Wow, it's been forever since I posted anything. As always, starting a new story is scary. Let me know how it came out (I love getting reviews).

I'm going to try to update weekly this time. I have the first section of this written, so it should go pretty smoothly at first. My update day might end up not being on Mondays, though. I'll let you know next chapter.

Okay, so this is an idea that I absolutely adore, just because it's so genius (can you tell I'm full of myself?). But seriously, I think it's a really cool plot idea. I hope you like it.

Juvia awoke to a strange stinging sensation in her left hand. She blinked against bright sunlight and lifted thin, lithe fingers into her line of view. What she saw made her eyes widen and her breath catch in a panicked gasp.

"Juvia's late today," Gray commented, glancing from his companions to the guild doors and back. Lucy shrugged.

"I didn't notice. Maybe she got here early and took a job."

Happy put a paw to his mouth with a grin. "He liiiiiikes her." Natsu, walking by, backpedaled and leaned over the table.

"Gray likes who?"

"Nobody!" the ice mage snapped testily. He challenged Happy with his eyes, daring the Exceed to contradict him. Happy backed down, shivering with fear. On a good day, Gray's death stare rivaled Erza's.

"He was just wondering where Juvia was," Lucy said as she scooted over to make room for Natsu on her bench. "We haven't seen her yet." Natsu shrugged, dismissing Gray's concern just as Lucy had.

"Maybe she slept in."

Gray sighed irritably. "I really don't care. I was just making an observation." Lucy smiled knowingly, making him scowl. "Forget it," he grumbled. Just then, the guild doors swung open and Juvia flounced in, wearing her signature blue and smiling widely.

"Gray-sama!" she said, nearing their table. "Good morning!" Gray nodded and turned away. He didn't really know why he had been worried about her, anyway. She was only human, after all – she couldn't possibly come in at the same time every day. Everyone slept in sometimes.

Juvia felt her cheery smile slipping and tugged it back up sharply. "Juvia has something to do," she said vaguely, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the whorls of wood grain painting the tabletop. "She will see you all later." She moved past the table towards the bar, where Mirajane, Lisanna and Wendy were having a heated argument about whether it was better to have a pet cat or dog.

"What's her hurry?" Natsu wondered aloud, watching her go.

"I'm surprised she didn't stay to talk to Gray," Lucy added.

"Aye," Happy agreed, pulling a fresh fish out of his sack.

"Who cares?" Gray said, getting up from the table. "I'm gonna go check out some requests. Anyone want to do a job?" Natsu leapt to his feet.

"Let's do it! I wanna do one in a volcano!"

Lucy rolled her eyes as the two raced to the request board. "Honestly, you'd think they're five."

Juvia smiled at Mirajane as she broke into the three-way debate. "Good morning!" she chirped. Mira beamed back at her.

"Good morning, Juvia. Tell me, would you rather have a pet dog or cat?" Juvia cocked her head in confusion.

"Juvia supposes... A dog?"

"Aha!" the white-haired mage shrieked. "See that? Dogs are clearly better!"

Wendy and Lisanna booed. "Cats!"

"Um... Juvia is sorry to interrupt, but has anyone seen Master Makarov? Juvia has something to speak with him about." The argument halted briefly as the three considered this question. Mira pointed upstairs.

"I'm pretty sure he's in his office... He said something about paperwork for a town Natsu destroyed last week." An impish smile crossed her face. "Don't tell him, but I was actually the one who destroyed that one."

Juvia smiled at her and headed upstairs to the second floor, where the master's office was located. She knocked once on the door and when there was no answer, opened the door cautiously. She had to duck as a paperweight sailed past her head and smashed against the wall behind her. "Juvia is sorry!" she squeaked. Makarov glanced up at her, eyes squinted.

"Eh? Ah, Juvia. Sorry about that, didn't see you there. Something the matter?" Juvia entered the office shakily and shut the door behind her.

"Juvia must speak to you about something," she said hesitantly.

The lines in Makarov's skin deepened as he frowned. "Sit down first." He didn't like the quiet resignation in Juvia's expression.

She sat in one of the chairs set in front of Makarov's desk, and clasped her hands tightly in her lap. "Juvia…will be gone soon."

"You're leaving the guild?" Makarov asked, leaning forward. She shook her head quickly.

"No! Juvia will not leave. But…" She stared at her fingers, laced together. Her knuckles were white. "Juvia is not sure how to explain." The old man's face was tense with worry, but he sat back calmly in his chair.

"Take your time."

Outside, the sun was shining. Birds chirped and flew through the blue sky. Clouds drifted lazily on a soft breeze. The sounds of spring brought the world to life. But in Makarov's office, the silence was deafening.

"Juvia always knew… That this time would come," she began haltingly. "Eventually. But she thought she would have more time than this." Her words grew strained as she fought tears. "Juvia wanted to stay here a little longer…" The young woman took a deep breath. "You see, Juvia's body is made of water. And water will not always stay liquid. Gradually, it begins to vaporize. At some point, it will vanish." The broken smile on Juvia's face nearly killed Makarov. "Juvia will disappear, like that."

"Isn't there anything–" Juvia shook her head again.

"Juvia is not the first one to fade away. No one has ever found a cure." She unlaced her fingers and and laid a pale hand over Makarov's. "It will be okay," she said softly. "Juvia has no regrets."

"But–"

She stood and turned away, walking to the door. "Juvia is ready. She will face this proudly, as a member of Fairy Tail. But…" She hesitated with her hand on the doorknob. "Please don't tell anyone about this. Juvia wishes…for everyone to smile."

"If this is what you wish for," the master said in a low voice, "Then I can't stop you. I won't speak of this with anyone in the guild."

"Thank you," Juvia whispered, as she slipped out of the room and into the hallway.

When she was gone, Makarov sighed and gazed at his aged hands. They were small and wrinkled, and dotted with scars. They made a map, of the life he had led for so long. Scars of old battles, scars of old mistakes. He could recall the cause of each one with surprising clarity.

But his hands could not carry the scars left behind by the loss of his loved ones. There was no place for them on the old relics that had served him so well. And no matter how he tried, eventually, he would begin to forget. He could no longer remember the faces of some of his old guild mates, or the way their laughter had sounded. Someday, he would not even remember their names, and then he would begin to forget other things. His first day as guild master. The day he received his Fairy Tail insignia. The times he had protected, and been protected by, his guild. Someday, he too would be gone.

Makarov sighed again and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was getting old. He got up slowly from his chair and left the office, leaving the paperwork a forgotten mess on his desk.

"Hey, how about this one?" Lucy said, pointing to a flyer in the center of the board. She glanced up to see Juvia coming down the stairs and waved. "Juvia! Where'd you go?" It took the water mage a moment to focus on her.

"Eh? Ah, Juvia had something to tell the master." She noticed Gray standing next to Lucy, studying the request board. "Gray-sama!" she shrieked, skipping toward them. She flung herself onto his back and snuggled close. "Did you miss Juvia?"

"Not at all," he grunted. "And you're strangling me." He managed to pull her off and turned to face her, panting slightly. "What's with you today? You basically ignore me, and then suddenly you're all over me again. Make up your mind already."

"Okay!" Juvia chirped, attaching herself to Gray in a manner similar to a leech latching onto its prey. "Juvia will stay very close to Gray-sama!"

"Not what I meant," he puffed. "Little help?" Lucy shook her head, holding back laughter.

"There's no way I'm getting in the middle of this. I'm gonna go get a drink." She walked away, abandoning Gray next to the request board. Natsu, meanwhile, had wandered off and gotten involved in the still-ongoing dogs-versus-cats debate. The vote was three against one for cats.

"Juvia, let go of me," Gray ordered futilely. She shook her head and, if anything, held on tighter. Her face was buried deep in Gray's chest. "Come on, Juvia. Just get off me already," he said, gentler this time. The lonely set of her shoulders sent shivers of anxiety down his spine.

"Juvia won't let go," she mumbled stubbornly. "Juvia won't let go, because–" She caught herself with a gasp and bit her lip. "Juvia won't let go," she repeated softly. "She won't let go of Gray-sama."

Gray stared down at the top of her head. It struck him that it was immensely vulnerable, that small head. "Juvia, just let go of me. Please." The blue head shook, back and forth. Her slender arms tightened around him, keeping his arms pinned to his sides.

Gray sighed and reached behind him to pry her hands apart. At first she resisted, but gradually, her grip slackened, and her arms swung down to touch her sides. She stepped away from him, head bowed. Her hair hung in a silky blue curtain that hid her face.

He reached out, slowly, and patted her head. She flinched. Steeling himself, he stepped forward and tucked her into him, one arm around her waist, the other resting on the back of her head. He tipped his chin down so it covered her head and touched his fingers. He listened to her breathing as it sped up. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, noticing as her fingers curled in his shirt. "This isn't like you."

Her voice came slowly but surely, muffled by his shirt. "Juvia is fine. There is nothing wrong."

"You can tell me, you know." He listened for her response.

Nothing.

"Juvia can't," a tiny whisper informed him, so soft he nearly mistook it for an errant breeze. "Juvia couldn't possibly tell Gray-sama." Frustration welled up inside of him. She would cling to him every day, shamelessly declare her love for him in public, act like an idiot and embarrass them both for no good reason, but she wouldn't trust him with her problems?

"What–"

Juvia pulled away from him and smiled brightly. "Juvia can't tell Gray-sama what's wrong, because there is nothing wrong with Juvia!" She flexed her bicep for him to see. "Juvia is perfectly fine!" A sly grin took over, and she leaned forward to hug Gray again. "Was Gray-sama worried about Juvia?"

"As if," he snorted. "I was just indulging you for a little while. Now get off!"

"Gray-sama, you're so shy," Juvia cooed, letting him shake her off and stalk away grumpily.

If anyone had been watching Juvia at that precise moment, they might have seen the way her smile faded and her eyes closed. If they had sharp eyes, perhaps they would have seen her lips moving silently. And if they had been very, very good at reading lips, they may have understood the wordless prayer she released into the world. However, they would not have known that this prayer was not meant to come true, and they would not have seen the way it drifted aimlessly, unable to find its way to some benevolent god.

But none of that matters, because no one was watching. And no one saw Juvia's defeated prayer for life.

As she turned away, it evaporated.

I have to say, I am immensely satisfied with that ending. Is that just me? Thanks for reading. Review, follow, favorite!