To Protect and To Serve

Chapter 9

That evening Gray took Juvia out to dinner, apparently he had a surprise for her.

"So what's the surprise?" She asked him as they sat down at the table.

"Well I recently sold a painting to a very rich client and I decided to use the money to buy something very special for you."

He presented a velvet black box on to the table. She opened it and inside was a sapphire and diamond snowflake pendent on a silver chain.

"Oh Gray." She said smiling.

"It's to let you know that the baby isn't the only person I think about. Do you like it?"

"I love it."

He got up from his chair and hooked the chain around her neck. They kissed and began to enjoy a wonderful night of eating a wonderful dinner and talking with each other. The night was wonderful and it might have ended peacefully if Juvia's cellphone hadn't of rang when they got home.

"Hello?" She answered. "Oh Detective Fernandes how are you?...Uh-huh...Now is not a good time but I'll come by your office tomorrow morning at nine. See you there."

She hung up.

"Who was that?" Gray asked.

Juvia hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Now don't get upset dear but...He's a detective that I hired."

"Why would you do a thing like that?"

"Because I...I want him to find out what happened to our son."

"Oh Juvia not this again."

"I don't expect to find our boy alive, I'm positive that he's dead by now but he needs a proper a burial."

"Honey we have to get passed this."

"And we will but not until we have closure."

"You have to let this go, we're about to have another baby."

"So that means I should forget our first child?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Juvia when we have this baby you can't just devote your time to finding him."

"I wouldn't do that. Gray when we have this baby I will love and care for her as much as I did for Winter but until I know what happened to him, until I can finally bury his body, the nightmares and the flashbacks will never stop. I can't remember the last time I had a peaceful night sleep, I'm terrified to go into the nursery alone because every time I do I hear him crying for me. Maybe it's easy for you to get over it-"

"I still haven't gotten over it!" He interrupted. "You don't think I'm suffering too?! You know how sometimes Nashi will ask us to take her to the park and I always stay here while you two go? Well that's because every time I go to the park and see a little boy playing there, I can't help but think is that my son?! And are his parents really the bastards that took him from us?! And I have nightmares too but they're not like yours! In my nightmares i I see myself and him, I'm teaching him how to ride a bike, I'm playing catch with him, I'm celebrating birthdays and Christmases with him, and for one small moment I'm so happy because I think that it was all just a mistake and he's still here but then I wake up, go back into his room, and find it completely empty. I'm still hurting too you know!"

Then for first time since it had happened, Juvia saw her husband break down and cry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be taking this out on you, it's not your fault!"

Juvia hugged her husband close.

"Darling why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked.

"I couldn't! You were suffering enough! You needed someone to be strong for you!"

"Oh Gray, how could I be so selfish? You were hurting just as much as I was and I never comforted you."

"Don't blame yourself! I'm your husband, it's my job to not be weak in front of you!"

"No my dearest. No, don't hide your emotions. Not from me. I'm your wife, if I can't be your comfort who else can?"

Poor Gray had been keeping bottled up for so long, he just didn't want his wife to worry about him especially with the new baby on the way. For the rest of the night he and his wife just comforted each other.

...

Meanwhile Natsu and Touka were having dinner at a different restaurant with his co worker Sting and his wife Yukino. Dinner went well and Touka seemed calm much to Natsu's relief but things went arise when one clumsy waiter accidentally spilled water on to Natsu's face.

"I'm so sorry sir!" The waiter apologized.

But Natsu just hurried to the bathroom, desperate to fix the make up on his face before someone noticed the bruises and scratches.

"Excuse me sir." He heard a familiar voice say. Just then Lucy walked in carrying a towel. "Sir I was instructed to bring you a towel- Natsu?"

"Lucy? What are you doing here?"

"I work here part time to make extra money." She saw the make up dripping from his face exposing the marks on his skin. "My goodness Natsu what happened?"

"It's nothing."

"Nothing? You looked like you were attacked. What happened? Were you mugged? Do I need to call the police?"

"No! No it...It was an accident."

"What kind of an accident? A car wreck?"

"Yeah sure, let's go with that."

"Are you alright? Was anyone else with you? Your wife? Your daughter? Were they hurt?"

"We're fine! Okay?! Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because you look pretty banged up and these wounds don't look like they have been properly treated. Did you go to the hospital after the accident?"

"There's noting wrong."

"I beg to differ, look at these cuts. That haven't even been cleaned and is that make up? Natsu these will get infected and the effects will be severe. You need to see a doctor right away."

"I don't need a doctor. Just leave me alone!"

"Now there's no need to get angry, I'm just worried."

"You have nothing to worry about. I'll get these cleaned and put something on them but I'm not going to the hospital."

"Does your wife know about this?"

"She knows and she knows that I'll be alright. Don't be so noisy!"

He took the towel from her, wiped his face, and covered up his injuries with the make up he brought. Once that was done he left the bathroom as did she but she was greatly confused and worried. If it was just a car wreck that had done this to Natsu then why was he covering it up? What was really going on? No, there was no car wreck. Something else had happened. During the years she had dated Natsu she had learned how to tell when he was lying and he was definitely lying to her duringthat whole conversation. Something was wrong, very wrong.