Woo! Actually on time! Sort of, it's already 12:24 AM on Monday. But hey! At least it's not super-super late.

How are you guys liking this so far? I love your reviews so much and every time I get one my heart bursts with love ^^

BTW, at the end of May i quit my job and I finally got myself another one. Well, I've only worked two days of it and I'm looking for something else. I'm 25 years old and I'm pretty confidant that my gut feeling is never wrong. So you guys pray for me that i'll find something soon ^^

NOTE: Gray will be a little OOC for a few this is an AU, so yeah, he's not going to be his moody self. But that part will come, I'm already there in my writing so I promise. This won't last long! – Also! In this universe, the song Ice Ice Baby does not exist. (getting closer...)

Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima

Thursday came before Juvia could even blink. She still felt guilty about sleeping with Gray knowing she was having another man's baby, but after some thinking and soul-searching she decided that Lucy was right. She wasn't the first woman to do so and she wouldn't be the last.

Her only problem now? She still hasn't told Gray and he's about 5 minutes late for picking her up for their movie and dinner date.

"Juvia feels sick…" Juvia sat in her desk chair holding her stomach, ironically, she had not been morning sick all week. But all she wanted right now was to lose her lunch all her meals from the last few days.

She had no idea how she was supposed to tell him. How would he react? He would be angry for sure. But would he understand? Would he hate her? Juvia was at a loss.

"Juvia! Gray's here!" Natsu called from the living room. He and Lucy were going to have their own at-home movie date while she was out.

"Coming," she called, not sure if she was truly ready.

She slipped on her sandals, grabbed her purse and left the safety of her room.

Lucy winked at her when she entered the living room. Natsu was ignoring every person in the room in favor of the remote.

"Wow, you look great."

Juvia turned and saw Gray standing there, looking as good as ever. Boots, dark jeans, and a red t-shirt underneath a leather jacket. She flushed, such a handsome man was taking her out?

"Thank you, Gray," she fiddled with her purse. She glanced at her outfit. A knee length yellow dress, a belt at her waist flared out the bottom half.

"Ready?" he held out his hand for her to take, a small grin on his face.

"Yes," his fingers were cool against hers as he pulled her closer, "I'll be home later, then."

"Have fun!" Lucy waved, nudging Natsu to at least say goodbye.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, stripper."

"Natsu!" Lucy smacked him on the chest as the couple stepped outside and shut the door behind them.

"They make an interesting pair, huh?" Gray chuckled, he was still holding her hand.

"They are cute together," Juvia twirled her loose curls around her fee fingers. Nervous about being on her first date in years.

"Where are we going?"

Gray opened the door to his truck and helped her in, "This nice steakhouse, it's fairly new so you probably haven't been. They have awesome steaks."

"Juvia can't wait," when she first thought she might be pregnant, she hadn't stood the smell of meat. But for the two weeks she had been able to eat it. She didn't think her cravings would change that suddenly.

"Great, it's actually a little bit of a drive," he cranked the vehicle, turning the music down low. Not wanting her to hear that he listened to a country radio station on the way here. Natsu always laughed at him, but country music always helped him when he was nervous, "we could get to know each other a bit on the way?"

"How so?" Juvia crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap, a clear sign that she was uncomfortable, but for the life of him Gray didn't know why. They had already been… intimate… no reason for her to be shy.

"20 questions?"

Juvia tilted her head to the side, "The children's game?"

He laughed, "It's not a kid's game, we just ask each other questions to get to know one another," he peeked a glance at her to see she was looking at him, he blushed a little but said, "we already know some, but we're on a date. Figured we could be more personal."

"Oh, yes," Juvia nodded, turning her head to look out the window. She gulped, fearing he may ask something that would accidently get the truth to come out.

Gray felt something akin to fear slip up his spine, "We… don't have to. If you don't want to do that," He had already got them to main part of town, they still had a ways to go.

"No, we can!" she saw the look on his face, "Juvia is just nervous… she likes Gray. Juvia wants him to like her too."

"I do like you," he chuckled, still pretty on edge, "I think I'll like more of you, if you give me a chance."

She bit her lip, would he still like her knowing that she was carrying a child? Wait… what if when she told him he thought it was his?!

"So, you said you grew up in Oak Town?"

Juvia released a breath, then turned and smile. Nodding, she said, "Yes, I was adopted by Gajeel's father when I was 11. We moved to Magnolia when we started college."

Now was not the time to let her anxiousness take control, she would tell him when the time was right. Hopefully, she would get a chance tonight. But at this moment, she wanted to enjoy her first date in 3 years.

"So Gajeel is your actual brother?" Gray gulped, well now he knew the odd look he got yesterday when they had lunch together and Natsu brought up his date with Juvia.

"Yes, he takes the job very seriously."

"Yeah, I know," Gray leaned into his chair, he grazed his eyes over her form. She was relaxing some, her arms were now moving about as she talked. Telling him some random story about Gajeel while they were in high school, "What did I do to deserve such a cute date?"

"You grew up here with Natsu and Erza? What made you want to go to school up north?"

Gray grinned, "I got a full scholarship to an art academy up there. I got to do an internship with some of the most talented people I had ever met."

Gray went on about school, how much he loved the fact that they had snow almost all the time. It was funnier for his classmates when he would walk around half-naked during winter. Juvia loved the look on his face as he talked. She didn't have a clue who these people were that he was talking about. Some famous designers, or something. But she couldn't bring herself to stop him, he was passionate about his work and wanted to share that.

She smiled, wondering if she could really pull this off. Her hand rubbed her belly, using it as her magic lamp to grant her wish.

"Oh, we're here," they got there faster than Gray expected. He pulled up to the semi-packed parking lot.

"Oh wow, Gray was not kidding when he said it was new. Juvia comes to this part of town to see her doctor and she hasn't seen it," she let it slip.

"Doctor?" Gray was already at her door, helping her out. He looked at her, waiting for an answer. An answer she wasn't ready to tell.

"Oh, um," she flushed, rubbing her arms, "Juvia's gyno-,"

"I'm good," Gray held up a hand, hearing enough already. He felt his face heat up. Despite the fact that he was familiar with that area of her body, he didn't really want to know about her… lady doctor.

Juvia giggled, accepting his arm when he offered it to her, "Does Gray not like hearing about this doctor?"

"My step-mom is that kind of doctor," his face paled, thinking back to the days where he was forced to listen to her lectures, "I've heard every story you can think of it. She never grounded me when I was growing up, she just started telling me about her job and that was enough to keep me out of trouble."

"Oh," Juvia felt butterflies in her stomach as Gray placed a hand on her lower back so he could open the door, "what is her name? Perhaps Juvia has seen her."

Gray blanched, as if he needed his mom to be her doctor, "Hell, if she is Juvia's doctor I don't even want to know what kind of lectures she'll be giving me…"

"Ur Milkovich-Fulbuster," he stepped away for a moment to tell the hostess they had a party of two, after getting the small handheld device to alert them that their table was ready, he led Juvia to a seat far enough away from the rowdy kids so they could keep talking, "I think she just goes by Ur Fullbuster now. She didn't when they first got married."

"Hm," Juvia tapped her chin with her finger, Gray felt his own fingers twitch with the desire to hold hers, "she is not Juvia's doctor but she is in the same office."

"Oh, thank God," Gray let out a chuckle, "You may have met her then. Tall, short hair, probably always wearing a crop top under her coat?"

"Is that where Gray received his stripping habit?" Juvia giggled.

"Yes, unfortunately," he laughed. He sat back against the wall and placed his arm around Juvia's shoulders, pulling her back with him so they would be closer. They saw a group of high school kids disrupting the waiting area, "Man, I'm glad those days are over."

"What days?" Juvia followed his line of sight, "Oh, yes. The days of no hard work and being able to sleep all summer."

He snorted, she was a feisty one, "Well no, I miss that. But I mean the days of not knowing who you are."

Juvia watched his eyes as he talked, "You didn't know what you wanted to do in life, didn't even know what you were good at until you finally got out. I don't think anyone did, even if they though they did. I feel like I know who I am now. More comfortable in my own skin. More comfortable… to be open."

Juvia's eyes widened, understanding where he was going, "Juvia feels the same."

His dark eyes gazed into her ocean blue ones, he leaned his head into her soft curls. He was being truthful, but at the same time not. He wasn't very comfortable being open with people, not since his mother died. But Juvia… something about her made him want to be open.

"Also, if we were back in those days, Juvia and Gray would not know one another."

He smiled, that was true. He would still be doing crazy shit on the weekends with Natsu, being scared of Erza if he didn't do his homework, competing with Lyon for top spot in art class… not sitting in a restaurant with a beautiful woman, inside and out, in his arms.

"Yeah, you got that right," he felt his lap vibrate. Their table was ready, he stood and pulled Juvia along, feeling his face heat up, "what the hell is up with me. I'm not a mushy, lovey-dovey person. What is it about her that makes me want to spill my guts and be all cozy with her like Elf and Ever were back in high school? That was so disgusting!"

But one look at his date, the light shining in her eyes and the smile on her face, he knew he was being just as sickeningly sweet as they were. At 16 he would have thrown himself into any fight he could to not let people see him smile at a girl. Now at 26, he really didn't care if people saw him smiling at her, she was worth it all.

"Amazing," Juvia said as she put down her napkin, finished with her meal. She had an extremely tender steak, alongside it was a baked potato filled to the brim with fixings. It had been a long time since she had such a filling meal.

"Good, glad you enjoyed it," Gray had the same as she did, but his drink of choice was a beer next to her water. She dodged the subject of why she wasn't drinking, even after he told her she could get whatever she wanted. No big deal, if she didn't want to drink he wasn't going to force her.

"Thank you for bringing Juvia here, it was wonderful," Juvia clasped her hands together above her empty plate.

"Hey, we're not done yet," he dug out his wallet, "hope you don't mind if we take a walk before the movie. Maybe burn off some of this so we can get some popcorn."

Juvia quirked an eyebrow, "Does Gray eat as much as Natsu?"

"No way," he snorted, "I'm not a pig. I just like to have some while at the movies, it feels weird if you don't."

Juvia took a sip of her water. He was right, even though she felt like she was about to burst. And knowing her, if she didn't walk some she would be sick tonight and not be able to enjoy the movie.

"If you don't want any, I can eat the whole bag myself," he snickered. He was not going to tell her he saw her eat two bags of popcorn all by herself the week he stayed with at Natsu and Lucy's. He'd save that for a later date.

"No, no," she shook her head, "Juvia loves movie popcorn," she bit her lip, "but maybe on our walk we can stop at the convenience store?"

"Sure?" Gray handed the waiter their ticket and leaned forward, "What do you need?"

Juvia felt very shy at the moment. Or embarrassed, she wasn't sure, "Oh, um. Sometimes Juvia gets a little heartburn, acid reflux…" she shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal, "she forgot her tums."

Gray smirked, "Sure. No problem, we can probably get some cheap candy too. Stick in your purse so we won't be spending a ton at the theater."

Juvia nodded, glad he didn't ask. She never got heart burn before, never experienced the awfulness of acid reflux. Not until the last few days. Her pregnancy book said it was normal and she prayed it wouldn't last. She had to sleep with her trashcan next to her bed just to be safe.

When they left the restaurant, Juvia was walking towards Gray's truck when he pulled her in the opposite direction, "Theater is in walking distance. We can go get our tickets before heading to the store. Maybe walk around the shops?"

Juvia glanced around, they were in the downtown area of Magnolia. The shops looked older, more rustic. The town itself was older, but this part was the oldest and had the most history. It's where the Fairy Tail library was located. The town's founder loved the ideas of fairies and mythical creatures, that's where the name for the library and the school came from.

"Absolutely," Juvia intertwined her fingers with Gray's, "Juvia loves this part of town.

Gray squeezed her hand, "Great."

With the movie tickets purchased and the Tums and candy stuffed in Juvia's purse they walked into the small garden park on the edge of town. It was full of flowers and the towns famous Cherry Blossom trees. The Blossom-Viewing festival was just a few weeks away.

"Next year Juvia will be able to bring her little one to see the blossoms," she imagined the moment in her head. Her child would only be about 4, maybe 5 months old. But it would still be special for her.

Gray was thinking of the festival too as they passed a large tree, it looked like it had been dug up then put back… he'd have to look up what happened. A sign said not to touch the trees. Odd, that wasn't there when he was living here as a kid. Maybe Natsu knew... Shaking his head, he looked down at his hand, wondering if Juvia wanted to come with him this year to the festival…

"The festival is coming up," Gray started, holding a little tighter to the small hand in his, "would you… like to come?"

Juvia faced him, he was obviously nervous. Not as nervous as when he first asked her out, but still nervous.

The festival was 3 weeks away. And in 2 weeks she was telling everyone about her baby. One way or another, Gray would know by then. She had to tell him now, so he could walk away if he wanted to.

"Um, before Juvia answers, she needs to tell you something," she slipped her hand from his and wrung it together with its twin. Her heart was plummeting, her stomach in knots, hands clammy…

"Yeah? This the thing you needed to think about?"

"Y-yes," she closed her eyes, praying that this went well, "Juvia is um… Juvia has… uh…"

Gray put his hands in his pockets, he had no clue what she was going to say. Lucy wouldn't even give him a hint when he called her earlier. It had something to do with her ex, he knew that much from just watching her.

She was gaining courage, so he looked her up and down. She was drawing circles in the dirt with her sandals, her legs knocked together, her hips and torso wiggled as she moved her arms, her face was scrunched up, eyes still closed and mouthing words that made no sense.

"Even like this, she's still cute," a soft smile spread over his cheeks. Whatever it was she had to say, he would be OK with it. Nothing could turn him away from her.

Juvia gripped her hands together much tighter, she looked up at Gray's accepting features and said, "Juvia is pr-,"

CLACK-BOOM

They both jumped and looked up, thunder clouds littered the sky and rain began to quickly descend.

"Crap! Come on!" Gray grabbed Juvia's arm and ran to the theater. She tripped over her sandals, almost losing them trying to keep up.

"Sorry," Gray rubbed a towel over her wet curls once they made it to the dry movie theater, "I didn't want to get caught in that."

"No worries," Juvia took the towel and attempted to dry her dress.

Gray was drying his own clothes slowly when he told her, "My mother died in a car crash while it was storming."

Juvia's eyes flashed over to him, not expecting him to tell her that, "Oh…"

"She had picked up our dog, Deliora, from the vet after work," he slipped his jacket off and ran the towel up his arms, "some idiot ran a red light…"

Juvia placed a hand on his back, giving him a bit of comfort without saying anything.

"It's been years, but I still can't stand to be in storms," he shook rain droplets from his hair, "didn't mean to bring the mood down," he turned to her and was actually wearing a smile. Talking about it with Juvia sort of helped the feelings he had for his mother not hurt, "you were trying to tell me something?"

Calm oceans turned to panicked waves, she lost her nerve, "Juvia will tell you later. Our movie is about to start."

"Yeah," he dug into his wallet for the tickets, hoping they weren't too wet, "You can tell me anytime, OK?"

She nodded, not knowing if she would be able to, "Of course. Thank you, Gray."

"Anytime," he picked up his jacket and handed it to her, "I'll get us some popcorn and drinks."

She smiled and watched him go, a feeling of dread sinking in, "Juvia cannot tell you she is pregnant tonight. She doesn't want to give you another reason to dislike storms."

Even though Juvia and Meldy told her that Gray would be OK with it, she wasn't sure. Natsu had been quiet when she and Lucy spoke about it this morning, she had wanted to ask his opinion but she didn't get a chance. It made her believe that Gray wouldn't be as OK as she was hoping.

"Juvia will have no choice soon. All our friends will know. Juvia will start showing. Meldy said if it wasn't for the time she could probably pass it off as Gray's baby… but that would be even crueler and Juvia cannot lie. She doesn't want to lie…" she saw Gray heading back to her with two large drinks and a large bag of popcorn spilling over, she smiled as he struggled to hold it all, "he will know soon. And whatever happens will happen."

"Geez, why does this crap have to cost so much," he handed her one of the drinks as they headed to door number 8. The movie they were seeing was a live action movie of Disney movie that came out when they were kids. Natsu told him to go see the horror movie that came out so she would cling to him, but Gray wanted her to enjoy the movie. Plus, she already knew he liked Disney, so why not? He heard it was a good movie.

"Because they know they can," Juvia said. Throwing a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

"Heh, guess I know why you work at a place called Sassy," he easily caught the piece she threw at him. Smirking at her pout.

"After you, my lady," he opened the door for her, bowing his head to her.

She blushed, not expecting this supposedly stoic man to act so playful, but she grinned and played along, "thank you, kind sir."

He chuckled behind her, making their way to the back of the room. Not many people were in the same theatre, as it had been out for a few weeks. But enough people to make it so they had to whisper.

Juvia got comfortable, placing Gray's jacket over the seats in front of them so it would dry. She put her purse in the seat next to her and finally wiggled in her chair until it was comfortable. And when she was, a hand snatched hers up and brought it up to a smooth pair of lips.

"I'd have to say this is the best date I've been on," he said, laying their hands on the arm rest.

Her face might as well stay red for the rest of the night, "Juvia too," she saw him look to the people in front of him and back at her before leaning up and giving her a quick peck.

Juvia gazed into his eyes when he pulled back, feeling the heat arise between them as it did the night he first kissed her. She closed her eyes and brought their lips together again. Loving the feel of his tender touch.

What separated them was the familiar tune that started every Disney movie. Gray had the decency to look embarrassed as he pushed himself deep in his seat, "I go on at the restaurant about being happy to not being a teenager anymore and here I am making out with a girl on the first date, just like a teen."

But as he watched Juvia, the lights from the screen illuminating on her cheeks and the familiar music lifting her smile, he really couldn't care less if he made out with her on their first date. They went out order any way. He smiled again when he felt her lean into his side, the movie was just beginning. And deep in his chest, he felt something else beginning too.

Two hours later the rain had quit and Gray was pulling up the darkened house Juvia was staying at.

"You looked at one the apartments? Which floor?"

They were sitting in front of the Dragneel-Heartfilia house with the truck still cranked, not wanting their date to end.

"It's on the 5th floor, room 4," she flipped through her phone and found the pictures she took, "Juvia and Lucy liked it. It's a two bedroom, two bath. Similar to Gray's, but it has a smaller kitchen to make up for the laundry room. Yours was in the hallway?"

"Oh yeah," he swiped through the pictures, he could see Juvia living there, "You going to take it?"

"Juvia is figuring out her finances," she took her phone back, locking it and stuffing it back into her purse, "but Juvia is more than certain she will be calling next week to put in an application."

"If you need a reference, you can always put me down," he finally turned his truck off and opened his door, "I mean, I live there and kinda designed the place, so…"

"Yes, Juvia thought of that," she giggled and met Gray in front of the door to the house. She pushed a blue hair behind her ear, huffing when it hit her face a second later.

Gray pushed the offending lock back and kept his hand there, rubbing her cheek with his thumb, "Well, can defiantly say that I had fun tonight."

Juvia nodded, "Juvia did too, even getting rained on."

"Yeah that wasn't in the plan," he laughed, stepping a tad bit closer to her, his chest nearly meeting hers, "but it's not like it did anything to hurt us."

"True."

"I'll call you, maybe make plans for another date?" he asked, his voice low and breath fanning her already warm cheeks.

Juvia felt sick again, he still didn't know… maybe on the next date.

"That will be good."

"Great," he kissed her cheek, then pecked her on the lips. He had a smile when he pulled away, "goodnight."

"Goodnight Gray, be safe going home," she pulled him in for a slight hug, "let me know when you get there."

"OK," he held her for a moment before retreating back to his truck, not before he looked back to see her before getting in. Juvia let herself into the house before he could drive off.

She sighed, putting her back against the door and hitting her head against it too. She let herself smile and take in the moment. She could worry about the rest later.

If only she knew that later would be soon, and that the tiny nick ahead was only getting bigger.

**The part about the heart burn and acid reflux? Remember that, it'll come back later.

Oh, did you all think Gray would be finding out this chapter? Heh, sorry to disappoint! He'll find out in a surprising way :)

Thanks so much for reading and supporting me! XOXO