Cold [kohld] - (4) lacking in passion, emotion, enthusiasm, ardor, dispassionate. (5) not affectionate, cordial, or friendly; unresponsive.

Chapter 1

She was numb; she couldn't feel anything – not even the pain that came with her aching heart. She looked to her right and saw him happily chatting with their friends while she – she didn't even want to think about it.

"Lucy, are you all right?" asked Mira when she saw the blonde still sitting at the bar.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied looking down at her drink, when had her voice become so cold? "I'm just not feeling it today, Mira, sorry."

The older girl smiled sadly. "I understand, if you'd like, why don't I take you home? I'll be done with my shift in an hour or so."

"No, don't worry about it, Mira," she replied with a small smile - even though it never reached her eyes. "I don't want to be a burden to you."

Mira frowned a bit, she didn't want to let Lucy go home all alone at night, but her shift didn't end for another hour and she desperately needed the extra money to pay off Lisanna's college tuition. She looked around their group of friends. Natsu, Gajeel, and Levy had already drunk more than a glass or two. Erza and Jellal were without a doubt their ride so that only left Lucy's boyfriend, Richard, who happened to be enjoying himself as he did not notice how isolated his girlfriend was from the group.

"Well, I'll see you around, Mira," she heard Lucy say as she grabbed her purse from the counter and left a bunch of bills next to her drink. "Keep the change," she smiled, her eyes still didn't have their usual sparkle.

Before Mirajane could stop the blonde, she was already more than halfway through the door. She wanted to desperately grab Richard by the collar of his shirt and shake him senseless, but she couldn't, she was working now - and he was a paying customer.

She looked at the watch on her wrist. 'Only 45 minutes more and then I can strangle the idiot,' she thought to herself before going back to the bar to attend new customers and keeping Lucy's tip.

Once she was out of Mira's prying blue eyes, Lucy let out a small sigh as her vision blurred. How could he have done this to her? They were supposed to be true to one another, to care for and to cherish - but apparently, she was the only one that thought that. As she walked away from the vivacious atmosphere her friends had made, the scene she had witnessed shortly after Richard had arrived played in her mind over and over again.

Lucy arrived at the bar faster than she thought she would. Her friends were already inside and she could hear them all the way from entrance. It was a small get together they had planned for a while now to celebrate 10 years of friendship. Lisanna wasn't able to make it because her final paper was due and she wanted it to be perfect! She paid the taxi cab driver and entered with a smile on her face.

Today was going to be the best day ever! Today marked her 2 year anniversary with Richard, who, as she looked around, wasn't there yet. A bit disappointed that she arrived before him she joined her friends in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere they had created for themselves. After she ordered her drink from Mira, her phone vibrated, she looked down and saw it was a text from him.

-Just reached the parking lot, hope you guys haven't started without me ;)

She smiled and replied.

-Not at all, just setting the mood for your arrival, your highness ;)

-Haha. Be there when I find a spot.

She excused herself from her friends and went outside to the parking lot, remembering how they met. She remembered it perfectly, she was in her English class when he entered, a new transfer student to their university, his looks had caught her eyes first, then as they got to know each other better, his intellectuality captured her mind and his way of being had her heart.

When she reached the parking lot, she opened her mouth to call out to him, but was stopped by what came next.

Her boyfriend, the one it had taken her months to convince her father that he was the one, was kissing another woman (passionately she might add) against his car. What hurt her wasn't so much the kissing – actually it did, but not as much as the words she heard next.

"How much longer do I have to wait?" asked the mysterious woman when they pulled apart.

"Not much. Soon she'll be saying yes and then I'll get you everything you want," he replied.

"All right, but don't forget that you belong to me, and only me."

"Of course, you are the one and only woman I will always love."

Lucy turned into the corner and stood with her back against the wall. Her heart was pounding fast and she felt the world around her crumble.

At one point in her walk, she looked up at the sky, as if asking for answers to her dilemma. Why? What did she do wrong? Why did this always happen to her?

Gray was walking back to his house from the convenience store. He was able to get his sister the ice cream she had been bothering him for days now. As much as he hated to admit it, he spoiled her rotten – well, maybe not to that extent, but close enough. He opened his umbrella when he felt drops from the sky hit his nose. As he crossed the street, he saw a blonde girl staring up at the sky. The same person on his way to the convenience store.

'I shouldn't, I really shouldn't,' he thought as he got closer to her. 'And I'm doing it, damn it!'

He pushed his umbrella away from himself and towards her. "Hey, you'll catch a cold if you stay out here," he said lightly.

The girl turned around, her eyes expressionless. "Who-?"

"Here," he pushed the umbrella further towards her. "You're gonna need this more than me."

She didn't take it; she only stared at him – or rather past him. Gray sighed lightly, he grabbed her hand and put it on the handle and left it there. He noticed her hands were soft, but they were unusually cold. He stopped himself for a moment, how did he know they were colder than usual? For all he could know, she could be like him, cold hands and all, but for whatever reason, he just knew this wasn't how she normally was.

"Thank you, but I don't really need this," she replied bringing him back to reality and handing him back the umbrella.

"I insist, you take it, my house is just around the corner anyway," he pushed it further to cover her head once more.

"N-no, I really couldn't! I wouldn't know how to return it afterward!" she tried once again, her voice had more life in it, and her eyes had a rising sparkle that wasn't there before.

Gray chuckled a bit. "Well, in that case, I believe this is rather pointless," he took the umbrella from her and closed it. "I mean look at us, we're both drenched!"

Her eyes widened before she took in her surroundings for the first time. For the first time since she left the bar, she let out a sincere laugh – a laugh so contagious that Gray couldn't help but laugh along with her.

Once their laughter died down, Gray stuck out his free hand. "I'm Gray Fullbuster, pleasure to meet you."

"Lucy Heartfilia, the pleasure is all mine," she shook his hand – he quickly noticed her hand was warmer now, still cold but less so than the abnormal one he felt moments ago.

"Since a pretty girl such as yourself wouldn't normally be here dressed the way you are, I'm guessing you are either lost or a hooker," he joked.

Lucy blushed at his comment. "I-I'm not a hooker!"

"I know," he chuckled. "You're too nice to be one, and you don't give off that kind of air anyway. So that leaves with being lost, if you'd like I don't mind taking you home," he replied. He was about to take out his phone to call his sister, but Lucy's response stopped him,

"I don't really want to go home…"

The sparkle in her eyes disappeared once more as she looked down at the ground. When she thought about it, her apartment would be the first place he would go to, and he was the last person she ever wanted to see.

Gray felt a bit awkward, he didn't really know what to do in this kind of situation – he had never really been in this kind of situation before actually! He rubbed his neck and awkwardly asked, "If…if you'd like you can stay at my place."

She looked back up at him quickly. "What! I-I can't do that!" her face turned red. How could she do that? To go to a stranger's home – let alone a man's!

"I didn't mean it like that," he tried to quickly explain. "I mean – if you want to, you don't have to, I wouldn't want you to be out here, or anywhere considering the way your dressed," he quickly looked away from her the moment his eyes landed on her attire.

She looked at him questionably before looking down at herself. Her white shirt hung to her figure and was - embarrassingly enough - see-through. She hugged herself tightly. "I-I guess – I hope I'm not intruding on you," she said.

Gray smiled at her before diverting his eyes for a moment and handing her the umbrella and forgotten bag with ice cream to her. "H-hold this."

She grabbed the items quickly when he pushed them towards her. He quickly took off his flannel shirt, leaving him in his black undershirt, and handed it to her. "It might be wet already, but it'll help."

She stared at the item now offered to her for a while before taking it and handing him back his stuff. She quickly put it on and buttoned up the first couple of buttons. "Thank you, Gray," she said giving him a small smile. He returned the smile and offered his hand. "Come on, my house is just around here."

She graciously took his hand, which she noticed was cold, not an unusual cold, but a reassuring cold – how paradoxical.

The two walked in silence in the rain, a silence that was neither awkward nor hard to break, just calm and comfortable. Soon they reached their destination, a two-story cream colored house that had more flowers than she expected with a simple, short white fence.

"Well, this is home," he replied with a smile. He let go of her hand and pushed the gate open, letting her walk in first and closing it after him.

As she walked the short path to the door, she noticed the variety of flowers growing, there were roses, dogwood flowers, daisies, there was such an assortment that they probably matched up to the ones back at her father's home. Gray searched for his keys and opened the door. They were greeted with the warm air that was produced from Gray's AC.

"I'm home!" he called out to his sister. He took off his shoes so as to not wet the floor. "Sorry if it's a little messy, but we weren't really expecting a visit around this time."

'We?' she thought to herself but smiled a little none the less as she too took off her boots. "It's no problem, thanks again for letting me stay. Are you sure I'm not intruding?"

"I'm positive," he reassured her. Before he could continue any further, a voice from atop the stairs called out to him.

"Gray-nii-chan! You're back!" A girl in her late teens came down the stairs wearing gray sweatpants and a simple pink cotton shirt; she had brown eyes and dark blue hair. "Gray-nii-chan you lost your shirt again," she pointed out normally.

"I-I didn't lose my shirt, Wendy," he replied. "At least not this time," he murmured, he handed her the bag he had been holding. "Here's your ice cream."

"Aw!" she whined. "It's all melted!"

"Sorry about that, I got caught up with someone," he pointed behind him. Wendy leaned to the side to see her brother's shirt being worn by a beautiful blonde woman, her face had an expression of understanding.

"Oh, I see," she turned to her brother innocently. "You stopped to flirt with a beautiful woman again, and forgot about your cute little sister," she pouted.

"W-we weren't flirting," they both said at the same time, Lucy's face heated up.

"Wendy this is Lucy, Lucy this is my little sister, Wendy," he said introducing the two.

"It's nice to meet you," said Wendy bowing properly.

"It's nice to meet you, too," replied Lucy as she bowed lightly.

"Lucy is going to be staying with us for the night," he continued. "Think you can spare her a change of clothes?"

"Sure," she replied. "Follow me, upstairs, Lucy-san."

The blonde nodded and followed the young girl up the stairs. She turned back to Gray to see him staring at them both and mouthed a quick "thank you" and continued up the stairs.

Gray stood at the entrance of his house for a good a couple of minutes before coming back to his senses. What on earth was wrong with him? He not only invited a stranger into their home, he happily passed her on to his younger sister for a change of clothes, and, knowing Wendy, she would be using one of their showers. He shook his head, and remembered the look on her face when he saw her; it was a look he knew too well. It was one of lost, grief, and worst of all, betrayal. Once he saw that face, there was no way in hell he was going to leave her alone like that in the rain.

He walked up the stairs to his own room and was about to enter when Wendy called out to him, "Gray-nii-chan!"

"Yes, Wendy?" He turned to her

"Lucy-san might have to borrow one of your shirts, the ones I have are a bit small on her," she replied.

"Why don't you lend her one of Ultear's?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't you remember the last time you lent a girl one of her shirts?"

The two thought back at the memory and shuddered.

"Y-you're right," he went inside and pulled out a simple gray cotton shirt and tossed it to her.

"Thank you!" And with that she left.

He picked out his pajamas for the night and went in to take a shower himself, he needed to ponder over the fact if this was a good idea or not.

When Lucy had gotten out of the bathroom, she felt relieved, refreshed and renewed. Wendy's black pajama shorts were a bit tighter than she what she was used to, but Gray's cotton white shirt hung loose around her figure. A small white towel was draped around her shoulders preventing her back from becoming wet.

"Wendy-chan, I'm done with the shower," she said as she knocked on the younger girl's door.

The girl in question opened the door with a smile. "Okay, thanks. Your clothes are in the drying machine downstairs. Again, I'm really sorry I couldn't find a shirt of mine that could fit you."

"It's all right, you guys are doing more than enough for me," she replied sincerely.

Wendy wanted to ask Lucy why she couldn't go home, but she didn't want to stick her nose in where it didn't belong. "Well, I'll go take a shower now so I can make dinner. Make yourself at home for the time being!"

"Thanks I will," she was about to go her way down the stairs when she turned again. "Wendy-chan?"

"Yes, Lucy-san?" She asked opening her half closed door.

"Do you mind if I borrow your phone charger for a minute? I'm afraid my phone died."

"Sure," she smiled and handed her the electronic charger.

"Thanks again," replied Lucy.

She made her way down the stairs and plugged the charger near the television set. Her phone's logo came into view quickly and the charging battery blinked shortly after. She dried her hair while she waited for her phone to have at least 3% before turning it on.

Once she did, her phone blasted with instant beeps. The thing kept vibrating so much that she just left it on the coffee table until it was done. When it stopped, she picked it up and scrolled through her messages, some were from Richard, but the rest were from her friends.

Natsu:

-Lucy, where did you go?

-Hello? Lucy, you're not picking up the phone, are you all right?

-Luce, this isn't funny anymore, call us, we're worried about you!

-Come on Luce, call me when you can!

Levy:

-Lu-chan, where are you? :(

-Lu-chan, did something happen?

-Why aren't you picking up? D:

-Gajeel and I are worried, please pick up!

Erza:

-Lucy, I called your apartment. How come you aren't picking up?

-Hey, we're all worried. Jellal even called your dad! Are you okay?

Jellal:

-Lucy, your dad says you're not with him, are you all right?

Mira:

-I swear Lucy, if something happened to you, I won't forgive myself!

-I talked to Richard, he doesn't know where you went, are you okay?

-Please tell me you're okay, I'm really worried about you!

Richard:

-Mira told you left, why did you leave?

-Lucy, come on don't ignore me.

-Luce, call me, I'm really worried.

-Babe, I'm waiting for you at your apartment, please open the door.

-Lucy, I know your home, come on let me in!

That was the last message she read. She was right in not going home, but she hadn't realized how much she had made her friends worry. Her phone beeped once more.

Levy:

-LUCY, IF YOU DON'T CONTACT ME IN ANY WAY OR FORM, I AM CALLING THE COPS! SO PLEASE! ANSWER!

She smiled a little and pressed the call icon next to Levy's name. She only heard a single ring before her ear was blasted by her best friend's voice.

"LU-CHAN WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE? WE EVEN CALLED YOUR DAD – YOUR DAD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"

"I-I'm sorry, Levy-chan, I didn't mean to make you guys worry…"

"SORRY MY BUTT!" she heard Levy sigh heavily on the other line. "Why haven't you been picking up your phone? We've been calling for hours now!"

"S-sorry, I think my phone died and I didn't even realize it."

"Really? Because it rang more than enough times to know it wasn't off!"

"L-Levy-chan, I swear I'm fine, I just needed time to be alone."

"Then why didn't you tell us!"

"I-I guess, I may have forgotten…"

"Well-"

"Hey, is that Lucy on the phone?" she heard Natsu ask through the background.

"Yeah, she finally called – hey! Natsu! Give me back my phone!"

"Luce, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry for making you guys worry."

"It's okay, just next time leave a note or something! If it wasn't for Mira, we wouldn't have known you had actually left!"

"Again, I'm sorry."

"So what happened?"

"I-I don't walk to talk about it right now…"

"Hey, I thought friends didn't keep secrets from one ano – OW!"

"Here you go, pipsqueak," she heard Gajeel say. She could only imagine what had just happened.

"Thanks, Gajeel-kun!"

"Ne, Levy-chan, mind if we talk tomorrow? I don't really want to talk about what happened today, okay?"

"…okay, but at least tell us where you are. You're not at a love hotel - are you?"

"WHAT!" she heard the others through the line.

"N-NO!" she replied blushing, her face turning red. "I-I'm at a friend's house, so don't worry."

"Why aren't you at your apartment?"

"Tomorrow, please?"

"Okay, night, Lu-chan."

"Night, Levy-"

"Oh, before I forget! Call your dad, he's really worried about you, sorry!"

"It's no problem, thanks," she pulled the phone away and hung up.

She sighed. 'Tomorrow is going to be a long day,' she thought to herself, she put her phone down as she caught sight of a reflection in the light.

She walked towards it and noticed it was a line of photos, the one that had caught her eye particularly was one where she saw a much younger looking Gray and Wendy along with an older man and woman with dark hair and eyes along with another woman who looked like the other one but younger and with longer hair.

"That's our parents along with our older sister," a voice spoke from behind her making her jump.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to snoop around," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," he pointed to man in the picture. "That's my dad," he then pointed to the older woman. "He and Ur married after my mother passed away due to a weak body."

She wanted to give her condolence but he continued. "When they married, Ultear and I became siblings," he pointed to the other woman. "And shortly after, Wendy arrived into the world. However, just 10 years ago, they died in a plane accident." He took a long pause.

"I'm so sorry…"

"It's all right," he smiled a little. "We managed to hang by then, but now we're fine."

She nodded.

She heard a sizzling sound from the kitchen and noticed that Wendy had managed to slip between her conversation on the phone and Gray and started cooking dinner in the kitchen. She took a step back from Gray and grabbed her phone.

"I better call my dad; he's probably worried sick knowing that I'm not with my friends."

"Right, I'll help Wendy with dinner," and he walked away to the kitchen.

She dialed her father's personal number and waited for him to answer.

"Lucy?"

"Hey, dad…"

"Lucy! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Jellal-kun called me in the middle of work telling me you disappeared."

"Sorry, dad, I didn't mean to – it's just-! Something happened with Richard and I didn't really feel like staying…"

"You know I hate saying this – but I told you so, I told you he was bad news!"

"I know. I'm sorry, daddy."

She heard him sigh from the other side of the line. "Just…where are you? I'll go and have someone pick you up right now."

"I'm at a friend's house, so don't worry about it."

"Lucy, I'd feel better if you were here at home with me…"

"I know, but it's pouring outside…" she knew her father would get the reference.

"I understand, but tomorrow morning I'll be sending someone with the car to pick you up."

"All right," she replied defeated, there was no changing her father's mind. "Ano, the address is…" she looked back Gray for the information.

"Tell him, it's just south of Yanagi Station on the east side of Magnolia High. It's the only house that's cream colored."

"Lucy, is that a man's voice?"

"Y-yeah?"

"That's it! I'm going there right now!"

"N-no! Dad, I'm fine, Gray and his sister are taking really good care of me, really!"

"...All right, but we'll be having a talk tomorrow morning, you hear me, young lady?"

"Yes, sir…"

"Very well. Goodnight, Lucy."

"Goodnight, daddy…" she hung up and put her phone back down on the coffee table.

"Daddy?" she heard a smirking voice say.

"Y-yeah! And?" she stuck out her tongue at him, he chuckled. "Just how old are you, Lucy?"

"Twenty-two."

He almost spit out his drink. "Really?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought you would be older."

"Like how old?"

"I don't know, twenty-five, twenty-six?"

"Ew, I'm not that old!" she said jokingly.

"Dinner's ready!" called Wendy as she put down the last plate.

"Itadakimasu!"

The three ate in a brief silence before Wendy broke it.

"So, Lucy-san…What do you do?"

"Well, at the moment I'm working on getting my getting my degree in Restaurant and Lodging Management, since I'm working at one of my father's hotels. But I've been trying to find a job as an English teacher since that was what I majored in."

"Wow, that's incredible!"

"Thanks."

"My brother works in the finance department of a famous hotel, while Ultear-nee-chan is an administration director."

"Really? That's incredible!"

"T-thanks," he replied a bit embarrassed. "Although, Wendy, here, is planning on becoming a pastry chef!"

"Gray-nii-chan!"

"If you're planning on becoming a pastry chef, I can help introducing you to some people."

"That would be amazing!"

"So how come your family is all into hotels and stuff?"

"Our parents used to own a small motel before, and at one point or other, we wanted to help them out – it helped us know what we wanted to do in the near future, what about you?"

"Same, I wanted to be part of the family business even though my father said I didn't have to, but seeing both of my parents do all they could to make others day happy, just inspired me."

Gray nodded.

They finished their dinner and washed the plates, allowing Wendy to go upstairs and study for her finals. Once the two finished, Gray turned on the TV while Lucy sat on the far end of the couch – away from him. At more than one point in the middle of the comedy show they were watching, her phone rang. Each time, she would look at the caller ID before putting it back in silence.

By the fifth time she did that, he had to ask. "Who is it? A blocked number?"

"No…though maybe I should put him on block," she replied scrolling down her contact list and doing just that.

"Is it a stalker? Because if it is, I can help," he volunteered.

She giggled. "At this point I wish it was a stalker. And how would you be able to help?"

"Just hand me the phone the next time it rings, and you'll see," he chuckled before getting serious. "So if it's not a stalker, than who is it? Because I'm pretty sure, you wouldn't be doing that your friends."

She looked down at the piece of technology in her hands. "It's…it's my boyfriend – or rather ex-boyfriend."

"Ex?"

"As of four hours ago…" she felt the numbing sensation come back.

He knew he shouldn't ask, but he couldn't help it. "What happened?" he scooted a bit closer to her – as if he was approaching a scared animal.

"I don't really want to talk about it," she replied bringing her knees up and hugging them close to her chest.

"If you don't, you'll have an even harder time tomorrow," he replied getting closer to her. "It's all right if you want to cry," he patted her head lightly. "Wendy probably already went to sleep, so it's just you and me."

She looked him through her teary eyes; there was something about him that made her comfortable, safe…but what? Before her mind could register it, she was telling him her pathetic love story; how they met, how he captured her heart, how much effort she put into convincing her father, how she introduced him to her deceased mother, and how he had played with her heart all along.

By the time she was finished, she was bawling her eyes out in his arms, arms that were so cold to the touch but warm to be in. He rubbed her back comfortably, only focusing on her breathing until she calmed down. When she did, she didn't pull away, she just stayed there. This is what she had been looking for the whole night, a comforting set of arms that would listen to her troubles and would not take advantage of her.

"Thank you, Gray," she whispered still settled in his arms.

"Anytime," he replied hugging her tighter. As if God had delayed the next sound that rang throughout the living room, her phone played a distinct ringtone. She stayed in her position allowing Gray to grab her phone.

Blocked Number.

"I really, really don't want to talk to him now," she said looking at the phone in his hands before she buried her face in his chest.

"Then don't," he replied making up his mind. "I will," he said as he pressed the answer icon on her phone.

"What?"

"Lucy! About time you answered! I've been calling you for hours! Would you mind opening the door? People have been giving me the evil eye for the past 2 hours! Come on, open up already!"

"Listen here, dick-face," said Gray in a cold tone. "If you ever call this number again, I will guarantee you that I will hunt you down and kill you."

"Is that a threat? Who are you and why do you have my girlfriend's phone?"

"Believe me that isn't a threat, but a promise. As for who I am? That's none of your business and if you don't know, then figure it out." He hung up and lightly tossed the phone to the coffee table once more.

"Did you just…?"

"I did," he said once he realized what he did. "I'm so sorry," he said with wide eyes.

"Don't be," she replied, putting her head back down. "Thank you," she said with a small smile.

He stroked her hair. "You're welcome, Lucy."

As the minutes passed by, he realized she fell asleep on his chest. She looked so peaceful and serene that he didn't have the heart to move. He grabbed the control remote and turned off the TV, he leaned over to the side where he had been originally sitting and turned off the lamplight. He settled comfortably in the position Lucy set herself in and drifted to sleep.

I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter, don't forget to review :)

~Karie