Chapter 5

I woke up on the couch feeling something heavy on top of me. When I looked down, I saw a sleeping Lucy, her cheek pressed against my chest. She looked very peaceful, finally getting some rest after all that chaos. I stroked her cheek gently to not wake her up letting her rest some more. In the meantime my mind wondered to all the things she told me last night. About how everything was perfect when she was still a little girl. How her mom and dad had a nice house on the countryside and how much she dotted on her mother. How her mother was always cheerful and I imagine little Lucy and an unknown beautiful woman in a little garden with a pond behind a big rich looking house. Lucy told me about how they were never poor thanks to her father's business that went exceptionally well, but he treated them with love. He never failed to find time for a family dinner and her bed time story. But things changed for her after her mother got sick. Her father was desperate, working more to provide her mother with the treatment she needed and the best doctors there were. The sicker her mother got, the more he worked and stayed away from them. When her mother, Layla, passed away, he started drinking heavily and locked himself in his office letting the servants raise her while he kept himself busy. I can't even imagine how she must have felt to have a perfect family taken from her. I stroked her hair without me really noticing as my mind wondered to the time she had to move from the house they had to a new estate in the town, how she was too shy to make some friends and how she finally got some in high school when she joined the cheerleaders. I promised myself that I won't leave her in this alone. I will help her the best I can and I swore on that couch that I will protect her from any harm that comes to her.

She woke up after half an hour of me absent mindedly stroking her hair and thinking about what I had to do. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and froze for a few seconds in realization. Her eyes found mine in a bit of a panic and I grinned at her making her blush. She pulled away embarrassed, too cute when she tried to hide her face in her blonde messy hair.

"Good morning," I smiled her way.

"Morning," she mumbled back stealing glances at me from under her hair curtain. She let out a sigh and with a suddenly determined look on her face she stood up not looking back at me. "I'll make us some breakfast."

I kept my eyes on her walking figure till she turned around the corner into the kitchen. I shook my head at her with a slight smile on my lips and stood up. I already knew what I had to do.

I knocked on Cana's door, fully aware it's still too early for visits. A pissed off Canna threw the door open ready to make someone's morning a living hell and I had to jump out of the way not to be hit by the door. She calmed down immediately after she saw who It was.

"Gray!"

I smirked. She had her hair everywhere, big dark sleepy eyes and a baggy pajama in an awful green.

"Looking good," I joked.

She hit my shoulder playfully. "Shut up!"

I saw Gildarts walk up behind her. He was a big strong looking guy, like father like daughter I guess.

"Oh, Gray," he looked down and scratched the back of his head. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Ur was a great woman."

I just nodded, not really wanting to talk about it. But I knew it had to be hard for him too. I always suspected he had a crush on Ur, just never enough of a man to act on it.

"Welcome back Gildarts. It's perfect. I have to talk to you both."

And with that they invited me in.

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When I came back home, the house was filled with a nice aroma of eggs and bacon with lavender tea that Ur loved so much. I followed the scent into the kitchen and saw Lucy sitting on Ur's chair and sipping tea looking hungrily at the plate that was placed before her.

"You didn't have to wait."

She jumped up a bit, my voice having startled her and she frowned at me.

"Where were you? I was getting worried," she looked back at the table, mumbling it more for herself. I smiled and sat at my usual spot.

"Thank you for the breakfast." And with that we dug in. I have just one word for it. Delicious.

I washed the dishes and turned leaning on the counter as she sipped her tea.

"What do you say about going to school today?" I asked, not sure if it's really a good idea at all. She looked at me like she didn't know either but honestly, I think she'd feel better having at least something normal in her life.

"Come on I don't think the old man will let us skip much longer," I joked.

It cracked a smile on her face and I was celebrating a small victory when she nodded.

"OK then. Let's get ready."

First thing we did before anything else was rush to the old man's office and apologize for our absence. He forgave us with a faint smile.

"But boy, I'm glad to see my Fairies back."

Mira was smiling from ear to ear and her cheerfulness was contagious. Both Lucy and I were smiling, glad to be back. It was the first day I thought I could actually keep on living. I parted ways with Lucy after that. We both went for class hoping to get something normal back in our lives. But after every lesson Lucy came to find me making sure I'm doing fine and vice versa.

A day in school brought back the routine we both needed. But it was over sooner than we liked. I dribbled my way to the gym as usual, hearing the squeaking of shoes on the floor and for some reason it calmed me down. I changed into my gym clothes and walked in feeling all the eyes on me. The coach patted me on the back with a wide grin.

"Welcome back, Fullbuster."

I just nodded and in that moment Loke, Laxus, Gajeel, Natsu and everyone on the team threw themselves at me in a gigantic hug and loud cheers.