Sorry it's been so long since my last update! I foolishly signed up for more classes this semester than I should have, since I'm trying to graduate in three years instead of four. Actually, I was thinking I could get it down to two and a half years, but I see after this semester that's not going to be possible, lol. But summer is coming up soon, thank god, and I'll finally be rid of all these cursed classes and have time to do something other than study again soon.

Chapter 6

When Gray opened his eyes it took awhile for them to focus. His entire body ached in a way that reminded him of his first few weeks training under Ur, when he went to bed every night certain that he was developing frostbite.

"Gray?"

"Lyon?" Gray blinked, trying to force his eyes to focus faster, but it had no effect. He saw his friend's blurry face move into his field of vision

"It's about time you woke up. I was starting to think you were in an actual coma."

Gray laughed then coughed painfully. Lyon's unsympathetic way of dealing with things somehow made him feel better right then.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Yeah." Gray tried sitting up and managed to, but only just.

"Then do you mind filling me in? Because I don't have a clue what that was."

"I don't know what it was either." Gray rubbed a hand over his face. "The way it felt reminded me of the time I summoned the power for Iced Shell, but it was different."

"How so?"

Gray thought for a moment. "I'm not quite sure how to describe it."

"From the outside it felt a lot like Iced Shell too, only about a hundred times more powerful," Lyon told him. "At first I thought you had turned your body to ice, but afterward I realized that was wrong. If you'd completely turned your body to ice that would have been the end of you, and there would have been no coming back. It was more like you turned your body into pure ice magic."

"Thank you, by the way," Gray told him. He forced himself to meet Lyon's eyes, even though it was difficult. He was surprised by the confused look Lyon sent his way.

"For what?"

"You pulled me back," Gray said. "I'd completely lost control. I think . . . I think it might have happened because I'd just given up on everyone and everything. It hurt . . . My parents . . . and my friends . . . I felt like I might as well just give them all up since they'd given up on me. Since I'd screwed everything up so badly. It was a very cold and empty feeling. But you reminded me that it didn't have to stay that way . . . that I still have a family. It might be dysfunctional and messed up on a number of levels, and we've all made mistakes, but that doesn't mean we can't get past them. And realizing that . . . it was a warm feeling. I think . . . no, I know that's what pulled me back."

Lyon looked away, shamefaced. "I'm sorry for lying to you."

"Huh?"

"About your parents," said Lyon. "I told you they were dead when –"

"Lyon . . . I already knew."

"What?"

"I thought you knew that," said Gray. "I was awake during that conversation Ur had with my parents before she took me away. I thought you saw me watching."

Lyon stared at him for several moments. "Then why did you want to kill Deliora so badly?"

Gray hung his head, embarrassed. "For destroying the illusion that I had a family."

"Well, this has a strange sort of symmetry. Both of us lied to each other for years about something the other already knew the truth about. Aren't we the pair." Lyon sat down beside him. "You're feeling okay now?"

"I'm feeling alive. That's good enough." Gray rubbed one hand over his face. "I'm ready to go home."

"When you say home, do you mean . . ."

"Fairy Tail," Gray said. "I've realized a couple things. Namely that I was being a fool, throwing my life away for a family that didn't want me when I've already found one that does."

"So you're forgiving them?" Lyon's voice was a bit softer and his face had a slight smile on it.

"Yeah. They're not perfect, but neither am I. That they all believed I betrayed them so quickly . . . at least some of the fault from that had to be mine. If I was a better friend –"

"Shut up already," snapped Lyon. "You might be willing to concede that they're not to blame for that, but I'm not. Even if I am glad you're forgiving them. Somehow I can't separate you from those idiots you hang around in my mind. Any fool can see you belong with them. So should we try to leave tomorrow?"

Gray looked at him oddly. "What do you mean try?"

"I mean that your ice-capades seem to have caused some sort of climate change. Four feet of snow fell yesterday and last night," Lyon told him.

"Your bad pun aside, what?"

"Yeah." Lyon smirked. "If it keeps up the area's going to be locked down a couple weeks early. So we should probably go tomorrow if you're able to travel."

"I am," Gray said.

"You sure?"

Gray wasn't used to seeing concern in Lyon's eyes, but it was impossible to miss.

"Yeah. I'm sure."

"Then we'll leave for Fairy Tail tomorrow."

"You don't have to come to Fairy Tail with me. I'm not so weak that I need you trying to hold my hand you know."

"I don't trust you not to kill over in the streets. Besides . . ."

"What?" Gray asked.

"My guild's not expecting me back for a few weeks. We should try doing a job together. Now that we've gotten past our sibling rivalry phase we make a pretty good team."

Gray smiled. "True. What the hell, we might as well give it a shot."

"If we manage to not kill each other on our first job, maybe next time I can bring Sherry and you can bring your rain woman. We can form up as a team and make a double date out of it at the same time." Lyon smirked.

"I told you, we're not into each other like that!"

Lyon laughed, and too late Gray realized that getting a rise out of him had been Lyon's purpose all along.

"You're annoying. I'm going back to sleep." Gray laid back down and pulled what he'd thought was a sheet back up. It had fallen in his lap while he was sitting up and he hadn't paid much attention to it until now. And now he realized that it wasn't actually a blanket. It was Lyon's coat. "You want this back?" he asked groggily.

Instead of answering, Lyon came over and pulled his coat up so that it covered Gray's shoulders. "Get some rest."

Erza couldn't help but feel that they were making a mistake coming after Gray like this. She would have been prepared to bet every piece of armor that she owned that this was a wild goose chase. Or more like a case of infatuation gone too far. If she'd actually thought that Gray could even possibly be in trouble, she would have been the one to lead the charge. She owed Gray that much, at least. But the chances of this being something dangerous were so abysmally small that Erza would have called them nonexistent. All they were going to do was annoy Gray, who'd been so upset with them to begin with that he'd gone and put an entire continent between himself and them so that he could have some space.

It shamed Erza to know that she was a large part of the cause for that.

She loved all her companions in Fairy Tail. They were the family that she'd craved her entire life. She lived for them and would die for any one of them if it meant that they would be okay. But there were a few among her comrades who meant so much more to her than the rest; namely Natsu, Lucy, and Gray.

That should have meant something. Erza shouldn't have even thought for a second that it was possible that Gray was really betraying their guild. She knew him better than anyone. He was the closest thing to a brother she had. But what kind of sister was she to think the worst of him so quickly? To think that he was betraying them for, as he had put it, 'no reason.' She knew that wasn't him. Those two words alone should have keyed her in to the fact that he had a reason not to show his hand. That he had a plan that he couldn't immediately reveal to her. She should have known.

That hesitation may have cost Erza her little brother, and that knowledge was tearing at her heart. Part of her wanted to stop their little excursion in its tracks and drag Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Juvia back to Fairy Tail. But some sick part of her wanted them to be right. She knew it was wrong, and it disgusted her, but there was a part of her that wanted to find Gray in mortal peril. She wanted to sweep in like the cavalry and save the day, and in that act wipe the slate clean with Gray, and bring him safely home to Fairy Tail where he belonged.

More likely was the probability of them interrupting his training and the time he'd needed free of them to think everything through. Erza could already see his cold annoyance, that look he got when he was distancing himself from everyone else. It had been a long time since she'd seen it if she didn't count the fact that he'd been wearing it right before he left.

That was when he'd told them for the first time that he was going north to train and would be gone for awhile. And that was all he'd intended to tell them. If not for Juvia they wouldn't have found out where he was going at all. His cold expression had only softened when he looked at the rain woman who'd believed in him. Juvia had even gotten a promise out of him that he'd invite his old friend Lyon along so he wouldn't be alone, but there was no doubt in Erza's mind that Lyon would have rejected the invitation flat out.

The biggest part of the reason that Erza was coming along, even though she knew they were risking Gray's icy wrath, was because if she didn't come . . . well there was no way Gray wouldn't notice her absence. She was under no illusion that they'd be able to keep their presence in Aesir a secret. With Natsu, Lucy, Juvia, and Happy it was inevitable that some attention drawing disaster would occur and alert Gray to the fact that they were there, and probably at the worst possible time for him too. And yes, he'd be mad that they'd come to bother him, but Erza suspected there would be at least a small part of him that would be glad they were concerned enough about him to make such a long trip. And if she was absent . . . well, Gray might think she didn't care, and Erza didn't want that.

If nothing else, at least Gray would know that they had all made the effort for his sake. And getting to Aesir truly did take a lot of effort. The early blizzards had thrown train schedules for the northern region into chaos. A week ago they'd have been able to get to Aesir after taking only three trains. Now they had to take five because cancelations forced them to take a very roundabout route. And on the last train that they boarded, they got a surprise.

"Ahhhh! It's them!"

A familiar voice set Erza's nerves on edge and she nearly requipped into stronger armor before catching herself.

"Indeed, it does appear to be Fairy Tail," said a cool voice.

"Hmph. Well, I suppose it can't be helped. Their worry for Lyon-sama's kohai could also be considered love, I suppose," said Sherry.

"You guys," said Erza as she and her comrades laid eyes on Sherry, Yuka, and Toby.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Lucy.

"Is it not obvious? We are going to ensure that nothing is wrong with Lyon-sama."

"This sudden climate change is troubling," said Yuka. "We're merely making certain that he doesn't need our help."

"Juvia wonders who these people are," said Juvia. Erza noticed that she was looking at Sherry with a rather violent sort of suspicion.

"They're friends of Lyon, Gray's fellow student under Ur," Erza explained. "I believe that Sherry is Lyon's girlfriend. Toby and Yuka are Lyon's longtime comrades."

At this news Juvia looked considerably more friendly. "I hope we get along well."

"You Fairies can go home," said Sherry. "If Lyon-sama and Gray-san are in need of help Lamia Scale will be able to provide all the aid they require."

"That's really funny considering that not only did we wipe the floor with you the last time we fought, but we also did a whole lot more than your team when we allied up to take out Oracion Seis," snapped Lucy.

"None of that," Erza said quickly. She gave Sherry, Yuka, and Toby what she hoped was a respectful look. "If we learned nothing else from our fight against Oracion Seis, it's that we're stronger when we stand together. I think that Lyon and Gray would both agree, don't you?"

"You're right," conceded Sherry.

"Juvia agrees that Erza-san's words are true, but thinks that only makes her more of a hypocrite."

Erza winced.

"What are you talking about?" asked Toby. "She doesn't look anything like a hippo. Maybe a little like a rhino, but that's a completely different kind of dinosaur."

Erza scowled and clenched a fist.

"Juvia," hissed Lucy.

"Juvia merely spoke the truth."

"I don't suppose that whatever you're talking about contributed to the reason Gray and Lyon went on this excursion?" said Yuka.

Erza had to give the bushy-eyebrowed man credit for his sharpness and his ability to piece things together, even if she didn't appreciate it being used at this moment.

"I see," said Yuka when no one answered.

"So does that mean what you thought was true, Yuka?" asked Toby. "That Gray's having problems with Fairy Tail?"

"It appears so."

"Gray may be annoying but he's still our comrade!" shouted Natsu, suddenly reviving from the motion sickness that had plagued him since the last train they'd gotten off of. Since this one hadn't begun moving yet it seemed he would be okay for a few minutes at least. "And there's no problems between members of Fairy Tail that can't be worked through!"

The members of Lamia Scale exchanged sly glances that set Erza on edge. "What?" she demanded.

"Hmm? We didn't say anything," said Sherry.

"Yeah! We didn't say nothing!" agreed Toby. "At least not just now. But we were saying last night that if things between you and your ice wizard don't get better we wouldn't mind snapping him up for our guild. Because Reitei always seems to be in a better mood after seeing him, and Sherry says they work so well together that you'd think their fights were a well timed dance. Agh! Glug!" Toby was cut off by a wave of water that appeared out of nowhere to douse him.

"Juvia won't give him up to you!" screamed the rain woman. "Juvia will fight you for him! Fight you all!"

"Juvia, enough!" said Erza. "They weren't serious, and even if they were, Gray's not going anywhere."

"That's right! He's coming home to Fairy Tail where he belongs!" yelled Natsu.

Yuka quickly moved in front of Toby and summoned a force field to stave off the flow of magic water. He gave them a smile that wasn't entirely pleasant. "Well just let your ice wizard know if he decides he's finished with you that he's got other options. It's his decision ultimately, isn't it?"

"In Gray's mind there won't be any choice at all," said Erza. "He would never betray Fairy Tail." She just wished that she'd believed that sooner. Then they wouldn't be in this mess now. Because the closer they got to Aesir, the more reasons Erza found to fear that she would soon be giving the Fairy Tail send off speech to one of the people she cared about the most. And that terrified her more than she could say.

A five hour ride with what were probably the three prickliest members of Lamia Scale wouldn't have been fun even in the best of times. Add that to a jealous, possessive Juvia, a motion sick Natsu, and Lucy and Happy along for the ride and by the time they reached Aesir's northmost train station Erza swore that if she had to be cooped up with them all another minute she would have slaughtered them all.

"Brrr. It's cold here," said Sherry as they stepped outside onto the platform.

"No kidding," Lucy agreed. "It still felt like summer in Magnolia."

"I'm afraid you folks are a little late for our warm season," laughed a man who appeared to be the station master. "All two weeks of it. We've been getting small snow storms for months, but this big one's a little early, even for this area."

"Where do we even begin to look for them in this place?" Lucy wondered. "Do you think they're at an inn here? Or out camping?"

"Camping out," whispered Natsu. He still hadn't recovered from the train ride yet.

"I agree," said Yuka. "Lyon dislikes other people to the point where he'd much rather sleep outside in a snowstorm than stay at an inn where he might come in contact with them."

"He's actually tried to make us do that a few times. Can you believe that guy?" asked Toby.

Erza turned to Natsu. "Can you track them by scent?"

"Urgh . . . not in this storm. The cold dulls their scents and the winds and snow confuse the trail."

"I suppose we could ask around town and see if anyone knows which direction they headed," said Lucy.

"Hey Marty!"

Everyone jumped at the sudden shout and turned to see a man who looked like a local hurrying over to the stationmaster. Then they started to turn away since whatever he had to say didn't concern them, but his voice was loud enough that they couldn't help but overhear.

"Fullbuster's gotten an early start at the Backwater Tavern again."

"Again?" The stationmaster shook his head. "Jeez, what's with that guy? Is he trying to drink himself to death?"

Everyone from Fairy Tail had frozen at the mention of Gray's last name. The team from Lamia Scale who weren't familiar with it had kept on walking, but realized something was up and turned back.

"Is this where we part ways then?" Yuka asked them.

"Wait," Erza told him.

"Hey you!" Natsu was already running back to the stationmaster. "How do we get to the Backwater Tavern?"