Twisted Fate

Chapter 2

"The loss of innocence is inevitable, but the death of innocence disturbs the natural order. The death of innocence causes an imbalance and initiates an internal war that manifests differently in each individual, but almost always includes anger, withdrawal and severe depression."
Author: B.G. Bowers

Jose smirked as Juvia pulled herself off of him and wiped her mouth in disgust.

"Get up, whore," Jose commanded, fixing his pants back on and buckling his belt. "Since you did such a good job, I'll tell you news I heard about that stripper you adore."

Juvia looked up at Jose, her eyes sparkling with excitement for the first time since she had arrived there, three months ago. They were in New Phantom Lord's secret base, which was completely underground; under Magnolia. She couldn't tell exactly where she was now.

"He's dead," Jose announced with enthusiasm. When Juvia lowered her face to let the tears fall, he jerked her chin upward and made her look at him. "And it's all because of you."

"Jose lies," Juvia hissed, spitting at him. "Gray-sama would never die!"

Jose slapped her harshly. "How dare you speak! You do not know how to speak, saying 'Juvia' instead of I. You're nothing but a freak."

"Gray-sama is not dead!"

Jose slapped her again, reaching down to his belt. "You want to know how?" He pulled it from the loops and fashioned it into a noose, which he wrapped around her neck and tightened. She was gasping for breath and clawing at the leather in a matter of seconds. "He hung himself with a belt, because he blamed himself for your death. He wanted to join you." When Juvia started to turn blue, he took it from around her neck and bent her over his bed. "Now, this will hurt a lot, and I will enjoy every scream. Besides, what was it you begged the stripper to do when you let Zeref slip away?"

Juvia didn't answer. She didn't even pleasure him with the sounds of her screams. The only noise she made while the leather made contact with her bare skin were: "Gray-sama is not dead."

"Gray, you better open this damn door! I know you're in there!" Natsu commanded, banging on the door to Gray's apartment.

"Are you sure, Natsu?" Lucy asked, checking a window. "The curtains are all drawn, and all the lights are out.

"I can smell him," Natsu growled. "That's it, we're coming in, Gray!" Natsu kicked down the door to reveal Gray dangling from his ceiling fan. "GRAY YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" he yelled, rushing towards him.

"Natsu, what–" When she saw Gray, she screamed and collapsed into tears.

"Lucy," Natsu said calmly as he got Gray down. "We have to get him to Porlyusica. Immediately."

"B-but…"

"He's alive, Lucy," Natsu gently helped her up. "We made it just in the nick of time. Now, let's go, okay?"

Lucy nodded softly. Natsu slung Gray onto his back. "You go tell Erza or Levy or Mira what we found in the rubble today, okay? I'll get him medical attention."

Juvia clutched the bedsheets as yet another member of New Phantom Lord had his way with her. This one was overweight and had long red hair and beady black eyes. Not happy by her indifferent behavior, he smacked her across the face (this had worked with Jose, in order to get her to scream). However, this time, Juvia did not take the abuse. She fought: kicking, scratching, biting… The man only laughed it off and put duct tape over her mouth and taped her to the posts of the bed.

"I'll be sure to tell Jose how you behaved today," he grunted, giving her collarbone a smack. It made it difficult for her to breath. "He won't like your anger very much. He might have to switch to the whip if the belt isn't having much of an effect on you anymore."

She began grumbling something under the duct tape. He ripped it off, taking some parts of skin with it. She acted as though it didn't affect her. "Juvia does not care," she spat, clenching her hands into fists. She already had burns. What was a couple of marks from a whip?

The man smirked. "You're a feisty little whore today, aren't you?"

Juvia rolled her eyes and writhed around, trying to get out of the restraints.

"I've had me fill. Be still, I might accidentally cut you." Juvia stayed still as he cut his way through the tape with a knife (she ended up with a few cuts anyways). She mustered up all the strength she had left in her to kick him in his groin.

The man doubled over long enough to give Juvia a chance to run/ And run she did. She did not stop, despite her nudity, her broken ribs, not even when she was shot – twice, once in her right thigh and again in her left shoulder. She climbed out the entrance they were too stupid to conceal from her.

"L-Levy!" Lucy called out. "Gajeel!"

"What's wrong, Lu-chan?" Levy asked frantically, jumping up and resting her hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"Natsu and I discovered this… in the rubble," Lucy pulled out a tattered hat from her travel bag.

Levy furrowed her brow together. "It's not Juvia's…"

"Natsu and I think… we think it's Jose's. Levy, do you think Juvia is… Do you think she could be…?"

"That scent is Jose's alright," Gajeel muttered with anger, taking the hat from Lucy. "This…this means he died with her, or she's still alive."

"Could he have staged her death to keep us from looking for her?" Levy asked Gajeel with wide eyes.

"I wouldn't put it past the old perverted bastard," Gajeel growled. "Does Gray know?"

Lucy froze. "H-he… he tried to hang himself."

The whole guild hall went silent suddenly. Mirajane was the first to speak.

"Gray tried to kill himself?" she asked, her voice meek and shaking.

Lucy gave a slow nod. "He was still alive when Natsu took him to Porlyusica… but what if he doesn't survive?" Tears were swelling in most of the people's eyes.

"Lucy," came Erza's voice. She stood from her spot, picking up her plate of strawberry cake. "This is Gray we're talking about. He's a tough kid. He'll pull through. Gajeel, can you pick up the trail of Jose's scent? I know it's been almost three months."

"Yes."

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" Erza asked, requiping into her Purgatory armor and raising a sword. "Let's punish Jose for messing with Fairy Tail again!"

"Shouldn't we make a plan instead of aimlessly going to New Phantom Lord again? You remember what happened last time," a very annoyed Laxus informed Erza.

Erza glared at him. "Very well. Gajeel, how much longer do think the sent will last?"

"A month at most."

"The we attack in two weeks. Levy and Mavis will devise the perfect plan."

"M-me?" Levy squealed nervously. "Erza, are you sure?"

"Of course she's sure, shrimp," Gajeel smirked, using her head as an arm rest. "You're the least idiotic person in this whole goddamn guild."

Juvia was out of breath by the time she reached a guild. She was limping, New Phantom Lord far behind herself. She doubted they would actually risk their location to find her.

"J-Juvia?" came a startled voice from behind her. Slowly, she turned around and found Lyon. When they both realized she was nude (and bleeding) she dropped to a squat to cover as much of herself as she could. He removed his jacked and put it around her shoulders. She gave a nod of thanks and he helped her up. "Would you like some clothes?"

She gave a silent nod.

"Would you like me to contact Fairy Tail?"

Another nod.

"Would you like me to stay with you?"

Juvia shook her head.

Lyon gave her what he thought would be a comforting squeeze on the shoulder. She jumped back, slapping his hand away.

"Juvia, speak to me. What's wrong? What's happened?" When she remained silent, he gave a gentle nod and lead her to the inns surrounding the guild. "I'll be back with some clothing, okay? Just stay in this room. It's mine. Take a shower if you wish. You should clean your wounds a bit."

Juvia gave a simple nod of thanks. Her bullet wounds ached from squatting and walking. As soon as Lyon left to get her clothes and a doctor, she let herself into his bathroom and dropped his jacket. She was relieved to see that the bullets had merely grazed her skin.

"Dear whoever is listening, whatever Greater Being there is, please allow Juvia to take Gray-sama's spot instead. Juvia will do anything if you return him to this world." She looked up to the ceiling, snot and tears falling down her face. "Anything..."

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Erza commanded. It was the day before they planned to attack New Phantom Lord. "We just received word from Lamia Scale. Juvia is alive. Badly injured, but alive. Natsu, I want you alone to go. Bring her home. Lucy, I want you to stay with Gray to tell him of the news in case he wakes up while we are gone." (As Gray had not awoken in the two weeks.) "Gajeel and I will lead the team to New Phantom Lord in order to teach them, yet again, why hurting one of Fairy Tail's own is a fatal mistake. Any questions?"

"They found her? What happened to her?" Cana asked.

Erza seemed to struggle with herself. "They broke her. She's barely spoken to them. She has physical and emotional scars. She will not be the same Juvia she was when she joined our guild. For this greater injustice, they will pay."

"You don't have to sugar coat it. Tell us what they did. Not how it affected her. We deserve to know."

Silently and inconspicuously, a conscious Gray Fullbuster limped into the guild hall.

"They raped her. Lyon says she hasn't admitted it, but it's obvious."

"What?!" Gray snapped. "Who was raped?"

Lucy clamped a hand down on his shoulder. "You should be in bed! Imagine if Juvia saw you–!"

"Juvia is dead!"

"No, Gray," Erza informed him.

Gray looked up with wide eyes. "Where is she?"

"Lamia Scale. Natsu is going. If you wish to go to her, you may accompany him."

"So she was…"

"By multiple member of New Phantom Lord. You're too weak right now to go with us to their 'guild'. Besides, I think it would be in Juvia's best interest if you go to her instead anyways. Just don't push yourself to hard," Erza told him.

"Who's going to New Phantom Lord?"

"Don't worry, we got that covered," Gajeel promised him, chewing on a metal mug Levy had gave to him a few days before.

"Give every single member an extra ass kicking for me, okay?"

Gajeel gave a smirk. "You don't need to ask me once."

It was her fourth bath, but she still felt filth on her. She still felt their bodies against hers. She still tasted them in her mouth. All she could find the strength to do was cry.

"Juvia," Lyon called through the door. "You need to get out now. We're not even sure if the bleeding has stopped. You need bandages on you.

Ten minutes later, Juvia was dressed in a blue dress with thin straps that came down to the floor. Lyon had been careful when applying the bandages, as a simple touch could send her in tears, but she needed someone else to do it.

"At least they're not fatal," Lyon tried to joke.

"Juvia wishes they were," she muttered.

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Tired?"

"No."

"Do you want to–"

"NO! Juvia just–" she was already in tears again. "Juvia just wants Gray-sama."

"Erza says he's on his way here."

"Liar!" Juvia screamed at the top of her lungs, the tears flowing more now. She banged her fists against Lyon's chest. "Gray-sama is dead!"

"No he's not Juvia."

"Leave Juvia alone."

"No."

"Now!"

"No!"

Juvia gave a loud cry and shoved herself into the bathroom, locking the door. She collapsed onto the floor and her body racked with sobs.

"You're a fucking idiot," Natsu snapped at Gray as they made their way to the train station.

Gray rolled his eyes. "At least you'll be too busy being nauseous to reprimand me on the train."

It was Natsu's turn to roll his eyes. "You're lucky Lucy's here and that Juvia needs you, or I'd be beating you to a bloody pulp!"

"Natsu! Gray! Behave! It's a day's trip by train, so you'd better learn how to get along!"

When Lyon woke the next morning (at about 9:15), he noticed Juvia was not in the spare bed.

Shit, shit, shit, he thought to himself. She was nowhere to be found. He was checking the bathroom one last time when there was knocking on his door. Instantly, he relaxed. She must have just gone for a little walk. However, it wasn't Juvia at the door. It was Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Lucy. It was then he noticed a note stuck to a fridge by a magnet.

Lyon,

I need time alone. Don't look for me.

Juvia

"Let me go look for her," Gray stated, glancing at Natsu and Lucy, who were both giving him skeptical looks. "Face it, I'm our best chance at finding her."

Lucy gave a nod of agreement.

"Have Happy help. He can help you look from the sky.

Gray gave a soft nod. "Let's go, Happy."

"Aye, sir," Happy stated solemnly.

"Gray-sama," Juvia murmured softly. "Juvia knows you're…dead. It is Juvia's fault?" She shuddered at the thought and dug her toes into the warm sand of the beach. "Juvia cannot join you, Gray-sama. Juvia found out yesterday. Juvia is with child." With tears streaming down her cheeks, she rested a hand on her belly. "Juvia was there for three months. In those months, Juvia's cycle never came, and Juvia has gained a few pounds. Juvia took a pregnancy test while Lyon-san slept. If Juvia's baby is a boy, would you mind if Juvia named him after you? If you do, give Juvia a sign." She waited a couple minutes, but nothing happened. She leaned back with the ghost of a smile on her face. "Gray-sama, I will join you in death when my time naturally comes…but I have to care for my child first. Juvia hopes you'll understand."

"Happy, there she is! On the beach!"

"Aye! I'll drop you down there, Gray."

Juvia awake not too long after she fell asleep and felt arms holding her against someone's chest. Initially, she screamed, trying to wiggle out of the grasp. The second she did, the arms gently pulled away.

"G-Gray-sama?"

"In the flesh, Juvia."

Tears threatened her eyes. "Gray-sama is alive?"

"Of course, Juvia," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers "God, Juvia. I'm glad – I'm elated you're not dead." Gray sobbed lightly, pulling her close again.

Juvia blinked up at him, burying her face into his neck. After both of their sobs lightened a little, she went on. "Do you know what the worst thing they did to Juvia was?"

"They raped you, Juvia. Yes, yes, I know."

Juvia gave a sarcastic laugh. "That was not the worst thing. They told Juvia you were dead. And Juvia believed it."

"I thought you were dead, Juvia. I…I…that tore me apart."
"Juvia apologized," she blubbered. "They…they threatened Levy-chan."

"It was very brave of you to go Juvia. Just…don't do it again." Gray planted his lips on hers.

Juvia immediately pulled away. "No, Gray-sama."

"No? Juvia, I'm sorry. Am I rushing things? Will you be my girlfriend, then?"

"Juvia cannot."

Gray blink at her with a light from. "Juvia, why not?"

"Juvia is not pure! Gray-sama deserves better!"

"I don't care about that, Juvia," Gray told her sternly, resting his forehead against hers again.

She pulled her head away. "Juvia is pregnant! She cannot put the burden of a child on Gray-sama! Especially is not Gray-sama's!"

Gray cupped her chin. "Juvia, I don't care if the child is not mine. What's important is that it's yours. And if you'd let me, I'd love to help you raise it and be the best goddamn father I can be to it.

Juvia raised her eyes to meet his. "Does Gray-sama mean that?"

"I do," he murmured, placing his lips against hers.

That was not the last time he said those words to her. He spoke them again, four years later at their wedding. It was a small yet charming reception. Most of the crowd's attention was on the flower girl, Juvia's three-year-old daughter, Mika, who was more interested in stuffing the petals into her mouth than actually throwing them. Gray and Juvia would not have wanted it any other way.

A/N: I really hope you enjoyed this story. This chapter was definitely a lot darker than the last one. Please leave me a review. If you notice any mistakes that bother you, feel free to let me know. Should I write another? If you think so, comment which couple you would like to see.