A/N: I was asked to write my reaction to the latest Fairy Tail chapter. I kept insisting with a sense of anger, I can't write at this moment. I'm angry at Hiro Mashima, so I just can't! But...writing can be cathartic. It releases emotions, puts things into perspective. I don't know what the next chapter will hold, so I'm not making guesses. I'm just writing.

Juvia's Safe, Right?

a Fairy Tail fanfic

by Rhov

In that last moment, one thought went through Gray's mind.

"Juvia's safe, right?"

Time seemed to flow slowly...painfully slow. Each shot that rattled his body made him more worried.

"Is she safe? Oh God, did I push her out of the firing line?"

He didn't worry about himself. Gray knew...this must be it. The end. But he could worry about death later. He wanted to know if he had protected his nakama. That was all that mattered, after all. Protecting the people he loved.

Loved?

He heard Meredy's shout. She was safe too, then. That was good. His eyes briefly met Lyon's. The man who was like a brother was shaking in horror and staring in disbelief, first to Gray, then his eyes flicked over to someone below Gray.

"He's looking at Juvia. Juvia...is safe."

She was safe. He had shoved her out of the way. He saved her. That was all he wanted to know. She was safe. His friend, his nakama, the woman who annoyed him but still fascinated him, was safe. The pain, the blood, the ringing in his ears, none of that mattered.

Only her safety. Only her life.

"Heh...?"

He felt it now. Pain. He tasted blood in his mouth. He felt dizziness as his vision began to cloud.

"Am I really going to die like this? Damn..."

He glanced over to Juvia, seeing the tears in her eyes, seeing her mouth opened in a scream he could no longer hear, not with the ringing noise intensifying in his ears, deafening him to everything. He wanted to smile and say just one last thing. He couldn't even remember now what he was about to say to her, something unimportant. But this...he wanted to tell her. Just...one more thing.

One last word.

One last smile.

"She's safe. Thank God!"

BAM!