AN: It will become quite clear in this chapter I do not know how to write battles so... please don't be too disappointed. LOL I know my weaknesses and fights is one of them. This is about the relationship of Gray and Juvia. HAHA

#

Juvia stood in the courtyard, her father-in-law next to her, watching her husband come off his horse in one swift motion, their eyes locked and she took a few steps to meet him halfway. A raven had come a few days before, saying Gray and his army would be in Winterfell soon and they would stay for two days before going North to take care of Invel Yura now that Jose Porla was dead.

"My Lady." Gray whispered when they were close enough.

The blunette offered him a small smile. "My Lord." She said before she put her hands on each side of his neck, her thumbs caressing his jaw. "Are you hurt?"

"No." He told her. "How are you?"

She took a moment to answer, trying to find the right words to tell her husband how she felt. "The wound healed." She told him truthfully because if Juvia told him she was alright, that would be a lie.

"That is good." He sighed in relief but by the way he looked at her, Juvia was sure they'd talk more once they were alone. Gray looked past her, to his father and took her hands away from him, kissing the back of one of them before twining their fingers together. They took a few steps "Father."

"Son." Silver nodded and pulled him for a hug. He patted him on the back and he was clearly relieved his son was back home, even if for just two days. "Is it done?"

"Jose Porla is dead." Gray told him when he was released, he glanced her way. "Your cousin is now Lord of the Crossing, he has the Twins." Juvia nodded, relieved Gajeel was alright and now ruling as her uncle's heir. He would do it well. "He sent you a letter."

"You can talk more after Gray has been fed and bathed." Silver said and he looked at his son. "Sorry, kid, but you do smell ripe. War isn't as glamorous as one would think, eh?"

#

Juvia,

I write you this letter as a poor substitute of my presence in your time of greatest need but your husband guaranteed me he had enough men to go after Invel Yura and the Twins' men took quite a hit with this battle. They are my people now and they need time to heal.

I ask your forgiveness, I couldn't stop our uncle. I was against his plan, I was ready to ride to Winterfell when he threw me in the dungeons. I was only released when Gray arrived. You were quite sneaky by telling him about the grotto tunnel from when we were children. I had completely forgotten.

Nothing will bring your child back, but know your husband avenged it when he executed our uncle. What happened was unforgivable and I wish you had been here to carry out the sentence, instead, you had every right to. I know how you feel of murder, but it wasn't that, it was justice.

I'm sorry this letter isn't a comfort, you know I am not one for words, but I want you to know I am still your cousin and whatever you need, be it an army or just a place to stay, I am here and I will never be as helpless again to come to your aid as I was before.

Be well, cousin, and remember everything we learned as we grew up, we fight to survive but also do not forget your House's words. You are who you are.

Sincerely,

Gajeel Redfox, Lord of the Crossing

#

Juvia dried a stray tear she couldn't contain and smiled sadly while staring at the awful but very well welcomed handwriting of her cousin. She knew he would never had taken part on an assassination attempt on her life.

Gajeel liked to be feared, but inside, his heart was soft and it always softer for her; they were more brother and sister than some brothers and sisters out in the world.

She missed him.

"What does it say?" Gray asked and Juvia looked up. Her husband was ready to go to sleep and he looked so tired she was glad he would sleep in a bed for a change.

"He tells me you told him we have enough men to take to fight Invel Yura and he asks for forgiveness for not stopping Uncle."

Gray nodded. "I found him in the dungeons, a prisoner, and everyone I talked to, says the same thing: he was thrown there after an argument with your uncle, packed and was ready to leave when he was imprisoned." He told her. "Like you said, he is a good man."

"He is." Juvia put the letter away in a wooden box on the mantle of the fireplace. Gray sat on the bed, facing her, watching her. "What?"

"Tell me the truth now." He said. "Please."

Juvia sighed and went to sit next to him. She stayed in silence for a few moments before she spoke. "It still hurts." She whispered. "It's been two months now and while Juvia is doing something, she forgets for a while, but then... she remembers. That's why Juvia keeps busy all the time."

Gray took her hands on his. "I'm sorry I had to leave so soon after."

"I know." She told him. "But you did it to bring justice on what happened and in two days we march North to face Invel, the last one responsible for Sapphire's death. We will heal together, then."

Frowning, Gray asked. "We?"

"Yes." The blunette nodded. "You didn't think you'd go after him on your own, right?" Clearly surprised, Gray just stared at her in disbelief. "You did."

"Of course I did." Gray told his wife.

"Juvia wanted but couldn't go with you when you went after Uncle because she was terribly hurt." She said. "She's healed now and ready to go with you."

"You are not coming with me." He couldn't believe his ears and he got up from the bed.

"Juvia is going with you." She told him, calmly.

He shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

"I don't care."

"No."

"Yes."

"No." He emphasized the word.

Juvia got up from the bed to be more at level with him. "Juvia is going and unless you plan on locking her in this room for months, you can't stop her."

"I can't let you go with us." Gray told her. "Your uncle was old, his army less prepared. Invel had more time to prepare and he is a good fighter, if memory serves me right. This will be too dangerous."

"I don't care." She said again.

"No." He raised his voice, took a step back and started to walk around, restless. "I will not let you ride into mortal danger. No."

"Like Juvia has let you?" She was feeling completely calm; there was no way Gray was going to convince her to stay behind this time. "Juvia is just as skilled as you are and before this battle, you have been to none. There are men in your army who had never held a sword until a few weeks ago when you called arms. Juvia has been training since she was a child. So why should Juvia be left behind while you go?"

"Because..." He looked at her, Juvia held his gaze and he started pacing again. "No, I can't let you."

"Why?"

"Because I can't lose you too." He all but yelled it at her. "I can't..." He gulped. "I wouldn't be able to take it."

"Gray-sama." Juvia said, softly and stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his cheek.

"I told you how I feel." His voice was almost breaking. "If you go with us and something happens, if you die, I will have lost everything and I can't."

"Juvia was scared of losing you too when you left." She told him. "But Juvia didn't stop you, didn't ask you to stay because it was something you had to do. This is something Juvia has to do. She can't stay behind."

"Why?" He asked her. "Why do you want to go?"

"Because Juvia needs to look him in the eye. She has to." Juvia said. "She wants to do something and in here she will grow mad."

"Juvia..." He tried, but Juvia tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Let's sleep. You must be very tired." She saw him sigh and nod. Juvia would probably hear more about it the next day, but for the moment, they had an understanding.

#

Gray and Silver were walking back from the camp outside Winterfell – they had been checking to see if the troops had everything in order to leave on the morrow when Gray spoke.

"How do you think Juvia is doing?"

Silver took a moment to answer. "She's handling things on her own way. At first she cried a lot, which is understandable, then one day I had to intervene when she started to throw things around in your bedroom, the maids got scared. After that, she went through a phase of silence. A few days like that and she was up and running the place before I could ask her what she was doing."

"Fuck." Gray whispered, feeling guilty once again for not being there.

"She says she feels better if she keeps busy and beyond catching her looking sad a few times, she is always doing something." Silver finished. "Star stayed with her a lot since you've been gone."

Gray frowned. "Why?"

Silver shrugged. "I think she sensed something wasn't right. That there was supposed to be a human pup around and there wasn't anymore. Remember when Blizzard's litter was born and one of the pups didn't make it and Star followed us around until we buried it? Perhaps she knew Juvia was going through something similar. I saw Juvia holding onto Star a few times, sobbing her heart out for almost an hour while Star just stood there and let her. You know how she is about someone holding her for so long." The direwolf liked being petted, but unlike Blizzard, Star hated to be held, ever since she was young. Letting Juvia do it, meant a great deal. "She isn't healed yet, son, but she is a strong girl."

Gray hesitated. "Juvia wants to ride with us to get Invel."

"I know." Silver replied. "She told me this a few weeks ago."

"And you didn't think of taking the idea off her head?" Gray asked, dumbfounded at his father.

"I tried, she didn't listen. She is as stubborn as you are, that girl." The older Fullbuster said. "What would have had me do, son? Chain her on the bed until she changed her mind?"

"Of course not, but-"

"You have seen firsthand what she's capable of. I couldn't make her change her mind, but I did try to help her in any way I could. For the past month, I had an armor made for her and she has been daily training with Sor Killian and he says she's ready." Gray opened his mouth to protest, but Silver was faster. "Remember Sor Killian trained you too and he wouldn't lie to me about Juvia's abilities."

Gray groaned. "Gods, why can't she just this one time be like other women and stay home?" He looked at Silver. "What would you do if this were Mother? Or Ur? Would you let them?"

Silver snorted. "Let them." The older man chuckled. "First, they would tell me to shove it if I told them I didn't 'let them' do something. As we speak, Ur is out in a castle, a five-day ride from here and I'm waiting for her to come back. I didn't want her to go, but I couldn't stop her. Second, both of them are important to me but unless I knew they'd be completely helpless, what could I do? Both of them were strong minded and I never owned neither, exactly like you don't own Juvia. She's your wife, not your property." He patted his son on his back. "It's not your place to 'let her' do anything. She's a grown woman."

The younger Fullbuster sighed and nodded. They walked for a minute in silence until Gray spoke. "I'm afraid she will get hurt."

"I understand that." Silver granted him the point. "But this is her decision, just like it was yours to go south to deal with her uncle. I didn't want you to go, I don't want you to go after Invel either because you are my son and I am always afraid you'll get hurt. You are a grown man, though, and I have taught you everything I know, I had you trained and now I can only give you counsel and hope you do the thing that won't get you killed."

Gray groaned again. "I'm fucked, aren't I?"

"Oh, yes." Silver slapped his son on the back. "Women usually fuck us up like that, you are not alone."

The next morning, when Juvia came from inside the castle wearing her leather armor, her sword, Water Claw, hanging from the belt in her waist and hair in a long braid, she looked at Gray for a long time right before she got on her horse, as if daring him to tell her she couldn't go with him.

"We have a long way to ride today." He told her and mounted his horse and when Gray looked at her, he could see she was relieved. Gray glanced at his father and gave him a small wave and Silver nodded and Gray knew his father was proud of him.

#

Juvia watched from behind the lines, as her husband had ordered her to. He said she was welcome to stay, but far from the heart of the fight and with two men by her side.

They had been riding for almost a fortnight and they finally spotted some men from Invel Yura's small army. Gray had shouted orders from his horse and called two of his men. "You are to stay back here, as we discussed. This is not Invel, not yet." He told her and Juvia nodded. Gray pulled her for a quick kiss.

"Don't get hurt, please." She asked.

"I'll try." He told her before he mounted on his horse and left, his men after him.

Hearing the battle cries, the sounds of metal on metal... Juvia couldn't stay put. She was there, she could fight and she must. She looked over her shoulders, to her guards and before they could react to her saying 'I'm sorry', she was already galloping towards the fight, her guards following her.

The men were clearly surprised to see her there, they were even more surprised when she started to cut people with her sword, saving the lives of a few men. Once they saw she was there to help, they started to rally behind her. Their lady, fighting next to them, gave them strength.

Killing in battle wasn't the same as being attacked and fighting to survive. It was still for survival, but there was no time to rest once an enemy was down because a moment later, there was another person trying to kill you.

She didn't know how long she fought, she couldn't tell how many men she slayed; all she knew was how much her muscles were sore, she was dirty, sweaty and tired, but she wasn't going to give up.

"Milady!" One of the men shouted. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know." She told him, it was a man, not older than herself, with bright brown eyes and dark hair. "It seems they are either falling back or getting defeated. Take five or six men and start to take the injured back to the camp."

"But-"

"Now!" She yelled. "The rest of us will push them back. Won't we?" There was a shout of agreement coming from them.

The moment she could breathe, she looked around the battlefield and she could see most of the wounded and dead wasn't from the Fullbuster army, but it saddened her heart to see the path of destruction it caused.

When the final enemy was slayed, the people around her cheered. They had won for the day and many of them stopped to talk to her and she found herself smiling at them, despite of what happened and where they were.

These were her people, they were fighting to avenge an attack on her family.

Juvia didn't know any of the battle songs they started to sing on their way back to camp, but she fell into an easy march back, knowing her husband was probably looking for her like a madman.

At camp, there were fires already being set, men who survived the battle singing and drinking ale around it and cheering whenever a group of people returned. When she was offered a goblet with some ale, she accepted it but started to cough with how strong it was.

"You are a good fighter, milady, but I think this one beat you." A scruffy man with a bloody rag around his head said, laughing and the men laughed, as well as Juvia. "To Lady Juvia!" They cheered. "To ale!" Laughter and cheers. "To winning today!" Juvia raised her own goblet, smiling at them.

Juvia excused herself and started to walk in the direction of the tent she shared with her husband, the location was general enough and he probably had men looking for her.

Five minutes into walking, stopping a few times to talk to some of the men, there was a young man who was out of breath when he approached her. "Milady!" He panted. "Lord Gray is looking for you!"

"Well, congratulations. You found me." She smiled at him and she could swear the boys' cheeks pinked up. "I bet he will be very grateful to you...?"

"Matthias, ma'am." His hazel eyes widened in response.

"Matthias, what a beautiful name." Juvia told him gracefully. "Now, shall we...?"

"Yes, milady!"

The young man led her towards the Lord's tent and bowed a few times before leaving her, saying he would go fetch her husband.

Juvia sighed and started to undress, taking off her belt, her sword needed to be cleaned, and she put it over a chest, sitting next to it and taking a deep breath. She needed a bath, she needed to eat something and she needed to sleep for a week. Honestly, she didn't know how wars could last years when after one battle, she was ready to turn around and go home.

"Where the fuck were you?" She looked up and saw her husband entering their tent and she was relieved he didn't seem hurt, just as tired and dirty as she was. "I told you to stay back!"

"Juvia couldn't." She told him. "She's not hurt, don't worry."

He groaned in annoyance and took a few steps, put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her to an inch of her life – it appeared her husband was more than content she was alright after their battle and Juvia felt her lower stomach boil in response to it.

Months, since the last time he kissed her that way.

Gray gave her a peck on the lips. "Next time, please stay put."

"We'll see." She smiled.

"I should've locked you in our bedroom and dealt with your anger later. It would have been easier." He muttered and Juvia chuckled. Gray tried to hide a smile but she saw it anyway. "We should get cleaned up before we go get something to eat." He started to pull on his armor and so did Juvia.

Gray took off his upper armor and right after, his undershirt and went to where there were two basins. He filled one with water from a jug next to it and got a rag from the other basin, wetting it before starting to clean his chest and arms with it.

Juvia did the same, but she still had her undershirt on – she hadn't been naked in his presence since before they lost their child.

They cleaned themselves in silence for a few moments before she glanced his way and saw a bruise on his back. She left the rag behind, seeing she was clean enough, and touched the bruise.

"It's going to get purple." She told him and Gray looked over his shoulder, to look at her. "How did it happen?"

"A man hit me with the pommel of his sword, very hard. He was a big man and was going for the kill, but I was faster." He shrugged and threw his rag on the basin, turning to face his wife. "Don't worry, it's a little sore but will be fine."

"Alright." She nodded and looked up, right into his eyes and suddenly she couldn't breathe right.

He was looking at her with those beautiful dark eyes, full of fire and she must've shown something in her expression, because that fire in his eyes turned into lust and she glanced down to his lips and then up to his eyes again.

Gray was the first to move, hands cupping her face and bringing her lips to his in a desperate kiss she reciprocated in kind. They hadn't kissed like that for months, since they lost their child and no time seemed right to start kissing that way again. Sweet loving kisses were all right, hold each other as they fell asleep too, but nothing beyond that, not yet.

That night, though, Juvia was burning for him.

For a second he seemed to hesitate but Juvia didn't let him stop. She put her hands on the belt of his pants to undo it and her husband seemed to catch she wasn't going to stop him and his hands went to her belt.

Juvia pushed him away just long enough so she could kick off her boots and push away her pants and her husband did the same, much faster than she did since he had only his hands on. Juvia's only clothing was her too big undershirt when she felt Gray pull her to him and scooped her from the ground, making her squeal. She giggled when he lied her down on the cot they had been sharing for the past couple of weeks.

He pulled her shirt up and threw it someplace she didn't see and Juvia pulled Gray back to kiss her, their naked bodies touching in the most delicious way. It had been so long since she felt alive, since she wanted to.

Gray kissed her neck and a hand went to her breast and her hands caressed his back slowly, she could feel his hard length sliding on her sex and she moaned with the feeling. She slid her hands down to his arse.

Juvia a few minutes and the blunette was tingling all over, she wanted him. "Gray-sama." She moaned. He kissed her lips and one of his hands slip between them and touched her between the legs, testing her readiness and she could feel her blood boiling, wanting him. "Please."

Stopping the kiss, Gray looked into her eyes and she lost herself in his black ones, both panting and he moved his hips, entering her slowly without breaking eye contact and Juvia bit her lower lip until he was all in.

He touched her forehead with his, their breaths mixing and when he began to move his hips, earning a small moan from her, he kissed her lips, lovingly and Juvia's heart fluttered inside her chest.

They started slow, savoring the feeling of the other – it had been so long – until they needed more, they needed the fire to consume them, to burn them alive and bring them back.

"Fuck." Gray whispered, speeding up his movements and when that wasn't enough, Gray grabbed one of her legs and lifted it, his arm under her knee to keep it up and Juvia gasped and moaned with each stroke, her nails digging into the skin of his back. "Juvia."

"Gray-sama." Juvia moaned his name when he started to rub the bundle of nerves atop of where they were joined and she could feel she was getting closer and closer to the edge. "Oh, gods."

"Look at me." He panted and she opened her eyes, taking her breath away even more than before; he looked so handsome with his wild dark eyes shining in desire, cheeks flushed, a crease between his brows as he focused. So handsome. "Juvia." He said and her focus returned to him. "I love you." Juvia's heart skipped a beat at his words and looking into his eyes, she knew he had meant them as much as he meant them the first time he had said them. "I. Love. You." He snapped his hips on hers with each word and by the end of the third, Juvia was falling.

"Oh." She keened, feeling her blood boiling in her veins; she was floating, and feeling out of the world, feeling like she never thought it was possible to feel again.

She felt alive.

Her husband stilled on top of her as he came in her, her name on his lips and after a few moments, those same lips started to kiss her neck slowly and Juvia couldn't help it but to smile, caressing his back lovingly.

Gray finally kissed her lips and gently pulled out of her and she smiled into the kiss, snuggling close to him when he lied next to her; the cot was too small for them to be apart, anyways.

"Gods, I have missed this." He whispered and Juvia chuckled, kissing the hollow of his throat. "Are you okay?"

Juvia thought for a moment and nodded. "Juvia wasn't sure she was ready before. Now, she was sure."

"Good." He kissed the top of her head. "I would've waited longer if you weren't, you know that, right? All the time you needed."

"I know." She nodded and with her index finger, she drew invisible patterns on the skin of his chest. He had been very respectful of her limits, as usual. "Juvia enjoyed tonight. We should do this more often."

Gray chuckled. "You won't need to do much convincing to get me to do this more often." Juvia smiled and kissed his cheek. He caressed her side slowly and when Juvia got up to get the rag in the basin to clean herself between the legs, she could feel his eyes on her and once she was done, she cleaned it and passed it to him, knowing the next morning they still had to eat before sleep.

While she waited, she put on an old dress and gathered his armor, putting away and once he was finished, she threw the rag on the empty basin next to the one with water and she opened one of the chests to hand him a pair of pants and a shirt.

"I will get us something to eat." He told her, kissing her lips. "I will be right back."

Later that night, right after making love once again, Juvia snuggled closer to her husband, who covered them with furs, and he kissed her forehead.

"In two days we will arrive at the Fox Den, Lady and Lord Silverfox will have us and we will get a proper bath, meal, bed..." He told her. "We will be more comfortable at the Castle."

"Juvia is fine right here and now." She told him. "Sleep, Gray-sama, don't worry about Juvia."

He snorted. "I'll always be worried about you."

#

Gray was drinking a glass of wine by the fire and staring at his wife, who was lying on the bed, on her stomach, both completely naked, her hair sprawled on her back in a mess of curls and she was looking at him. She was cushioning her head on her arms and she smiled, making his heart flutter.

They had been married for more than a year and it still baffled him at how beautiful she was, inside and out.

"Do you know what the men call you?" He asked her and she made a curious sound. "The Winter Rose."

She giggled. "Do they know Juvia is from the South?"

"They don't seem to mind." Gray told her and left his goblet on the table before he went back to bed while she laughed quietly when he rolled them so she was atop of him. "I asked why The Winter Rose."

"Juvia's hair, obviously." She said while leaning to kiss the tip of his nose and then gave a peck on his lips before she kissed his chest.

"That helped, but I was told it was because you are beautiful, sweet, exotic and with thorns. You made quite an impression on them." He sighed in contentment as her lips teased his skin. "I couldn't help it but to agree."

"So, you think Juvia is beautiful." She asked and squealed when he turned them so she was underneath him.

"Maybe." He smiled and kissed her lips.

"And with thorns?" The blunette raised an eyebrow.

Gray snorted. "You do have a sword and knows how to use it. I would say you have a few thorns."

"Perhaps." She chuckled and it was her turn to kiss him.

"In just a few days, we will face him." Gray told her softly, a hand on her cheek and she nodded. "If you want to stay here until..."

"No." She shook her head and put a hand on his cheek. "Juvia is going."

Gray sighed. "Would you please stick with the rules this time, then?" When Juvia just smiled at him, he groaned, knowing she wouldn't stay at the back, as he had requested. Again. "How come you are just as stubborn as I am?"

"You need someone to match your stubbornness so when you are wrong, you can have a match to tell you just that." She kissed his lips and opened her legs to accommodate him better.

"And when you are wrong, do I get to do the same?" He asked, kissing her again.

"Don't you know?" Juvia told him. "Wives are always right." He snorted but said nothing else, choosing to spend their remaining time at Fox Den, loving her instead of arguing.

#

The day they faced Invel Yura, was a cold one, grey skies above them and silence surrounded them as they watched the army get ready at the opposing side of theirs. Invel had refused to meet before the fight, which meant he had no intention of surrendering himself to save his men. The Fullbuster army was larger, it would overwhelm their enemy soon, but northerners were stubborn and Invel wasn't going to submit.

"Juvia." Gray called and she looked his way. "Stay next to me all the time."

Once battle began, it was hard to follow Gray but she knew if they got lost, Gray would go in Invel's direction and so was she. The men who were signed to protect her, were good fighters and saved her from get seriously hurt a few times and in turn, Juvia had saved theirs in return.

Her stomach turned when she saw the familiar shade of white of Invel Yura's hair. They had met a few times at The Twins and she had been having nightmares with those red eyes of his. She would never mistake him.

"Juvia!" She looked to her right and a few meters away, her husband was engaged on a fight. "Go!"

She didn't have to be asked twice.

Juvia ran in Invel's direction, avoiding three different attacks and one she was close enough, she swung her sword in his direction the hardest she could and Invel stopped it with his own, pushing her back.

"When they told me you were here, I couldn't believe it." He panted but Juvia said nothing. She was feeling all the pain, the hatred, the anger boiling inside her and all she wanted to do was to kill the son of a bitch.

Invel was quick, but Juvia was smaller and quicker than he was. He managed to hurt her on the side, right under her ribs; it was a big slash but not deep enough to be life threatening. He took the opportunity and punched Juvia, who fell on the ground, her sword next to her.

Losing no time, she remembered her lessons and how if she were on the ground, she was fucked. She did what she had been taught to do years ago; she used her legs to sweep onto his feet, making him also fall to the ground.

Juvia was quick to climb over him and before he could reach for his sword, Juvia screamed and punched him in the face, every ounce of the pain she felt, she channeled to that moment. She hit him over and over again until his face was bloodied and he was moaning in pain.

She grabbed the sword that fell next to them, his sword, and looked down to him.

Invel was at her mercy, one of the men who had part in killing her daughter. One of the men who had made her feel the worst pain in the world, one of the men who made her want to die.

Juvia yelled as she raised the sword high, pointy end ready to gut the damn bastard and he knew it, she could see it in his wide eyes he knew.

With one swift motion, she hit her target, still yelling.

She was panting when she stopped, Invel's eyes widened even more when he looked down and saw that Juvia's sword was right beside his neck, instead of in his stomach.

It felt as if everyone in the battlefield was looking at them, no other sound was heard as everyone watched Juvia and Invel stare into each other's eyes. It was clear she had missed on purpose, she was too close to miss.

"Why?" He gulped, bloodied face with an expression of confusion.

"Because I am not going to murder you, I won't let you make me turn like you." She hissed. "You will face justice, not revenge. I want you to know that whatever happens to you, it will be justice." He seemed to understand her and Juvia looked down on him for a few seconds more before she got up, took her sword from the ground and started to walk in the direction of her husband, who was looking at her with wide eyes. Juvia held to her left side where he had cut her earlier and Gray ran to her, while yelling for his men to imprisoner Invel. "Gray-sama."

"Are you okay?" Gray asked, putting his arm around her waist, over her injury to put pressure on it. "Do you think it's deep?"

"No." She shook her head and stopped walking for a moment, making her husband look at her. "It's over."

"Almost." He nodded. "Now come on, let's get you looked at by a Maester."

#

"You don't need to go talk to him." Gray told her as she walked towards the dungeons of Snowstorm Castle, the home of the Yuras.

"It is his last wish." The blunette told her husband. "He will be executed in a few hours and he wants to talk to me." Gray helped her down the stairs as she was still hurt from the battle. "Don't worry."

"I won't be leaving, so don't even ask." Gray said and Juvia nodded – it was fair enough, if the request were for him, she would want to be there as well. They walked in silence until they stopped in front of Invel's cell. "Leave us." He told his men.

He looked like hell, white hair was loose and dirty, his injuries were treated but he was still worse for wear, his face was red and purple, much like hers from the punches they threw on one another, his wrists were bound, shirt bloodied. His red eyes met hers and Juvia raised her chin.

"Lady Juvia." He glanced at Gray, as if it wasn't a surprise to see him there. "Lord Gray."

"Be quick." Gray hissed. "What do you want with her?"

"I want to talk about your child." Invel said and Juvia's heart stopped inside her chest, Gray stepped closer to the bars of the cell.

"You dare to..."

"Gray-sama." Juvia's voice was strong and made him stop on his tracks. Gray was furious, clearly, but Juvia shook her head and for a second she was sure he wouldn't calm down and would go inside the cell to kill Invel, but he gave her a small nod instead and returned to her side. Juvia knew, though, his patience was thin. Her attention returned to their prisoner. "Why?" She asked, simply.

"I think I would lead the North better than the Fullbuster had been doing." Invel said, serious and in a very analytical tone. "Your uncle and I had a good plan but you fell in love and told him" he pointed at Gray "about it. I knew it happened when he called the bannerman and my House wasn't included. I wasn't surprised, to be honest, but your uncle was livid. When I arrived at The Twins, he told me he would send an assassin after you but that wasn't justice, it was revenge." He said and Juvia recalled the words she had said when she almost killed him. "I was there, I knew it was wrong and I didn't stop him so I am to blame as much as he was." Invel looked at Gray. "I won't apologize for trying to take the North, I would have done what your family has been failing to for centuries: make the North independent again. But I fought and I lost." He was so cold for a man who just had a few hours to live. "Do not ruin the North any more than it is already ruined."

"Fuck you." Gray said between gritted teeth.

Juvia looked at him for a long time and stepped closer to the bars. "If it weren't for you, for my uncle and for me, at this time now Juvia would have her daughter in her arms." She said in a low voice, but she was sure he could hear her. "I did not murder you back in the battlefield, even though I really wish I did because I wouldn't be able to live with myself because I would have wanted to make you feel like I felt. You made me, us, go through the worst pain we could ever feel." She hissed. "I refuse to turn into that person. My family's words are 'We live for the family' and I will. I will live for the family that I lost."

"Your child dying deserves justice and I accept your punishment for it." Invel told Juvia. "I will know of my crime when I face the gods."

Juvia nodded one time and started to walk towards the exit, her husband reaching her a moment later to help her up the stairs. The moment they were out of the dungeons, Juvia started to cry silently as they walked back to the castle.

Later that day, when she saw her husband swing his sword and Invel's head rolling, blood tainting the snow, she had excused herself and emptied the contents of her stomach next to the castle wall. She thought having justice for her daughter would make her feel better, but it didn't. It still hurt, it still didn't bring Sapphire back.

That night, when they lied on the bed, Gray held her tight while Juvia sobbed in grief.

#

Gray found his wife crying in their bedroom, two months later, and it alarmed him. She had been much better since they returned home and seeing her crying like that...

"Juvia?" He sat next to her, an arm around her shoulder. "What is wrong?"

"I..." She cried. "I think I might be pregnant again."

He blinked two times before he spoke. "What?"

"Juvia had her moon blood two times since..." She whispered, looking terrified. "But none since when we went after Invel. We started being intimate again back then."

"That was... three months ago." He said and Juvia nodded. Gray felt his stomach fluttering as he tried to remember the symptoms she had the first time and thinking about it, it made sense. She had been very tired, her breasts were more sensitive and the small protuberance on her stomach that had remained from her first pregnancy, was harder under his hand. "Why are you crying?"

"Because it's not safe yet." Juvia cried. "What if there are people still trying to kill us? What if someone comes after it? What if... something goes wrong?" She shook her head. "I can't go through that again, Gray-sama. I won't."

Gray pulled her closer to him and kissed her temple. "No one is taking another child from us. I'll have you protected all the time." He told her. "If you are indeed pregnant, I am certain nothing is going to go wrong."

"You don't know that." Her terrified whisper broke his heart. "Anything could happen. It's not safe."

"Nothing will happen." He assured her. "I will ask Ur to stay here until the baby is born, the Maester will also be here and everything will go as it is supposed to."

Very hesitant, Juvia nodded. "Juvia doesn't want anyone to know yet. Not until she can't hide it anymore." Gray frowned. "It would make me feel safer."

"Whatever you want." He agreed, letting her feel as comfortable as he could, was his main concern. "We will need to tell some people, though. Ur, the Maester, my father."

"Yes." The blunette sighed. "Only the people who must."

"Of course." Gray made her look up to him. "Aside from feeling afraid... are you... happy?"

"Juvia is." Juvia said, voice so tiny he almost couldn't hear it. "Juvia is happy and feeling guilty about it."

"Don't." He shook his head. "I know it's going to take a while to sink in, but we can't feel guilty for bringing another life into this family." He caressed her cheek. "We won't forget about Sapphire because we are having another child."

"I know." She whispered. "It's just... so hard."

"Yeah." Gray agreed. "I will be right next to you anytime you need me, alright?" She nodded. "We will be doing this the right way: you feel sad, you tell me. You feel doubts, you tell me." Juvia nodded again. "Good. I will do the same, deal?"

"Deal."

He hesitated but put a hand over her stomach, he watched her carefully as he looked for any indication of her being uncomfortable. When he found none, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and he finally smiled, Juvia smiling back in response. It was a good thing and the gods knew they needed some good in their lives.

Neither of them spoke again for a long while, holding each other close, both praying and wishing for this child to be well. Gray kissed her hairline and Juvia grabbed his hand, squeezing it.

They were together and would remain that way, facing whatever happened.

#

AN: Okay, so there will be a small chapter later, like, really small. There's something I gotta add and if I put it in here, it would have been too long.

Let me be clear: Juvia did not forgive Invel. She decided killing him in revenge would have made her feel worse and decided to have him face justice, just Invel himself knew was coming and accepted it. During their talk, she made sure he knew his crimes and why she didn't kill him, then. Honestly? I think this was harder to do than to kill him.

Another thing, Juvia is coping with it in her own way and she has taken big steps such as resuming her sex life with Gray after three months, facing Invel and not completely losing it, resuming her activities in Winterfell and more; she's not alright yet, though, as we can clearly see the impact her attack has on her reaction to the news. She went through something traumatic and even though she was doing fine before, her fears returned once she was put in the same state as she was when attacked.

I... hope it was okay?