"Are you sure about this?" Levy asked for the hundredth time, "We don't fully know what this spell will do." Levy held up a piece of paper with a recently translated spell.

"It's a temporary time spell." Gray said snatching up the translated spell. He hadn't exactly had the best past few months, and everyone at the guild began to notice him acting recklessly, "If no one tests it we'll never know what it really does, and you and Lucy need to pay your rent this month right?"

"Yes but-" Lucy began but Gray waved his hand to silence her.

"But nothing. It seems like fun. I'll be back in twenty four hours right? It'll be fun to go back to see the past again." Gray continued, "You did say that you found out I only get to observe. So what's the worst that could happen?"

Really, all Gray wanted was a break. A break to see a time when he was happier. For some reason, recently something had been eating at him from the inside. The recent Tartaros defeat, and discovering his father, Silver, was alive all this time, more or less, could have been a cause. Maybe it was Juvia, the woman who fawned over him so much that it was beyond irritating, killing Silver that was killing him from the inside. Maybe it was everything he had gone through the past nineteen years, twenty-six if you count the seven year time seal they had encountered.

"Because that won't totally come up later." Natsu grumbled with a mouthful of food.

"What did you say flame brain?" Gray snapped turning his attention to the mumbling dragon slayer.

"You heard me you pervy flasher!" Before anyone could stop them, the two were face to face, growling insults at each other.

Levy suggested someone should break up the impending fight but Lucy quickly shunned the idea, "Let Natsu distract Gray. If we let them fight then Gray might forget about this crazy idea of his." Lucy sighed and then added quietly, "We never should have taken up this job."

"I guess we were too tempted by the reward…" Levy looked at the original transcript of illegible scribbles that after a week Levy, with some assistance from Lucy, was able to translate into a spell.

Somehow, Gray managed to knock Natsu down giving him the chance he needed, "I'll be back to continue our fight tomorrow." Gray stated calmly as he flicked out the paper to get a clear view of it, "Here these words, hear the rhyme. Heed the hope within my mind. Send me back to where I'll find…" He paused for a moment as the guild hall doors flung open and there, soaked from the rain, stood Juvia, breathing heavily.

"Gray-sama. Don't do it!" She pleaded, but he ignored her pleads. Ever since he had come up with the idea of being the one to test the spell, Juvia had been distraught, afraid something bad would happen to Gray had the spell worked. At the sight of the bluenette his face hardened.

"What I wish. In place, and time." He finished slowly, looking her dead in the eyes. Everyone around him began to be consumed by a bright light. Natsu's challenges, Lucy's angry protest, and Juvia's desperate one all faded into empty words. Lucy, Levy and Natsu, along with the rest of the guild snapped from sight, just leaving him and Juvia in a white world of nothingness.

"What have you done?" Her voice was almost drowned out by a deathly silence before she too vanished, and Gray was by himself.

In the white world of nothingness, shapes began to form. Large dark squares towered before him and slowly, details began to be etch themselves into the dark shapes. Buildings. That's what they were. Snow-capped buildings. Gray looked down at his feet and saw he was standing in the middle of a street. The snow that had fallen onto the street had been pushed aside and people bustled around him, not bothered by the half-naked human that just appeared in the middle of the streets. It was then Gray noticed he had left his shirt in the year 791.

How far had he come back? It couldn't have been that far, he looked around and everything looked similar to Magnolia, just topped with snow. Gray dug through his pockets and pulled out what money he had. It would hopefully be enough for a shirt and maybe a feed

The longer he stood there, the more people started to look. A shirtless stranger in the middle of the streets obviously wasn't a common findings here. Casually, even though deep down he was embarrassed, Gray began the trek to find someplace that sold clothes.

The more he walked through the streets, Gray began to notice something familiar about the town. It was like something from a dream, or a memory… It wasn't Magnolia he decided, the climate was much colder than even winter in Magnolia.

For a good part of the day, Gray found himself wondering the strangely familiar town. After a while a shouting child caused Gray to stop in his tracks.

"Come on Dad!" The child taunted to his father. He knew that voice too.

"Slow down! If your mother found out you ran off on me it will be the end of me." The father called back as he jogged to catch up with his son. That voice sent chills through Gray's spine. It wasn't all that long ago he heard that voice.

"Gray are you causing your Dad trouble again?" A female voice chimed in and he froze. Gray. He turned around to be faced with a small woman, with long dark hair, holding open a gate as her young son, with the same black hair ran through, followed by his much larger father, also with dark haired.

"No way…" Gray couldn't believe it. That little boy was him. He knew it had to be. Along with Silver and Mika Fullbuster, his parents. Alive. No wonder this place was so familiar, it was his home town.

He couldn't do anything but stare in awe as he watched his younger self compact a small handful of snow, and peg it at his father who was placing a fond kiss on his wife's lips.

Silver however raised his arm, to stop the snowball which had gone astray and almost got Mika, "You're going to have to be stealthier than that if you want to beat me." Silver boomed handing Mika a basket full of groceries before chasing after the young, hyperactive Gray.

Laughing at Silver's childishness, Mika began to close the gate when she spotted the older Gray, "Oh, can I help you?" She asked politely.

"I… Uh…"

"Don't just stand there." She opened up the gate again and nodded with her head to welcome Gray in, "You must be freezing standing out in the cold, come in for something warm to eat and we'll see if we can find you something to wear."

Mika was as kind as ever, and Gray wanted to cry.

"I've got a nice warm soup cooking away if I can tempt you with that."

How he missed his mother's cooking.

"Thank you." Gray managed to say, "But you don't have-"

"Nonsense. I've made far too much and I would rather not have to deal with my husband when he eats too much." She gestured again and Gray couldn't say no. Twenty four hours with his parents sounded like a dream come true. If only he could ask for more time.

"Soup sounds great." He got his stubbornness from his mother, so he knew she wasn't going to back down until she had bundled Gray up in as many coats as possible and shoved him in front of a warm fire with a bowl of soup in hand. So, doing as he was instructed he passed through the same gate he hadn't stepped through in years.

"Silver, go and clean yourself and Gray up for dinner." Mika instructed her husband as she stepped inside the house. Gray glanced over to his younger self trying to pull Silver into the snow, and Silver caught the older Gray's stare and his eyes widened. He gave Silver a small smile before following Mika inside.

Sighing, Mika stood back as if admiring a work of art, "I'm sorry we don't have anything that will fit you. My husband Silver is a big man, and our son is far too young to have anything that would fit you."

Gray just shrugged the oversized jacket over the shirt that was far too big for him, "It can't be helped. I should be the one apologizing to you, I didn't mean to intrude-"

"The more you insist that, the longer she will force you to stay." Silver interrupted as he stepped into the bedroom, looking Gray up and down.

"I will have to keep that in mind. Thank you Mika." Gray thanked her, feeling weird addressing her as anything other than Mum.

"No need to thank me uh… I'm sorry I've completely forgotten your name." She apologised quickly.

"I never gave it. I'm Gray-" Gray said coolly. What was he going to do? He couldn't give them his actual name, just down the hall was another Gray Fullbuster probably playing with the snow that had fallen on his windowsill. But he had already given him a first name, "Lockser." He had no idea why he used Juvia's last name, but maybe it would be enough to throw them off.

"Gray huh?" Silver looked suspicious, "That's not a common name."

"Yeah… I don't know what my parents were thinking." He laughed nervously scratching behind his head. Silver's eyes narrowed as he watched Gray, but Mika was unfazed.

"What a coincidence, our son is Gray too. Are you from around here?" Mika asked sweetly.

"Actually, I'm from Fiore." He needed to get his lies straight.

"Fiore? That's pretty far west. What brings you this far west?"

"He's a wizard Mum." Young Gray said popping around beside his father, "He's probably on some cool mission to fight bad guys!"

Gray couldn't help but laugh at his younger self. He couldn't remember a time he had been so cheerful, maybe the loss of his parents affected him more than he cared to admit?

"Sorry to disappoint little Gray, but I am in fact simply passing through on my way to visit my old teacher."

"Teacher?"

"Yeah, she taught me a lot of my magic. My father taught me a little bit too."

"So you are a wizard!" The young Gray piped up, "Can you show me some?"

"Now Gray…" Mika began to scold.

"Sure." Gray interrupted her, "But we're going to have to go outside so we don't break anything in your parent's room."

Excitedly, the younger Gray grabbed the older ones hand and began to pull him as hard as he could outside into the snow once again. Mika sighed happily and went to check on her soup while the suspicious Silver followed the two Gray's.

"I practice something called Ice-Make magic. It gives the most creative freedom, at least that's what my teacher told me. At first I didn't believe her, but now I see what she meant." Gray explained as he turned away from his younger self and took up an Ice-Make stance, "Ice-Make: Shield!" He cast, bringing up an ice shield around him.

"Wow." Young Gray said amazed as he looked at the ice, "That's so cool! What else can you do?"

Gray though about it for a moment. Something that would look cool, while doing as little damage as possible. That left about every form of attacking off the list. "How's this?" Gray asked clapping his hands together before holding them out forming an ice version of himself. It wasn't quite like his clone, this one was complete ice, and it could easily be told as such.

"Now that's how you make a snowman." Young Gray commented with a huge grin on his face.

Laughing at his comment, Gray then proceeded to make an ice statue of his younger self along with his parents.

"I bet you're the strongest in your guild with magic like that!" Gray said in awe as the older one showed off some more magic.

"Hardly. I think I'm slowly getting up there, but I'm not the strongest. Wait, how did you know I was in a guild?"

"I saw your tattoo when you had nothing on before. Why were you half naked in the street?"

"That's a good question." Silver chimed in from the door, "It's a little strange don't you think."

"Well, ever since I began learning Ice-Make magic I've had this bad habit of taking my clothes off without really noticing. Weird I know, but my teacher made us train in our underwear, something like be one with the cold so you can control it." Gray casually explained. It wasn't a lie so it came much more naturally.

"Interesting. How old were you when you started training?"

For a minute, Gray scratched at his cheek as he thought, "About eight I think. I had lost my parents so Ur, my teacher, took me in and trained me."

"I just turned eight! Hey Dad do you think I could learn Ice-Make magic like big Gray?"

"I dunno kid." Silver said patting his son on the head, making him wince slightly at Silver's strength, "Maybe if we can find you a teacher when you're old enough. We might have to look this Ur up. She still taking students?"

"Yeah. She's got one now I think, Lyon. Weird little kid he is." Gray said. If his younger self was eight that meant that Lyon was already training with Ur.

Before Gray could continue his thoughts, Mika called them inside for dinner. Gray sat at the table and stared fondly at the steaming bowl of orange soup. It smelled so good. There was nothing he liked better on a cold day when he was little than his mother's pumpkin soup. She always added a little something that she would never tell him and it made the soup taste a thousand times better. Whenever he asked her she said it was love, but he knew something went into it. His father insisted that when he was older, his mother would tell him, but she never got the chance too.

Gray sucked at cooking. It wasn't news to anyone. Once he had gotten Mirajane, and another time even Juvia to make him pumpkin soup, but neither tasted as good as his mothers. There was just something…

"Come on Mum." Young Gray whined as he dipped a chunk of bread into the soup, "Can you give me a hint at what it is?" He was asking about her secret ingredient again.

The older Gray smiled at the memory of himself begging his mother to tell him the ingredient. Finally, when the soup ran down the back of his throat he could taste it. He knew what it was.

"Curry and bacon." He whispered quietly to himself.

"Hm?" Mika asked glancing up at him.

Gray quickly shook his head, "Nothing. I'm sorry. This soup is delicious."

"Thank you Gray." Mika smiled softly and Silver lent over and kissed his wife on the cheek.

"No one cooks better than my wife."

"I think that's the only reason you married me." Mika teased and Gray hid his smile behind a piece of bread while his younger self made a gagging sound. His Mum did make some pretty fantastic tasting food, but Gray's mind couldn't help but wonder to Juvia's cooking and his smile turned slightly sad as he thought about her. Sure, she did annoy him, but she was his friend. When he got back he was going to have to apologise to her before anyone else. He didn't know why, he just felt like she deserved the first sorry. Maybe then to make it up to her she could help him try and recreate Mika's soup and…

"Someone's got a dreamy look on their face." Mika teased seeing Gray's face.

"I think he's got a girl back home he misses. How come you didn't bring her along with you? It's a long journey back to Fiore." Silver commented leaning on the table towards Gray.

Looking up he stared at Silver in amazement. Some things never change, "I don't have a girl." Gray said stubbornly.

"But there is someone." Silver tormented further. At least he seemed to be warming up to Gray.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gray said just as stubbornly, shoving a spoonful of soup in his mouth just as younger Gray did the same. Almost in sync with each other, they both dropped the spoon from their mouth and began flailing their arms about trying to cool their mouths. Remembering he's an ice wizard Gray quickly cooled his mouth before chilling a cup of water and handing it to his younger self.

He looked up and saw Silver about to hand young Gray a cup and he froze. He remembered this night. This was the last time he ever ate his mother's pumpkin soup. This was the last time he ever saw his mother's smile. This was the night Deliora attacked.

"What's wrong Gray?" Mika asked as she stared at Gray's face noticeably paled. His chair banged as it hit the ground when Gray stood up. No… why of all night did he have to come back on the night his parents died. Maybe, it was to save them. Gray's eyes lit up at the idea. He was stronger now, surely he could take on Deliora.

Bells began to toll outside, and Silver shot up almost as fast as Gray did. Everyone knew those bells. Turning to the door, Gray shot out the door. He was going to kill Deliora now. He was going to protect his family.

"Wait here." He said over his shoulder

"You idiot." Silver shouted chasing after Gray. Catching up to him outside, he grabbed his shoulder and forced Gray to turn around, "Do you know what those bells mean?"

"Of course I bloody do!" Gray cried into Silver's face, tears opening flowing from his eyes, "I'm not going to let him kill you. I've already lost you too many times!" His knees crumbling out from under him, Gray fell into Silver's arms.

"You're our Gray. Aren't you?" Silver asked gently, looking down at the broken man in his arms. Gray simply sobbed, clutching at Silver's shirt. Falling into the snow, holding his grown son in his arms.

"I don't want to lose you again." Gray cried into his shirt.

Trying to calm the distraught man, Silver began to rub Gray's back, like he and Mika had done with their younger son when he was down. "I'm right here Gray." He whispered gently, "Your mother and I are right here."

"N-not for long." He managed to get out, "Deliora… he causes so much destruction. I need to stop him. I need to protect you and Mum."

"Gray…" Silver sighed, "You're saying tonight Mika and I die." Gray nodded against his chest, "Then that is what is meant to happen. If we live, imagine what you would miss out on. Your life would change completely. You might have never learned magic, or met the friends you have."

Silver was right. Gray began to think of everything he would miss if his parents survived Deliora's attack. He would have never gone with Ur to train, he would have never wanted to kill Deliora and the demon would never be encased in ice. Ur would be alive, but he might not have ever met her, or Lyon. He might not ever even travel west and join Fairy Tail. Natsu, Erza, Lucy, Cana, Makarov, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Loke, Levy, Gajeel, Juvia… He wouldn't have met any of them.

His grip on Silver's shirt tightened. His parents and Ur would be alive, but all the things he would miss out on…

"I-It's too hard." Gray's grip on Silver slacked as he thought. He didn't want to leave, knowing he left his parents to die when he could have done something about it, but changing the future?

"Silver… We need to get going." Mika came from the door and Silver looked around at his wife, still holding Gray close. He felt Gray nod against his chest and Silver helped Gray stand up.

"Come on."

"No." Gray said stepping back, "I can't come with you. I might mess things up."

"Gray…"

"I promise Dad." Gray quickly stepped up to Mika and gave her a tight hug, "I love you Mum." He whispered in her ear and her eyes widened as she hugged Gray back.

"My baby…" She whispered holding Gray tight, "You were right. It is curry and bacon" Mika didn't question it, her instinct as a mother had told her that the half-naked man in the middle of the street was someone special, only now did she realise why, "I love you too." She quickly placed a kiss on his cheek and let him go.

He stepped back, and wiped his eyes before throwing his arms around his Dad once more, "Let me give you one last piece of advice Gray." Silver whispered, "If you care about someone, make sure you tell them. Don't leave it too late." Gray stepped back and stared at him and Silver winked.

"Juvia. Remember that name." Gray admitted. Juvia had told him that Silver had contacted her telepathically just before she killed Keyes. Surely giving Silver a little hint for the future wouldn't hurt.

Silver smiled, "I knew there was someone."

"Don't follow me, and keep me safe."

Silver nodded, "You've grown into a fine man Gray."

It was then they heard the roar of Deliora. Gray's head snapped around to look the way the roar came from, "He's almost here. I…" He glanced back at his Dad just as his younger self came out, gripping a small bag, "Stay safe." He said before running out the gate and down the street.

"Is big Gray going to fight Deliora to save us?" Young Gray asked his mother, who had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Of course sweetheart." Mika tried to stay strong as she grabbed his hand, "But just in case we have to go."

Soon, Gray was standing up on high ground, looking down at the destruction Deliora was causing. It broke his heart to watch it. He shouldn't have listened to his father. Either way he was being selfish. He either let his parents die, and his younger self suffer through life like he had, to keep the life he had made, or he could have saved them, and possibly lose so much more. Finding a tree to curl up again, Gray snuggled down into his father's shirt.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the sound of his home town being smashed to bits, and people screaming haunted him too much to let him sleep. Trying to picture something comforting, he found himself thinking about Juvia. When he got back he was defiantly making soup with her, and he was going to take his father's advice. He needed to put her mind at peace.

Using the thought of Juvia, Gray felt even for a moment warm. He felt happy, like he had been spending that short time he did with his parents. A thought passed his mind. Would the pain of losing Juvia be similar to losing his parents and Ur? A few weeks ago he would have laughed off the thought, but now that he thought about it, he counted her up there as one of the most important people in his life.

It felt as only a few minutes passed, but when he felt someone tapping his shoulder he opened his eyes to see the sun coming out. Deliora was gone, and once again, his parents were dead. Before him, was a sight however that made him want to laugh despite all of that.

A wide eyed Lyon stood before him, staring at him curiously, "Hey Ur! He is alive!" He called and then his heart clenched. As if spending a short amount of time with his parents wasn't hard enough, now he had to face Ur.

"I told you he was." Ur stepped around and crouched before Gray, "You alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Gray said shortly, pushing himself up.

"Were you here all night?" Gray nodded, rubbing his eyes, "Were you aware at all of Deliora?" Again, Gray nodded, his hands still covering his eyes when he felt they were stained with tears, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"This might sound strange." Gray began in a small voice. He moved his hands and saw that he was now taller than Ur. He never thought he would see the day he was taller than her, "But, would it be too forward if I asked for a hug?" He asked nervously.

Ur let out a small, sad laugh, "You've been through a rough night." She said simply wrapping her arms around him, and Gray held her like his life depended on it. Something inside him couldn't believe the last few hours he had gone through.

After a while of silence, Lyon cleared his throat and Gray stepped back, "S-sorry."

"You don't think there would be anyone alive down there?" Ur asked.

Looking around, Gray noticed the world around began to fade into the bright light, like it had done the day before back at the guild. His twenty four hours were up. "There is. His name is Gray. Take care of him for me will you?" Gray said with a small smile as he faded from Ur's view, "And Lyon. Be nice to him."

"Juvia. Sitting there, staring at the spot he left in isn't going to make him appear any faster." Lucy sighed as she watched Juvia, who had pulled up a chair and was doing exactly that. She had been sitting for the last two hours staring at the very spot Gray had vanished in.

"Don't tell Juvia what will and what won't work." Juvia snapped standing up. For some reason she had felt like Gray's actions were to hurt her personally. Of course they weren't, but she wanted to apologise to Gray. She had been fawning over him a lot more recently, and the last twenty four hours she had spent without Gray had got her thinking. Maybe she was being too clingy, maybe she had to let him go. She had killed his father for Mavis sake! He had every right to hate her and Juvia had no right to love him!

Turning around, Juvia rubbed her eyes and prepared to leave the spot. Lucy was right, this wouldn't work. Maybe just fading from Gray's life would be what's best.

"Juvia." Gray's voice came from behind her. He sounded… relieved to see her. She spun back around only to be caught up in Gray's arms. He clung to her tighter than he had with Mika, or Silver or Ur. They were all gone now, but he still had Juvia, and now he didn't want to let her go.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia said surprised, especially when she felt tears drip into her hair.

"I'm sorry Juvia." He whispered, "I'm sorry, but I don't regret what I did." Juvia pushed him back just enough so she could look him in the eyes, "It was something I needed to do, and it help me realise something important."

"What do you mean?" She wasn't going to let her mind get ahead of her. Of all those times in the past, he didn't confess his love. He didn't have any for her, surely.

"Someone told me, that if I care about someone, I need to tell them before it's too late." He smiled softly at her and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb, "You are among the most important people in my life Juvia. I just needed you to know that." Smiling brightly, but managing to contain herself, Juvia rested her head on Gray's chest and closed her eyes. He seemed perfectly happy with her lack of response and just held her close.

A month passed before the first snow of the season fell. It was an uncharacteristically cold day, and everyone in the guild that had showed up was bundled up in as many layers as they could.

"Are you sure you this is right Gray-sama?" Juvia asked as she looked nervously into the huge pot of pumpkin soup.

Gray dipped a spoon into the soup and had a small taste, "Defiantly." He said before offering her the spoon. Shyly, Juvia tried the soup and was pleasantly surprised at the taste. He was right, this soup was amazing. She blushed a little when she noticed how close their faces were.

Heaving up the pot Gray carried it from the guild kitchen and dumped it on the bar where Mirajane had a pile of bread rolls waiting, and bowls piled up, "Alright. Ready to try the best soup you have ever tasted?" Gray announced and everyone began lining up. Mostly, they wanted free food and something warm, but Gray was just happy he could share it with all his friends.

"What is in this?" Lucy demanded when they were all seated around a table, all with a bowl of soup in front of them. Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Gajeel, Elfman, Levy, Lisanna and Juvia all sat around the huge table, all enjoying Gray's attempted recreation of his mother's soup.

"It's a secret. Only two people know." Gray said slyly as he dipped his bread roll in the soup.

"And Gray-sama was kind enough to tell Juvia." Juvia said happily resting her head on his shoulder.

"I needed a good cook to help me. Besides, I promised myself to make up for being an ass to you that I would do this with you." Gray explained like it was nothing, but Juvia hooked her arm around his and refused to budge, not that he wanted her to.

"There was something more than that Gray-sama, admit it." Juvia insisted and he placed a quick kiss on her hair.

"Thank you Juvia." He whispered before he took a bite of his soup covered bun.

Even a month later, no one knew exactly what happened to Gray for those twenty four hours he was apparently in the past. They knew he went back, and that something eventful must have happened, because he was now more open to everyone, especially Juvia. Other than that, no one knew anything more. What time he went to, and who he spoke to? Not even Juvia knew.

But whatever it was, everyone knew that Gray didn't regret one moment of it.

So this was just me being bored. It was originally going to be one of my possible follow ups for when I finish Juvia In Wonderland, but I decided to turn it into a one shot instead. It at least narrows down my choices for what I shall continue on with once I finish JIW.

Go check it out and leave reivews here and there. Please I will love you forever!