OK Then

Chapter 8

Juvia never went back to her bed, instead staying up with Gray until everyone else groggily filed out of their rooms(Gajeel still had Happy's blanket draped over him). 
Jellal made breakfast while Levy and Wendy set the table, waiting impatiently for their food as everyone else came and sat down. 
Lucy pulled up a chair for herself, resting her sleepy head on Natsu's shoulder as she eyed Juvia and Gray's strangely energetic state. Lucy groaned, rubbing her eyes. "How long have you two been up?"
Gray shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets before claiming a place for himself, Juvia right next to him. "Lost track." he said. 

Later that morning the group went ice skating, choosing a lake not too far from the cabin as their spot. The snow was piled thick around the edges of the frozen water, and Lucy immediately dragged Levy and Juvia onto the reservoir. Lucy slipped on her skates as Levy zipped on her coat, waiting for Juvia close to the middle of the lake.

"C'mon, Juvia!" Lucy screamed, hands cupped over her mouth.
"It's great!" Levy shouted, tapping the ice with her foot. "Don't worry!" 
Juvia hesitated, gripping the hem of her coat(considering she wasn't wearing a skirt today) as she slowly stepped onto the ice. She succeeded at keeping her balance for the first few seconds, confidently placing her next foot forward and onto the frozen terrain. Her legs wobbled for a little bit, Juvia extending her arms out to keep her balance. She kept her steadiness, preparing to push herself off and begin doing flips and twirls and stuff like that. Juvia took in a breath...
She fell on her face.
Fucking perfect.
Erza and Wendy helped Juvia up, giving the girl a slight push before skating off in separate directions. Ain't that great? Leave the baby deer here to die. On her own. As in, completely alone. 
Terrific.
Lucy and Levy came to Juvia's aid, linking arms with the bluenette and slowly skating around and towards the center. After a few minutes of babying the poor girl, Lucy gently pushed Juvia forward, Levy following suit. "You're a real natural!" Levy lied, waving as Juvia stumbled to keep her balance and properly skate around the lake without falling on her ass. Juvia thought she had gotten the knack of it, pushing off one of her feet to gain speed and change directions. She actually did great, average at best, until she crashed into a small tree, snow falling onto her back. Lucy and Levy cheered for Juvia as she got back up, giving her much enthusiasm as the girl prepared to try again.
Lucy's attention diverted elsewhere after Juvia had stood up, her ears paying close mind to a creaking noise from behind her. Lucy turned her body, looking at a weak tree branch heavy with slush and melting snow. The branch began to snap, a few leaves falling onto the ice. A crack in the ice. Lucy's eyes widened.
She turned back to Juvia. Where Juvia was supposed to be, anyway. The girl already recovering from her fall and skating fast to where the branch hung over head. Lucy drew in a gasp.
"TURN AROUND!!"
Lucy tried to skate toward her, slipping with a large misstep. The branch snapped again, even less connected to the rest of the tree as Juvia was nearing it. "Turn around! Juvia, stop! Turn the hell around!" the blonde screamed, trying to get back onto her feet. Levy tried to help Lucy up, Natsu close behind the bookworm with pacing breaths. "Lucy?" he asked, concerned. "Lucy, what's wrong?"
Levy and Jellal turned their heads, toward where a bigger snap was heard. Wendy and Gray and everybody else tried to skate toward the girl from different points on the lake, screaming for Juvia to brake or change direction or something. She didn't even hear them, the wind from her speed blocking out any sound. "JUVIA!" Gajeel yelled, trying to hurry up. "JUVIA! STOP! WAIT!"

"JUVIA!"

She turned her head around too late, seeing her friends skate to her with scared looks and wide eyes. She heard the final break of something, looking forward to see slush and cracks in her path, a branch tumbling beside it. She gave a small gasp, her eyes the size of the sun, as she placed her hands in front of her and skidded on her heels. The back of her skate locked into the ice with the movement, driving the crevice deeper and wider. The ice broke, freezing her ankles as the melting snow made her slip and the cold covered her body all at once.
Her body broke the frost. 
She fell through the frozen lake, crashing into the chilling liquid below the surface, ice shards and broken pieces covering the hole she fell through. Her hand just flailed out, grabbing nothing as she sank. She needed to do something quick, swim or use her water body to breath and make it to the surface. Juvia tried to, begging her form to change and become fluid, but the temperature sent daggers to her organs and made her want to scream. Her skates were weighing her down, but all her arms could do were try to make swimming motions. Bubbles escaped her mouth, her skin paled. Juvia felt her fingers and lips numb, she felt her voice disappear behind dropping temperature. She kicked her dull, aching legs a few last times, trying to use her strength for something useful before her hand went limp.