Free Falling
"We can appeal to the Council! We'll testify and…"
He cuts her off, hands placed against the glass separating them.
"It's alright, Erza. It's ok."
He doesn't want her to spend their last few minutes together talking about futile actions. He knows he deserves his punishment. He needs to atone for his sins.
He wants absolution.
But she wants him to live.
And she's crying, shoulders shaking as bitter tears fall down her face. She wipes them away angrily. She's furious at everyone; at the Council for punishing a man who committed crimes under someone's mind control; at Jellal for not fighting for himself, for accepting what is about to happen to him; and she's angry at herself, for not being able to help him.
"No, it's not!" Her tone is harsh and she almost feels guilty at the way she's treating him. "You weren't yourself when you…"
She chokes but he speaks up. "Killed Simon."
"It's not your fault."
His eyes soften and she tears up again.
"Hey," he breathes out, "don't cry. Erza, please."
The underlying desperation is starting to surface in his voice as his control over his emotions start to slip through his grasp like sand. But she starts crying again and even though he's accepted his fate, he can't help but feel his heart crack and chip away with every tear she sheds. And when she looks up at him with swollen, red eyes, he can feel it finally break under the weight of his emotions; it was the worst feeling in the world.
"Time's up."
A hand clamps down on his shoulder and he's dragged to his feet.
It's time for his execution.
She pounds at the glass but the realisation settles in, thick and suffocating, and he's too numb to resist. He can see her lips move but he can't hear her. There's only a roaring in his ears and his breathing reverberates in his head, harsh and ragged.
He's being led away – he won't get to see her again – and something inside him snaps. Raw anger just floods through him, coursing through his veins like wildfire, and the whole injustice of the situation crashes down on him like a tidal wave.
He's at the door and he holds her gaze and shouts, voice clear and unwavering. "Stay strong, Erza! Stay strong for me!"
Erza bites her lip, unable to speak and she nods vigorously before finally covering her face with her hands.
"Promise me!"
He strains against his restraints, willing her to look at him one last time.
"Erza!"
And she looks up, wipes the tears and stares straight at him, eyes burning with the intensity he so loves.
He grins at her silent promise and he says those three words for the very first time just as the door is slammed in his face.
She screams his name.
"Jellal!"
She bolted awake, sweat and tears all over her face. There was a loud thump beside her, blankets being pulled roughly to the side as Jellal groaned from the floor. Grunting, the man scrambled back onto the bed, concern etched into his face.
"What's wrong?" He shifted over to her, pulling her into his embrace. "Are you alright?"
A shaking hand reached up to touch his bare chest, hesitant and unsure. She was scared that he wasn't really here, that one touch would shatter everything around her. Her fingers brushed against his warm torso and it was only when she could feel his steady heartbeat that she let out a sigh of relief and leaned into his embrace, burying her face into the side of his neck. She inhaled deeply, breathing in his familiar scent, fingers digging into his arms.
"Erza," he whispered, "what's wrong?"
His strong hand was at the back of her head, combing through her hair soothingly and she shakes her head, taking in a shaky breath. "It's nothing, just a nightmare."
He kissed her on the top of her head, hugging her even more tightly. "It's ok, love. Everything's fine. I'm here."
"Promise me you won't leave me ever again."
His reply echoes in her ears.
"I promise."
But then brown eyes snap open and she's all alone on the cold bed once more.
She's been alone for a very long time.