Author's Note: This will be an on-going fanfic focusing on Fairy Tail characters Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser. Each chapter is titled after a song title. Fair warning: in later chapters there will be mature/lemon content. I'll list the chapter as such when we get there.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail is created by Hiro Mashima.

Chapter 1 – The Long and Winding Road

One week after Gray's apology to Juvia, they set out to travel north of Gray's village to train and become stronger. Since his declaration to defeat END, they have been traveling to the far reaches of Fiore to a place desolate of human interaction but teeming with gigantic beasts that dwell within the frozen tundra. It is there that Gray set their destination to an area within the mountains. It is an area he remembered in his childhood while training with Ur and Lyon. There was a lake nearby and the perfect setting for Juvia to hone her magic while being near Gray's training grounds. He thought about this arrangement during their carriage ride to the mountains. Juvia was busy making a blanket to which Gray seemed at awe at the fact that she's knitting while they are bouncing around inside the carriage. How is she able to do this?

"How is it possible for you to be knitting while we're moving around in this carriage," Gray asked.

"Juvia is actually in training Gray-sama. Can't you tell that she's focusing on knitting this blanket while we're moving around," Juvia replies in her nonchalant manner.

"Oh I see," Gray replies, "so you're focused on controlling your hands and upper body while we're getting knocked around all over this carriage. Huh."

"Is Gray-sama impressed? Juvia thinks this blanket is big enough for the two of us, do you agree?" Juvia stops knitting and holds up the blanket which seems to be four feet long. Gray looks at the blanket and then to her, grins and picks up the other end of the blanket to see how large it really is.

"Heh, yeah Juvia. This is big enough for two people. Maybe you should take a break from your training? I mean, you started knitting since yesterday and you look exhausted."

"Gray-sama is right. Juvia will put all these away and sleep for a bit."

"Sit next to me when you're ready to sleep. Its best for you to rest against me than some dirty bench seat."

"Juvia will take up Gray-sama's offer," she answers with a smile. It's those smiles she gives to Gray that create warmth creeping along his neck and up to the back of his head. He's certain that his blush was showing even though its relatively dark in the carriage. Gray smiles back and waits for Juvia to put away her knitting tools before she joins him.

The moment she sits next to Gray, Juvia was overcome with exhaustion that she didn't even notice Gray taking the knitted blanket she worked on and wrapped it around both of them. She lazily opens her eyes and snuggles closer to Gray as he takes his arm and wraps it around Juvia pulling her closer to him as she nuzzles her face against his chest. Gray's hand finds Juvia's hand and they intertwine their fingers, creating a firm grasp. Juvia takes her free arm and wraps it around Gray, holding herself tighter in their embrace while the carriage moves to-and-fro. Gray tilts his head down to place a soft kiss on her hatless head and at that moment Juvia closes her eyes and succumbs to sleep.

Some hours later, their carriage ride stops which jolts Gray and Juvia awake. Their eyes snap open as they try to shake the fogginess of sleep out of their system.

"We're here!" shouted their carriage driver. Gray looks out the carriage window to see where they are and sees a cottage in the distance. Juvia carefully removes herself from Gray and starts to look for her hat and sewing kit. The driver hops off his seat and walks over to the carriage and opens the door for Gray and Juvia. Gray steps down first and then helps Juvia exit the carriage. The driver then begins to unload their bags.

"Gray-sama is that the cottage you remember as a child?"

"Yeah. I hope its still in good condition. We might need to fix it up. It's been a long time since I've been back here." Gray looks around the area and realizes how everything seems to be as it was long ago. It was as if time stood still. The frozen forest and the lake nearby look untouched.

"I think that's all your bags. If there's nothing else I'll be heading off," alerts the carriage driver. Just as the driver is about to hop onto his seat, Gray gives him his payment for the ride and a little extra jewels for the tip. The driver appreciated Gray's patronage and bowed down to him. "I am grateful for the jewels, sir. Please let me know if you and your girlfriend ever need a ride back."

"Thanks," answered Gray. The carriage driver then rides off leaving Gray standing in his place realizing that the driver just called Juvia his girlfriend. "Wait, she's… well, yeah," mumbles Gray.

Juvia walks up next to Gray and gently hooks her arm around his. "Is something wrong Gray-sama?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just lost in thought. So what do you think of our training area?"

"Juvia loves it! And Juvia sees the lake nearby where she can train. Gray-sama is so considerate."

Gray smiles and begins carrying their bags. "Let's go and inspect the cottage. I want to get us situated first before we do any training."

"Yes," answers Juvia enthusiastically. "If the stove is usable Juvia can start cooking dinner."

Gray steps up to the front door and sees the door shut tight with ice-make magic. He recognizes whose magic it belongs to. Lyon. He's the only other person who knows this cottage and must have been the last person to stay at the cottage. Gray breaks the ice seal around the door and opens it, letting all the trapped air inside the cottage escape.

As soon as they step inside the cottage, they see sheets covering furniture and a musty smell emanating from everywhere. They immediately cover their mouths and nose so not to inhale the dust that's been lying dormant for years.

"I think we got our work cut out for us," muffles Gray as he drops the bags onto the floor. Juvia looks around and notices everything looks intact. She inspects the floor and tells Gray that she can use her magic to clean the floors. Gray acknowledges and walks to the bedrooms and bathroom. He can give Juvia the master bedroom while he sleeps in his old bedroom. The moment he walks into his old bedroom, memories flood his mind of all the things he and Lyon did in this room. Seeing the lamp on the desk he picks it up and dusts off the dirt. He carries it out to the living room where their bags are and starts looking for candles.

"Where are the candles? Are they in the supply bag or somewhere else?"

"Juvia remembers packing them in the supply bag."

"I can't find them. Can you help me look for them?"

"Juvia is pretty sure she packed them in the supply bag." While she's looking in the bag she sees something she hadn't noticed before. It was a small jewelry box tucked away in the bottom of the bag, as if it was meant to be hidden but failed miserably. She nearly picked it up but thought better. If Gray placed it there she'll just leave it alone. She won't jump to conclusions and think it's for her. For all she knows it could be for his necklace which she's never seen him remove. After rummaging through she found the box containing the candles.

"Juvia thinks Gray-sama needs glasses," jokes Juvia. She hands the candles to Gray and he takes them while chuckling an answer, "Ha ha very funny. They're in a box that doesn't even say 'candles'. No one would know they were in there except you."

"Actually, the box does read 'candles' it's only written on one side," Juvia pointed to the word inscribed on the side of the box. Gray looks at the box and back to her. He raises his eyebrow and smirks. "Matches. Please say you packed matches."

"Yes! Juvia packed those in the other bag. Let Juvia get them." She grabs the other bag on the floor and reaches into the side pocket to find a box of matches and hands them to Gray.

"Knock yourself out Gray-sama," answers Juvia in her snarkiest remark yet. This catches Gray off-guard as he takes the matches from her. Where did this Juvia come from? he wondered. Is this how she's like when she's relaxed? He's liking it.

"Wanna see your room? I'll give you the two-jewel tour."

"Yes," answered Juvia as she stood up and followed Gray to the bedroom area.

"You'll be sleeping in the master bedroom and I'll be sleeping in my own room. The bed in the master bedroom is queen sized so you should sleep well there," Gray states to Juvia.

"Gray-sama, if the bed is large enough for two people why don't you sleep in the master bedroom with Juvia?" Gray looks at her and cocks his eyebrow while she gives him the cutest pout he's seen.

"Don't give me that look Juvia. We're not on our honeymoon." With that response, Juvia perks up and hugs Gray tight while squealing, "Ohhhh! Gray-sama is thinking about marriage too! Juvia will make plans!"

"Whaaaa! No Juvia! Focus! We're training here!"

Juvia smiles and looks up at Gray with soft eyes which in turn makes Gray relax under her hug. He then gently moves to his bedroom. "And here's my bedroom."

They enter the room and Juvia sees two twin size beds on opposite sides of the room against the wall. The room was simple; only a study desk, night stand and chair. No pictures. No mirror. A bare room.

"Which bed is your bed?" Juvia asks as she walks further into the small room.

"It's this one," Gray points to the bed closest to the door, away from the study desk. Juvia looks at it and judges that it can't be comfortable especially now that Gray has grown up and basically has outgrown the bed. She turns to him with concern.

"Gray-sama should re-consider sleeping here. Juvia promises not to make Gray-sama feel uncomfortable if he decides to sleep in the master bedroom.

"It's ok Juvia. I can sleep here."

Not looking convinced, Juvia lets it go. Instead she sighs and gently touches Gray's arm, letting him know that her concern is real and not out of malice.

"If Gray-sama ever feels he needs to sleep elsewhere, he can always join me in the master bedroom." Juvia's eyes are glassy, as if she's holding back tears. Gray notices and raises his hands to cup her face.

"I'll remember that. Let's get this place cleaned up. I'll help you make dinner." He leans in to place a kiss on her forehead while Juvia closes her eyes and let's his lips linger on her skin longer. She's the first to move away and walks towards the kitchen. Gray watches and follows her to the kitchen.

Gray and Juvia know that they have at least a year's worth of training ahead of them and they will be spending most of their time alone with each other. Gray is nervous but anxious all in the same time. He's never felt anything like it before when he's training with other guild members. His mind is still trying to suppress any lingering thoughts of falling in love with Juvia while being alone with her. But his heart is making his mind into a liar. Deep down inside, he knows that his feelings are slowly changing towards her and before he knows it he'll find himself in too deep. He wants to stay focused on the training, the mission of taking down END. But can he allow intimacy while on this road?

AN: I hope you enjoyed this story so far. Feel free to leave constructive feedback. Chapter 2 will be titled "Changeling".

Thanks again for reading.