When Worlds Collide

Chapter 15

By morning, the storm had died down, Juvia had managed to drag Gray's the unconscious body  onto the sandy beach, gently laying him down in the sunlight. He felt so cold.

"He's freezing." She thought. "Dear Lord, please get him warm. Dear Lord, please let him live."

She prayed that she had made it in time. Other merpeople might have cared less about what happened to someone like Gray, but to Juvia, human or not, he didn't deserve to die. He had as much right to live as any creature under the sea. Juvia put her ear to his chest and checked for a pulse. To her great relief, his heart was still beating and she heard him take a breath. He was alive.

"Thank God." She thought.

Juvia stroked his wet hair away from his face and gently caressed his cheek. This was the closest she had ever gotten to a human. She had a million questions to ask him, but she could tell that he was in no shape to talk. Not after the dreadful nightmare he had just survived. Right now he needed to just sleep and give his body time to heal from the storm. So Juvia gave him the only thing she had to give.

"I'll sing to you." She whispered into his ear softly. "Music always helps me heal. Whether you're happy or sad, or scared and worried, a song from the heart will always give you the strength you need."

She chose to sing a special song that was adored by humans and merfolk. One that expressed deep love and compassion. A lullaby that she could recall her mother singing to her once, a long time ago.

"Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby.
Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay,
And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow.
Bless you with love for the road that you go.

May you sail far to the far fields of fortune,
With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet.
And may you need never to banish misfortune.
May you find kindness in all that you meet.

May there always be angels to watch over you,
To guide you each step of the way.
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm.
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay."

But instead of falling asleep, Gray was roused by the most enchanting and beautiful voice he had ever heard. Slowly his eyes started to open a little and he weakly held her soft hand to his cheek. Who was this angel that was serenading him with such a pure melody?

"May you bring love and may you bring happiness.
Be loved in return to the end of your days.
Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you,
I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay.

May there always be angels to watch over you,
To guide you each step of the way.
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm.
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay."

His vision was a little blurred, but he knew that he was in the presence of a maiden who possessed the loveliest pair of blue eyes in all the world. Such eyes and her soft singing, Gray was utterly entranced. 

"You're real." He said, dazed. "I thought you were a dream."

"You're going to be fine." Juvia assured him with a tender gaze. "Don't talk. Just rest. You've been through so much."

"What was that song?" He breathed. "Sing it again. Please."

He had never heard anything so wonderful in his entire life.

"I cannot." She said. "I must go now."

"Wait. Don't go." He pleaded weakly. "Stay."

Suddenly Gray became so desperate to keep her from leaving him, that he did something that took Juvia completely by surprise. Responding as though in a dream, the delirious prince raised his head and kissed the mermaid on her lips. It was Juvia's first kiss. Her very first kiss, and in that moment she felt something well up inside her. It was more than joy, more than happiness itself. It was love.