Hey guys. It's been a long time and I apologise. Gomene.

Firstly, this chapter was very difficult to write. It was hard writing this because in order to (hopefully) make it sound and feel realistic, I had to dig deep into the pain of having to understand what it's like to lose/ have a sick family member. It was heart wrenching.

Also during this chapter, I was going through a tough time of saying goodbye to someone I had gotten quite close too. Its hard saying goodbye to someone you consider family, and it is also hard saying goodbye to someone you ended up falling for. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter because even though I did cry while writing it, I did love writing it.

Note: This chapter is pure fiction. Though some emotions and scenes are taken from real life experience, the story itself is pure fiction.

Chapter 18: Pain

Rain poured down over Magnolia and the cool air brought the scent of rich earth. Casting her gaze up from her book, a pretty middle aged woman with striking black shoulder length hair peered across the room and her face lit up, a radiant smile adorning her fair complexion.

"There's my handsome boy."

Her voice was soft, delicate. Looking across the room, her eyes fell on a tall, fairly masculine boy, his black spiky hair a vast contrast to his pale complexion.

"Hey mum."

Midnight walked across the room, dropping his bag onto the chair facing the bed and sat himself down on the bed facing the woman.

Looking at her son, she gently laid her hand upon his cheek. Midnight gazed into his mother's eyes.

"You look so much like your father. Your eyes, those deep, dark, mysterious pools. So beautiful. The very eyes I fell in love with at first sight when I met him."

Midnight gripped his mother's palm against his cheek. He saw her slowly close her eyes, a content sigh lightly leaving her lips. Then, he felt it. His heart ached.

Closing his eyes, he was once again back in the school gardens, fighting Gray. His face bloodied and bruised, he kept up his assault. And that was when he saw her. The paleness of her skin, the fear trembling on her lips, but what captured his attention the most was the pain he saw in her eyes. In that moment of hesitation, he remembered Gray landing a good solid punch to his jaw, but by then the fight was over.

Once the others had intervened, Midnight back away.

"You should go check on your girl…"

He remembered saying those words. Turning his back, walking away, he remembered his chest becoming heavier and heavier. Once leaving the gardens, he turned a corner and sunk himself onto the floor. Tears spilled down his cheeks. He had hurt her. He was the reason Lucy was hurting all over again. He was the one who had put the fear back into her eyes.

Looking back at his mother, he gripped her hands. He had seen the same hurt look on Lucy's face so many times whenever he came to visit his mother.

"Hunny?..."

Midnight saw the concerned look on his mother's face.

"What's wrong?" her voice was so soft and light.

Midnight sighed and gave his mother a small smile. "It's nothing mum."

"No, there's something bothering you, I know it. I'm your mother, I can tell."

The lady took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Go on, spill the beans. What did you do? And don't try and feign innocence. Like I said, I'm your mother, it's my job to know when my son is reverting back to being a rascal."

Midnight stared at his mother for a good while before he felt his eyes begin to mist. His mother's once cheery look immediately fell away, her hand coming up to cup his cheek.

"Midnight, hunny, what's wrong?! You're beginning to worry me."

"I…I…hurt someone."

His mother's gasp sliced through him like a sharp knife.

"Oh no sweety, what did you do?"

"I made a stupid bet with a guy on the team and in the process, I hurt someone's feelings."

There was silence for a long while before his mother spoke again.

"Was it about a girl?"

Midnight looked up to his mother and nodded.

"Oh hunny. Why would you do that?..."

"I hated him! I really hate Gray Fullbuster, well, that is, I hated him until recently…"

"That's not what I meant. I meant, why would you do that to a girl? Does she go to your school?"

Midnight nodded. "She's new actually…"

"Oh Midnight! How could you do that? I take it you don't know her all that well? Oh hunny, I'm very upset with you. I raised you to be a better person than this Midnight."

"I know mum. I'm sorry."

Midnight's mother stared at him and saw the hurt and regret etched onto her son's face.

"This girl, what is her name?"

"Her name is Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

At the sound of her name, Midnight's mother noticed the change in her son's tone. He said it with such a soft voice. Also, for a single moment, she saw something shine behind his sad eyes. Could he…

"Do you like her?"

That statement shocked Midnight, making him stutter.

"H-huh? N-no! I don't like Lucy! I mean, yeah she seems like a nice person, from what I've seen so far, and yeah she's pretty, beautiful actually…" it was then that he caught himself and stopped. Damn.

"Oh hunny, you like her…"

"No! I don't like her mum. I mean, yes, I admit it, Lucy is beautiful, in more ways than one, but I don't like her that way." Midnight tried to explain.

His mother stared at her son. "Midnight, why would you make such a bet with Gray?"

"I…I hated him. He always got anything he wanted practically handed to him, anything! He was the star player, and he treated everyone around him like shit! Girls would literally fall at his feet, not that I mind that part, I'm not into that kind of thing. But worst of all, he proved to me that he didn't take other people's feelings into consideration! I bet with him to date Lucy, and do you know what he did? He agreed! Just like that! She was the geekiest, weirdest looking, plainest girl I had ever seen! And then…and then!..."

"And then you got to see the real her…and she changed Gray, didn't she?"

It was then that Midnight realized that he was crying.

"Lucy…she…she…" Hearing him, his mother's heart ached.

"Oh hunny…"

"Lucy is one of the most amazing girls I have ever met. Even through all the teasing, all the bullying, all the hurt that was thrown her way, she always gave a smile and forgave people. I would notice her walk along the corridors, a sweet smile always on her face. She even once stopped to listen to a girl pour her heart out over a douche boyfriend who had cheated on her. And Lucy, she sat there the whole time and comforted her…"

Light sobs escaped him.

"Oh hunny…"

"I hurt her mum. I used her to hurt Gray. I…I thought…I thought nothing would change. But…but then…he fell in love with her. Gray fell crazily and irrevocably in love with her…and…she fell in love with him…" Midnight let out a long sigh. "Their love…it's not one of those young puppy-dog-run-of-the-mill love stories, it's real. I can't forgive myself for what I did to her. Her eyes, that hurt that reflected in them…God, I promised myself I would never cause hurt like that! I promised I would never cause hurt and pain, the same I see in your eyes mum…" Midnight gasped, covering his mouth, fearing he let out too much.

"Mum, no!, I didn't mean…"

"Oh my sweet boy. Is that why you have been hurting all this time?"

"NO! no mum I swear! Nothing is your fault! I…"

"Midnight…"

Midnight stared at his mother, his heart breaking at seeing the hurt look on her face. A look he put there.

"Mum! Please, mum don't cry! I swear, nothing is your fault!..."

"Hunny…"she placed a hand on his cheek. "My darling boy…"

"Mum…" tears streamed down his face as he saw his mother give him a sad smile.

"I love you so much Midnight. You are my pride and joy. I am so, so sorry I wasn't around when you were going through all these troubled feelings in your life…"

"Stop it! You have nothing to be sorry for! You are the most amazing mother anyone would ever wish for! I'm so happy that you're my mum. You are the only mother that I ever want. Please, please don't cry."

His mother stroked his face. "Midnight, Oh, my sweet boy…" She then closed her eyes, her breathing becoming slow and deep. She had fallen asleep.

Midnight clenched his mother's hand. It was always like this. He knew that she missed his father. Midnight missed him too, but it was especially hard on her. He closed his eyes and tried to make himself not cry. His mother was his world. He had promised her long ago that he would make her proud, in whatever he did.

But he did not know where he went wrong. Looking back, he was disgusted at himself.

How could he act so vile. Even if he didn't like Gray, there was no reason to do the things he did, there was no reason to say some of the things he had said, acting the way he did…

Gently placing her hand beside her, Midnight quietly got off the bed and placed a kiss on his mother's cheek.

"I love you mum." He uttered gently and slowly slid off the bed.

XDXDX

Casting one last glance at his mother, he quietly made his way out of the room. The sound of rain hitting the roof signaled that the weather had not improved and so he began making his way down the corridor, slightly nodding his head and offering small smiles to the passing nurses and doctors.

Turning around a corner, he almost bumped into a young nurse who was pushing an elderly lady in a wheel chair.

"Oh! I am so sorry sir! Are you alright?" The nurse asked concerned.

Midnight gave a quick wave and nodded. "Yes, I'm okay. You don't have to apologize, it was my fault. Are you okay?"

The nurse smiled and said they were both fine.

"Why, what a lovely young man."

Looking down, Midnight saw the old lady giving him a warm smile and he couldn't help himself smile back. The nurse chuckled. Hearing her laugh, Midnight raised his head and looked at her. She didn't seem to be wearing the standard uniform the other nurses wore and when looking at her face, it finally dawned on him that the lady looked too young to be a nurse. She looked about his age or close to his age range.

Noticing him staring, the young girl took a quick glance at herself and laughed again. "I know what you're thinking, haha sorry I'm not a real nurse. Well, not one yet. I'm a volunteer here. I do activities like push Miss Babasama here around to keep her entertained."

At this the older lady reached out and pulled Midnight down to her eye level by his shirt. "You are seriously a very handsome young man. Are you single?"

At this Midnight's face became cherry red and he gently disengaged himself from the old lady.

"Babasama, you can't do that to people!" Looking back at the still slightly blushing Midnight, the young girl offered an apologetic look. "Sorry sir, she gets a bit…cheeky sometimes."

"You want a sip?"

Looking back down, Midnight went from shy to being in shock when he noticed a whiskey flask in the old woman's hand. He could only guess what was inside.

"Babasama! I told you no more sneaking in alcohol on hospital grounds!" The young girl frantically tried grabbing for the flask, but the old woman seemed to have abnormally quick defensive reflexes.

"Hehehe, you'll have to be faster than that if you want to take this away from me."

Looking back at a still stunned Midnight, the old lady offered a sad look. "You know boy, all the burdens you seem to be carrying on your shoulders is going to make you grow up into a hunch back by the time you get to my age."

Midnight glanced at the older woman once again. "Wh-what? I don't know what you mean ma'am."

"Oh stop calling me ma'am. My name is Ooba." She then offered him a kind smile. "I know its none of my business poking my nose into other people's business, but you look like a really sweet, kind young man." Just hearing her say that made Midnight flinch. She didn't know what he had done, how many people he had hurt.

Seeing the change in his face, the old woman continued, "People go through many things in life my boy. Sometimes we go through good times, and sometimes we go through bad times. That is the meaning of life. You have to go through ups and downs because that is the only way you will be able to learn and grow. We must all accept the bad things that come our way as much as we accept the good things. It keeps us grounded and it keeps us human. I don't know what you are going through, but I've been around a long time and I know when someone is going through a tough time."

She then reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Some advice from this old lady? Love, forgive and accept. No matter the situation. Every situation requires these three things. Pour love into your heart, it'll make forgiveness for anything feel amazing not because of whatever has happened, but because you know that you are ready to accept that you are destined for something greater."

The smile she gave after left Midnight in so much awe that he gave an awkward nod, still staring at her.

"Alright, now I need to go to the bathroom. Alrighty my trusty wheel chair pusher, please take me to the bathroom before I leak all over this chair and floor."

The young girl who had been listening as well immediately straightened and began pushing again. She paused as she passed Midnight and offered a kind smile.

"She's right you know."

Midnight looked at her and saw her face close up for the first time. He noticed she had stunning shock white hair, beautiful violet eyes that looked purple, small petite lips with a cupids bow and a heart shaped face.

Still smiling, she began walking away when Midnight suddenly blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"Uhm!" Looking back, she gave him a questioning look. He suddenly felt self-conscious, but said it anyway, "What's your name"

Another smile showed up on her face, this time a little wider.

"My name is Angel. What's yours?"

Angel…

"Midnight. My name's Midnight."

He noticed her lean her head to the side and study him for a while before smiling again.

"Midnight. It suits you. I like it."

Midnight felt his cheeks flush and knew she noticed because she began laughing that amazing laugh. "I mean, it suits you because of your hair…and your eyes. You have beautiful eyes."

Immediately noticing what she said, Angel quickly turned around, uttered a soft "goodbye" and hurriedly began pushing when Midnight heard the old lady yell, "SHE LIKES YOU!"

After seeing them turn around the corner, Midnight began walking once again, his mind replaying the encounter he had with the pair.

"Pour love into your heart, it'll make forgiveness for anything feel amazing not because of whatever has happened, but because you know that you are ready to accept that you are destined for something greater."

Walking through the corridor, he tried to understand how that would be possible.

"Me? Forgive me? How would anyone want to forgive me, after what I've done?..."

It was then that Midnight heard a voice. Looking around, he noticed that one of the doors to a room was half way open. At first he didn't think anything of it, thinking it was just another patient with their doctor, nurse or family.

But then he heard it. That voice. The voice of the person he had been conflicting over all this time.

Without thinking, his body seeming to move on its own, he raced to the door and slid it the rest of the way open, his eyes landing on the girl sitting in bed, her long blonde hair flowing around her like silk, her frame delicate.

As she turned to see who had come into her room, Midnight uttered out in a hoarse whisper, "Lucy…"

XDXDX

"Midnight…"

Lucy was shocked to see the boy standing at the door.

"Lu-Lucy…" Midnight was frozen. Here she was, Lucy was in the same hospital as his mother, right around the corridor from her room.

A look seemed to cross her face, one that made Midnight feel uncomfortable with. Was that…fear?

"Lucy…I…I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean…" before he knew it, Midnight felt something slide down his cheek. Swiping his hand across it, he noticed it was wet. Was that a tear? Was he…crying?

"Midnight?"

Her voice was so soft, so gentle. Midnight tried to stop crying but to no avail.

"Midnight, are you okay?"

She was asking if he was okay? He couldn't understand how Lucy could still ask the person who had made her suffer so much if he was okay.

Looking back up, Midnight noticed Lucy give him a concerned look. She raised her hand and gave him a beckoning motion.

"Please, come here."

Midnight didn't know how, but he found himself walking to her and was now standing by her bed, not knowing what he was supposed to do. Then what happened next seemed to shock him even more. Lucy looked up to him and gave him a gentle smile.

"Sit."

"Lucy, I don't think-"

"Please, sit." Those eyes. Brown eyes flecked with those stunning shades of gold. Now he understood why Gray was so mesmerized by them. They were truly beautiful.

Looking back to focus his attention on her, Midnight noticed the soft rise and fall of her chest, and it suddenly hit him that she was breathing rather deeply and at odd intervals.

"Lucy…what…how…"

He didn't know what to say, before it horrifyingly struck him.

"I-I…did…this…to…you…" Midnight felt his chest heave, a growing pain lingering and spreading.

"Oh my God. I did this to you. Oh my God Lucy, I-I di-did this to yo-you. I-I…" And that was when he broke down in tears. He bent his head and began crying uncontrollably, the tears that spilled down his cheeks falling like a rushing waterfall.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Lucy. God, please forgive me, I am so sorry Lucy. I-I…" He chanted the same line over and over again, his voice hoarse from his tears and stuttered from his hiccups.

Bringing her hands up, Lucy tilted his face up to look at her. Midnight tried to look back down, shame coursing through him. Here he was, trying to apologize and feeling his heart break from the shame of his apology being poorly done.

"Midnight, please, look at me."

Her soft voice made Midnight look back to her and he was stunned yet again to see Lucy offering him a sympathetic smile.

"It's okay. It's done. Please, don't cry anymore…"

There was a long silence after that, before Midnight spoke again.

"Why?" looking back to stare into her eyes, Midnight breathed out his question again.

"How can you say it's okay Lucy? How can you look at me like that and ask me in the nicest way possible to not cry? How can you stand the sight of me? After all I've done to you-"

"Midnight…" at that Midnight stopped talking.

"Yes, I won't lie, I do feel hurt for what you did to me. You and Gray. Yes, I was angry at you, at both of you. There was a spilt second where I hated you…"

"Then…why?..." Midnight asked.

Lucy gave a small smile. "I've lived a life where hate and anger never solve anything. Sure, it feels good to let anger go, to hate a person because you feel like they deserve it, but it only serves for a time." Looking intently back at Midnight, Lucy touched his hand that rested in the bed, shocking Midnight.

"I've been sick for a very long time. I've been in and out of hospitals for as long as I can remember. I've been to many schools and have been through the same treatment. It wasn't physical bullying most of the time, but emotional bullying is still bullying. I hated everyone. At times, I would even allow Erza to smash them when she asked if it was okay. But then, as time went by, I came to realize that all hate and anger begot is just that, hate and anger."

Midnight remained silent as Lucy continued.

"My parents passed away when I was very young and ever since then, I've only ever had my two best friends who are now sisters to me."

Midnight noticed a tender smile cross Lucy's face as she talked about them.

"Why are you telling me about them, about your family?" Midnight honestly had no clue why Lucy would want to share this information with him of all people.

Lucy looked at him and a tender smile crossed her face. "Because I see the same pain in your eyes as the pain I saw in my own when I lost my family."

At this Midnight gapped. Lucy then looked for a long while out her window and brought her hand up to trace her fingers along the glass. When she turned back to him, Midnight noticed tears spilling from her eyes. His heart broke at the sight. He moved to touch her, but pulled back, afraid that even touching her would her.

"I…I truly am sorry Lucy. I…what I did is beyond forgivable. I never should have made that bet with Gray. Nothing is his fault. It was all me. I was the one who made him do it. I was the one who made him say those…horrible things about you. I know you won't believe me, but Gray really did fall in love with you. He still loves you till this very moment. I…"

"Stop."

Lucy looked up and gave him a smile. "I believe you Midnight. I do. And…I forgive you."

It was then that Midnight felt his legs give way and he would have ended up as a puddle on the floor if he wasn't close to the bed and ended up sitting back down next to Lucy.

"Please, don't forgive me if you feel sorry for me. I don't deserve even that. I deserve you to still hate me like you did before."

"I do forgive you. And its not because I pity you. Its not to make you feel better either. No, I forgive you because I believe that you really are sorry and you deserve to be forgiven."

"Why, why why why? Why are you so kind to me Lucy? How can you forgive me? I don't understand, not after everything I've done to you."

At this Lucy reached out and took both Midnight's hands into hers.

"Because of love."

Midnight looked at Lucy, shocked.

"Pour love into your heart. Let it flow and let the despair and anger go. Let them go. You may not immediately believe that I truly do forgive you, but I do. But what I want you to do, is to forgive yourself too. You are hurting Midnight, and not just from this, you are hurting from something else too."

At this Midnight immediately thought of his mother.

Lucy saw him clench his fist and she squeezed his hands again. "I truly am sorry for whatever it is that you are going through. But know that you don't have to go through it alone. You don't have to shoulder all that burden by yourself."

Lucy reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, making Midnight look up to meet kind eyes that had tears swimming in them.

"You don't have to be alone anymore Midnight."

That was it. That was the final blow that Midnight knew was the end to the wall he had unconsciously built around himself a long time ago.

Falling onto Lucy's lap, Midnight cried his heart out as he had never cried before. All the pain, all the despair, all the anger, he was finally allowing himself to let them all go. His sobs echoed throughout the room, loud and heart wrenching.

At this, Lucy couldn't help but cry as well. Reaching down, she stroked Midnights hair, staying silent to allow him to empty out his pain. His sobs tore at her and she let her own tears fall freely down her face. They both needed this. While Midnight let go of all the pain he had bottled up after so many tears, Lucy was finally able to also let go of her own pain.

Then it dawned on her. Even though they were both crying their hearts out, she was glad that they had managed to sort through it. Because even though she remembered that her operation was due in two days, no matter the outcome, she was not only able to let go of her pain, but at the same time she was able to finally accept what she had been denying to herself for a long time: That Gray did love her, and that she loved him too.

XDXDX

That is the end to chapter 18. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and let me know how you found it.