A/N: I had this chapter half written and fully planned months ago, and then got distracted.. And never got back to it until now.. Rargh, sorry .

Lucy and Natsu both turned to look at the river, as a comfortable silence depended upon them.

And then Gray arrived.

Lucy panicked. "Oh, hey Natsu. I have this, uh, thing at home that I need your help with, and uh, we should really go do it. Now. Like, right now." Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand and began pulling him in the direction of her house.

Stumbling as he stood up, Natsu let out a confused "Wha- Lucy, what are you-", before being interrupted by Gray.

"Oh, good. Leave a little faster will you? Juvia and I have a date planned here at the river, and you're in our way." Gray said grumpily, glaring at Lucy.

Lucy grimaced as Natsu stopped and stood stock-still, and quickly walked in front of him to face Gray.

"There's no need to be rude, we were already leaving. This isn't your spot, and don't you remember what today is?! You could at least be a little more sensitive towards Natsu." She yelled angrily.

"Did I ask your opinion?" Gray said cruelly, "and no, all I know about today is that it's Juvia and I's first date. Why should I remember anything about Natsu? Whoever that is."

Shaken out of his stupor, Natsu retaliated with a yell. "Hey, ice brain! The hell do you mean whoever that is? I've whooped your ass more times than you count - as if you could forget me! Have your brains finally melted and leaked out of your ears?!"

Gray turned his gaze from Lucy slowly, and looked at Natsu blankly. Lucy grimaced and prepared for a fight between the two. What happened next was infinitely worse.

"Ohh yes, I remember you now... and? I don't know why you're speaking to me like we're enemies or friends or whatever. You're nothing to me. You're not worth my time. Honestly. Getting all worked up for no reason."

And with that, Gray turned around and faced Juvia, who had arrived when Natsu yelled, and was currently glaring at him for insulting her Gray-sama.

"C'mon Juvia, let's go sit down. I have a great picnic prepared."

"Oh Gray-sama." She sighed and giggled girlishly, following him to the river bank, both of them thoroughly ignoring Lucy and Natsu behind them.

Lucy was shocked. How could Gray have said that to Natsu? It wasn't even hate, like it was with her. It was... nothing. He treated Natsu with complete apathy. As if he was nothing.

C'mon Lucy, snap out of it. Natsu needs you right now.

"Hey, Natsu. Uh, Gray's not really feeling himself right now, he didn't mean-" Lucy started, attempting to console Natsu, but he interrupted her by running away.

Like, really running. Lucy attempted to follow him, but the Dragon Slayer was just too fast. Within five minutes of running, Lucy had completely lost sight of him, and so she stopped, leaning over and panting, hands on her knees.

Shit.

Knowing that she would have no chance of finding the slayer now, Lucy quickly made her way back to the guild. She needed to let Mira know what had happened, and maybe there was something she could do to help.

She was relieved to see that Mira was standing behind the bar, and was just finishing ladling a steaming red potion into a vial.

"Mira!" Lucy called, turning the heads of a couple of guild members, before they went back to their own business. "Mira, it's a disaster" she finished, as she got up close enough to whisper. "I couldn't help it, Gray came to the river where Natsu and I were sitting, and oh Mira, it was awful. He didn't yell at Natsu. That was the worst part. If he'd yelled, they could have fought like usual, and Natsu might have been okay. But he didn't yell Mira! Gray just... ignored him. It was awful. It's like he didn't even care whether Natsu existed or not. And Natsu... He was so shocked Mira. He just stood there for a bit, and then ran away. I tried to follow him but..."

Mira sighed. "There's no way you would have been able to keep up with Natsu while he was that upset. And I doubt you would have been able to get him to leave as soon as Gray showed up anyway. Don't blame yourself. And actually, Gray ignoring Natsu was a good sign. Gray's emotions have been reversed. He hates who he liked. And he's apathetic to those he loved. That's why he's all over Juvia, and ignoring Natsu. It just means we need to hurry and cure him so he can make Natsu better. Now, I just finished the potion, and I had Happy put some fake purple spots over Gray while he was distracted with Juvia. This all happened because a potion was tampered with, so I want him to take this one of his own free will. He would never do it if we told him it's because his love is fake, but he will if he just thinks it's going to get rid of his sickness."

I'm going to need to buy her a huge present when this is all over with. I don't know what I would have done without Mira.

"Mira you're a genius" Lucy said in awe.

Mira smiled, "you only just noticed now? Now we just need to find Gray and give him the potion."

"I can help with that!" Lucy said excitedly. "He said he was having a date with Juvia by the river, so they may still be sitting there. Let's go!"

Mira checked the stopped fit properly in the bottle and gave a smile. "Now to fix this problem once and for all - and hopefully create another Fairy Tail couple in the process. I have a bet to win!"

Lucy sweat-dropped.

Fortunately for the girls, Gray and Juvia were still sitting in the exact same spot at the river, so after locating them, Mira cleared her throat to get Gray's attention.

Turning around at the noise, Gray and Juvia glared at the two girls. "What," Gray growled, "can't you see we're busy?"

Mira frowned, and visibly reined in her temper. After this was all over, she was going to give Gray a thumping for being so rude. Even if it was the potions fault.

"Unfortunately Gray, Lucy here gave you a botched up potion the other day. There are quite a few adverse side-effects, and one is purple spots, which will eventually grow into lumps and explode very painfully. Happy told me he saw a couple of spots on you, so I made the antidote. Just take it and we can leave you alone."

Gray looked like he was just about to refuse. Both slightly suspicious of the potion, and not wanting to shy away from pain. However, he was given no chance to object, as Juvia burst into tears upon inspecting Gray's arm and discovering one of the purple spots Happy placed.

"Oh no Gray-sama! You should have told Juvia that Gray-sama was sick! Juvia feels so bad now. You must take that potion, then Juvia won't feel sad that she is on a date with her Gray-sama!"

"Anything you say Juvia" Gray conceded. Reaching forwards, he grabbed the potion from Mira's hands. Mira and Lucy both held their breaths as he swallowed the potion in one gulp. There was nothing else they knew to do if this potion worked. It was a stroke of luck that Juvia had been nearby, else it would not have gone anywhere near as well.

Lucy did not know what she was expecting to happen when the potion took effect. If she had been expecting anything big, she would have been disappointed. Upon drinking the potion, an expression of confusion briefly crossed over Gray's face, before his face cleared completely. He looked at Juvia in horror, and then Mira, and finally settled on Lucy.

Lucy gulped in fright at the dangerous aura radiating from Gray.

"What. did. you. to. me." He asked menacingly, advancing on Lucy slowly.

Lucy laughed nervously. "Ah, huh, see, that's a long story."

After explaining the situation to Gray - and being thoroughly threatened, should she ever attempt such a thing again, Lucy watched as Gray ran off in the direction Natsu had gone. It seemed he knew where Natsu might be hiding.

Always wanting to know what was happening, Lucy followed sneakily behind, and hid behind a bunch of bushes in the forest, just as Gray approached Natsu.

"Oh my God Natsu, I'm so sorry!" Gray apologised to the silent dragon slayer frantically, "Lucy botched up this potion and it turned me into such a dickhead and I'm really sorry. I know today is the day Igneel left and I'm just so sorry."

"It's fine." Natsu said lifelessly.

"What, no it's not! If it were, you'd be calling me ice-block or stripper or something flame brain!"

Natsu sighs. "Look, you're sorry, I get it. I accept your apology. Can you please leave now?"

"If you're not pissed about me being a dick-head, then what are you upset about? What, were you jealous? I didn't know you liked Juv-"

"I DON'T LIKE JUVIA!"

"God, okay okay. I get it. Then... what. were you jealous of Juvia?"

Natsu flushed bright pink as Lucy watched, and she saw the lights click on in Gray's head.

"Natsu. Natsu. Natsu!"

"What?! I'm sorry okay. I don't mean to be. I'll stop, I promise. Just don't leave me Gray, I'll never do anything I swear."

Lucy's heart broke, hearing all the insecurity and fear of abandonment in Natsu's voice that he normally kept so tightly locked away.

Gray stared at Natsu in shock, before snapping out of it, and wrapping his arms around Natsu.

"Oh God Natsu. I'd never leave you. Ever. And don't you dare stop."

Natsu sniffled in Gray's arms, and asked "Stop what?"

Gray smiled affectionately at Natsu, "God you're slow."

"No I'm not you ic-" Natsu tried to protest, before Gray bent down, and kissed him silent.

"Don't you dare stop loving me Natsu, because then I'd be a victim of unrequited love, and that doesn't suit my image."

Lucy smiled at Natsu's indignant yell in response, and slowly walked away, leaving the two to their reconciliation and the beginning of a new relationship - despite her almost ruining them with her meddling.

Sometimes, Lucy decided, potions were best left out of matters of passion.

Thank you for reading! I quite like this fic and am glad I finally got around to finishing it. If anyone's wondering, neither or them are seme/uke. They switch. I'm not really a fan of when there's a relationship where only one person is submissive.

Regarding how Juvia is basically thrown aside from Natsu & Gray - normally, the guild would try and fix Gray, but they'd also be really nice and sensitive to Juvia, so she wasn't so upset. However, Juvia abandoned all her friends when she had Gray, and never said a word when he was exceedingly rude to them. All the members of Fairy Tail (Gray included) are mad at her for that, except her long-time friend Gajeel. She won't leave FT. But it'll be hard for a little bit; until she proves her loyalty again.

Please, comment, fave, constructively criticise - I like to know what other's think of my work :)