Chapter 2

When I finally got home, I stepped out of my car with a towel around my neck and my shirt off. It was so damn hot! Cana, our neighbor, whistled my way:

"Hey stripper boy."

I ignored her comment and walked over to the fence as she motioned for me to come closer.

"What is it you old drunk?" I still felt tired and I wasn't in the mood for stupid chit chat.

"Who are you calling old?"

I rolled my eyes. That's what you're worried about?

"So what's up?" I urged her.

"My lawn needs your attention. If you want that extra money, you have to work for it," she put a hand on her hip.

"Sure, I'll do it. But it might take a while. My body is sore form practice. We have a big game next week against Saber."

Cana's expression change to an excited one.

"A game? Really? I'm so gonna be there. You have to kick their butts!" she swung her hand in a punch like motion and I chuckled. Cana is very excited about basketball. She's a former student of Fairy tail high and the biggest fan of Fairies I've ever known.

"Thanks Cana. Is Gildarts home?"

"No," she shook her head. "Dad is still on a business trip."

"Has to be tough having such a successful job," I grinned and Cana gave me a proud smile.

"Say hi to Ur for me," she said as she turned to leave inside with a wave.

"Will do," and with that I turned and headed inside.

"I'm home!" I said as I locked the door behind me.

"Welcome home," Ur poked her head out of the kitchen. I left my things in the hall and went to her.

"How was school?" she asked as I kissed her cheek, just like every day.

"Was good. What's cooking?" I asked smelling the nice aroma in the kitchen.

"Just something to give you energy, you look tired," she said and ruffled my hair making me take a step back and sit on a chair behind a table.

"Today's practice was crazy. Coach Macao is trying to kill us."

Ur laughed at my statement and put a glass of lemonade in front of me.

"Then rest up. Meal will be ready in 10."

I nodded and sipped the lemonade watching her cook. She was awesome. Something like a mom I never knew. My real parents died when I was still little, I don't even remember them. For as long as I knew, Ur raised me along with Ultear, who is her real daughter and Lyon, who was taken in just like me. Lyon made it to college just last year and Ultear lives with her best friend Melody and works in a different town. So the house feels a bit empty with just the two of us. Ur set a plate in front of me and my mouth watered as I took in the delicious smell. I waited for Ur to take her own plate and sit down, and then we dug in together.

Dinner was delicious. As Ur washed the dishes I stood up and went to my room, to do my homework. After some time I heard a knock on my door and Ur peeked in.

"Hey. I brought you some tea," she said as she set the mug on the table next to my History essay.

"Thanks," I smiled at her and took a sip with a sigh. I leaned on the chair and she moved behind me and massaged my shoulders. I closed my eyes, her hands felt great as she relaxed my sore muscles.

"Just take it easy, Gray. You're an awesome player. No way will you lose to some Tigers."

I smiled.

"Will you come watch the game?" I asked hoping she could make it.

"You bet! I'll never miss one of your games," she smiled looking excited. She was right of course. She never missed a game...not mine or Lyon's when he was in a team, or any Ultear's concerts. She was a great mom. I knew if she was there, I'd do just fine. "So don't worry," she added as she patted my head.

"It's not the game I'm worried about," I mumbled to myself but she caught it anyway.

"What is it then?"

She just sat down next to me as my mind wandered to Lucy. I saw Ur smile bright.

"It's a girl. It's a girl right?" for some reason she sounded really excited. With a loud groan I told her everything.

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I woke up into a sunny day. I stood up and winced as my body ached and I groaned as I realized there's another practice like yesterday's waiting for me. I went to the bathroom washing my face, brushing my teeth and styling my hair a bit as I got dressed and headed downstairs. A plate with two pieces of toast and butter was already waiting for me, and Ur was sitting next to my usual spot with her own plate biting into the toast and reading a newspaper. She looked at me and giggled.

"Gray, your shirt."

I looked at myself and realized my shirt was missing. I cursed and went back upstairs and took one from my closet. I walked down again buttoning the shirt and sat on my chair as she grinned at me.

"Good morning," she said smirking.

"Morning," I replied biting into the toast.

She finished her coffee and looked at the clock.

"Damn, I have to go or I'll be late," she kissed my forehead and ran out of the door with an encouraging shout.

"Give it your best!"

I just rolled my eyes finishing my breakfast and grabbing my bag throwing it onto the passenger's seat and jumped into my car driving to school.

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Lessons were boring as hell. I turned in the History essay and listened to a lecture about World War 2 drawing silly drawings into my notebook pretending to take notes. After a whole day of drawing, my pen stopped working and all I could do was yawn and look out the window. What surprised me though is that in the mass of people that moved through the hallways, a certain blonde stood out and my eyes were able to see her in the crowd so clearly. I saw her notice me a few times too as our eyes met and she smiled my way. At lunch time I went to the café and bought something to calm my growling stomach. I started eating noticing Juvia stare at me from two tables away and I sighed. Then Natsu put a plate just across from mine and sat down.

"Yo."

"Hey," I greeted him bumping fists with him.

"God, I'm sore," he said jabbing his finger into a muffin taking a bite.

"Yeah, seems everyone is," said Loke as he sat down next to me.

"Hey bro," I greeted him as well as I took a sip of my juice.

"Girls being there seemed to help," said Gajeel as he sat next to Natsu and Laxus joined my other side nodding in agreement.

"Yeah," I agreed as well, turning my head to look at the table where Lucy and the rest of the cheerleading team sat. Erza and Levy, were enthusiastically talking about something making Lucy giggle between them. She raised her head, probably feeling my eyes, and looked our way. She smiled brightly and waved. Just as I wanted to wave back, I saw in the corner of my eye Natsu waving her way and I looked away back down to my plate. I'm such an idiot. I shook some sense into my head and got back to talking about the killer practice and the upcoming game.

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We were already practicing when the girls came in. The ball almost hit my face as I saw them walk in wearing their skimpy cheering uniforms and soft giggles. I smiled to myself as I saw Lucy blushing on the very end of the row of girls. Natsu ran to her and said something that made her laugh and she hugged him. Then I saw her look my way and she waved with pompom in her hand. I smiled a bit and passed to Laxus resuming the game and watching him dunk it in.

The practice was brutal yet again, but I didn't slack off. I loved basketball and working for it was pleasure. Sore muscles and sweat dripping down my chin just made me smile like a mad man hyping me up even more. I smiled as I passed both Jet and Droy and passed to Natsu, who threw a perfect three and we all high-fived as we ran back to our basket to defend. I saw girls cheer enthusiastically, working hard themselves. Lucy looked like she enjoyed the workout. She smiled and winked at me as I passed her and I smirked turning to block Romeo, who I had marked. The basketball junkie I was, I blocked his counterattack stopping him in his tracks and he was forced to pass with an annoyed look on his face.

We laughed as Natsu and Loke bumped into each other, both fell on their butts with a loud thud. „Learn how to run, guys," Laxus smirked, his comment making us all burst out laughing, girls giggles were heard from the sideline.

Suddenly the coaches' whistle burst through the gym and his voice stopped our laughter.

"Fullbaster! Heartfillia! To the principal's office!"

I crooked an eyebrow. I looked to Lucy and saw her just as confused as I felt. Loke slapped my back.

"What did you two do?" he grinned.

"Stop it, you perv. I didn't do anything," I defended myself and looked to Natsu. He looked at Lucy as she started to walk out of the gym and I hurriedly followed her, my teammate's grins all over the place. Just as I was about to roll my eyes at them I saw Natsu flash a big knowing grin to Lisanna, one of the cheerleaders, as she sent him an air kiss. My eyes widened and I shook my head knowing it's just my wishful thinking.

I looked at Lucy, who walked next to me, her small body still kept up with my pace, her face a bit worried.

"You know what this is about?" I wiped my face in my shirt, getting rid of the sweat that burned my eyes.

"Have no idea," she said as we got to the heavy wooden door and she knocked.

"Come in," was the answer of principal Makarov to the knock, making Lucy push on the handle and we walked in cautiously. The office was quite spacious with a big table opposite the door and a comfy looking chair which he sat on and two chairs in front of his desk. On the side of the office we saw another, smaller, desk with a phone and a pile of documents; I saw Mira's head in between the piles. I knew Mira quite good. She was Cana's classmate and a good friend, now working as a secretary for the principal. Makarov turned on his chair slightly and looked at us as I closed the door behind Lucy and me. He motioned for us to sit and we did so, feeling a bit nervous.

"Can we ask why we're here?" I asked first.

The little man that the principal was folded his arms on the desk with a serious look on his face.

"I have some sad news for you both, my Fairies," he closed his eyes as he talked, making us all the more nervous. Mira stood up from her work and walked over to the principal putting a hand on his shoulder as me and Lucy exchanged confused looks.

"Did we do something wrong?" Lucy asked as she fidgeted nervously in her chair.

"No, I'm afraid it's something far worse," said the principal with a heavy sigh.

"Come on, old man. Don't keep us waiting," I was getting frustrated.

"Lucy," he said and looked at her with a pained expression, "and Gray," he shifted his eyes on me.

"Looks like your mother, Gray, and your father, Lucy, were in a car accident," he shifted his eyes between us as Lucy covered her mouth and I saw a horrified expression on her face. My brain refused to work. Ur? In an accident? I was about to ask if they're ok, when the principal continued.

"I'm afraid they didn't make it," principals voice broke at the end as he said that and Lucy's eyes watered as sobs started to escape her covered mouth. I didn't believe it. I couldn't.