first thing in the morning for me to do is to search for the details of Stella from the restaurant's CCTV footage and note down her car number for further investigation.

After sometime, I left her place thanking her for that delicious dinner.

Juvia told me not to inform Erza and others about her marriage with Gray. I promised but let's see how long I can keep up my words.

JUVIA'S POV

After Jellal-san left, I washed the used plates and went upstairs once to check on Gray-sama.

Till today, I didn't knew he consumes alcohol as I never got any odd smell from him whenever we sat together.

As I entered the room, I could see him sleep soundly. What made him drink like this that he loses his conscience and act like a crazy?

I sat next to his bed and ruffled his thick raven locks out of curiosity.

His face expression changed from stoic to calm and smiling one.

I guess, he likes this sensation and he snores softly in response to my action.

Gray-sama looks so peaceful and cute when he's asleep.

"Gray-sama, please be happy. I heard from dad how your childhood was without having your mother by your side. I pray to God may all your wish come true." I whispered those words and kept rifling his hairs softly.

"Ahh….Juvia…..Juvia….." Gray-sama kept muttering my name in his sleep.

I wonder what dream is he having where he is calling out my name.

I smiled and left him after tugging him under the blanket so that he doesn't catch cold. Gray-sama continued his muttering.

When I was about close the door, I heard my name but rest of the sentence was not clear.

"Ju-Juvia….thank..you...for….wai-waii-waiting…."

"Good night, Gray-sama." I told him even though he won't be able to listen.