Hi all! I did say I wanted to write a little more in the AU I created within "Lovestruck by Moonlight," and here is the start of it, following our favourite fairy queen, Erza. I will add to this as I go on, of course, and I eagerly await your feedback.

The sun shone brightly on Magnolia, the shining gem of Fiore, and home to the prestigious guild that is Fairy Tail. Even atop the hills that overlooked the outskirts, one could hear the tolling of the cathedral bell, sounding the midday chime.

Another day…another job completed.

And at this precise moment, Fairy Tail's top S-class beauty paused in her tracks, made note of the time, then stepped off the well-worn track to vomit, hoping her mass of luggage would survive the short period of abandonment.

"Ugh. I had hoped to be over this by now."

Erza sighed and wiped her mouth, leaning heavily against a nearby tree as she considered her options. Wait awhile and rest alongside nature, or continue on. The city was only a short way away now, after all, and she missed the warmth and comforts of the guild hall, and her home at Fairy Hills.

But boy, was she exhausted. Every fibre of her being cried out for her to flop down in the grass and take a nap, armour and all.

No…I should persevere. I hope there is cake at the guild! Mira should know I'm due to return soon…yes, I will carry on.

Returning to her luggage and pulling out a bottle of water to rinse out her mouth, Erza hoisted the rope over her shoulder and began the trek back to Magnolia. Just an hour would see her back home.

After dropping off her luggage at Fairy Hills, Erza set off for the guild hall. She had received her payment prior to even setting out on the job, such was her reputation, so did not need to make any pitstops to her client, which she was thankful for, knowing full well she looked frightfully tired and sickly. More than once, she had debated taking a rest and a shower at home first, but cravings for cake called.

The din from the hall could be heard before she even reached the front doors. And upon throwing them open, she was greeted with a barstool to the face, followed by deathly silence.

And then Lucy's unearthly screech.

"Natsu! You can't throw stuff at Erza anymore!"

But Erza just smiled and brushed the splinters out of her flowing scarlet hair as she continued through the hall. Natsu, the ever-excitable fire Dragon Slayer, watched warily, edging backwards not nearly fast enough as Erza grabbed him by the back of the head and made him collide with a stone pillar, to raucous laughter from her guildmates. Oh yes, it's very good to be back.

"Welcome home, Erza!" Mirajane, Erza's fellow S-class female mage, beamed from behind the bar, approaching with a swish of velvet skirts. She hadn't even batted an eye at the greeting that had occurred seconds before, in true Fairy Tail style."How did your job go?"

"Reasonably well," Erza replied with a nod. "I expected to be out there longer, but luckily I was able to carry everything out with prompt timing."

"That's great! I'll make a note later in the logbook. Now…cake?"

"Absolutely."

Mira giggled. "I'll be right back."

While she waited, Erza surveyed her guildmates with a fond eye. So much had changed since she joined all those years ago. A new guild hall, new members, and losses too. You could never get around the losses with a guild that was famous for getting into fights. But as she looked around, she was immensely grateful for the friends she had made and the lives that had intertwined thanks to the guild...two of which were making their way over to greet her.

"Hey, Erza!" Tiny, blue-haired Levy, resident bookworm of the guild, slid onto a stool beside the older girl, while her husband, the imposing iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel, holding their infant son securely against his chest, gave her a concerned frown as he leaned over the bar to order another mug of ale from Kinana, who had appeared in Mira's temporary absence. "I'm glad you're back," Levy smiled, leaning over to give Erza a hug. "Did you cope okay?"

"Hello, Levy. Yes, I was fine, thank you, but..."

Gajeel snorted. "Like hell, Titania. Look at the state of you. You're in no condition to be going out on jobs right now."

"Really, Gajeel, I'm more than capable."

Mira appeared then with a huge piece of strawberry cake, and Erza dug in with a delighted moan. "I mean," she continued, mouth full of sponge and pointing her fork at the grouchy young man, "you can't keep comparing me to Levy, after all. We aren't the same person by far, and how I fare will not always be how your wife fared."

"You're about to pop, woman!" Gajeel snarled. "It ain't safe for you or the baby."

Levy glanced away, sighing, but her husband said what everyone had been thinking. Erza was seven months pregnant, and had not slowed down in her work for the guild for even a second, despite her sickness and fatigue. Surprisingly, it had been Gajeel that had begun to show the most concern for her in recent times, though the abrupt and terrifying premature delivery of his own children held some explanation.

On the night Erza's child had been conceived, it had been Levy and Gajeel's wedding, and Levy, 30 weeks pregnant with twins, had collapsed during the reception, forcing their healer, Wendy, to deliver the babies quickly to save them all. Levy had been plagued with pain, depression and anxiety since, and Gajeel had been doing all he could to juggle being a father to two sickly newborns, alongside caring for Levy and going out on jobs.

Yet through this, the three had become much closer. Erza bitterly regretted the state she had gotten herself into that night, so drunk she could barely stand, dragging him...the coward...upstairs for an inebriated, passionate romp. Afterwards, she had passed out trying to get herself decent, and when she came to, she was told the devastating news: that Levy had almost died, lost too much blood, and the babies were too premature to breathe on their own. She would never forget the sombre state of the guild hall when she emerged downstairs – pillars smashed from iron rage and streaks of Levy's blood coating the floor as Gajeel sobbed in his best friend Juvia's arms. Since then, she had done whatever she could to make it up to the newlyweds, to make up for her absence in such a worrying time.

"Stop it," Levy said quietly, seeing the despondent look creeping onto Erza's face. "I know you still blame yourself for not being there, but there was nothing anyone could have done."

"I know, but still..."

"Look, she's alive, the twins are alive," Gajeel interjected. "Quit dwelling on it, Titania. You been falling over yourself to make it up to us, I know, but there ain't no need. Just take care of yourself, alright? That's all the shrimp wants, and whatever she wants is fine by me." He paused a moment to sip his ale. "Anyway, not long now before your brat arrives. Shutora and Yaje'll have a playmate that isn't Lily...make a change, eh?"

"Yes...I look forward to meeting him, or her." Erza touched her rounding stomach with a wistful smile. Though the circumstances surrounding the conception were dubious, she was nevertheless both thankful and excited to become a mother, having never known her own parents. Growing up around her younger guild members had fostered a matronly side to her, and the whole guild shared in her joy, knowing she would be a wonderful mother to her child.

"Ah, Levy..."

A deep voice from the floor made the trio look down. Panther Lily, Gajeel's dark-furred feline companion, stood by Levy's stool, offering up their squirming bundle of dusky blue-haired baby. "Erza, great to see you back," he said first to Erza, then turned back to Levy, "I believe Shutora is clamouring for her next feed. She wouldn't settle for my funny faces this time."

"Thanks, Lily." Levy took Shutora from the Exceed and adjusted herself, latching the whimpering infant to her breast. Not for the first time, Erza marvelled at how perfectly serene Levy appeared, all eighteen years of her, peacefully feeding her baby like it was the easiest thing in the world. "Oh, Erza, you have all this to look forward to and more," Levy sighed. "I can't wait to meet your baby."

"Indeed," agreed Lily as he hopped up onto the bar and stole Gajeel's ale, to a displeased growl from the Dragon Slayer, "the entire guild is waiting with baited breath. New life is always to be celebrated. Knowing this lot, they will throw a drunken party with plenty of violence in your child's honour."

Erza chuckled, pushing a second forkful of cake into her mouth. "I would not have it any other way."

Later, when evening fell, Erza returned home, where she quickly discarded her armour and clothing, and ran a hot, relaxing bath to soothe the ache in her muscles. Her return to Fairy Tail had been enjoyable, but now her exhaustion was well and truly setting in, and her bed called.

But first…to get clean and unwind.

Erza sighed happily as she settled into the steaming water, letting the mass of strawberry-fragranced bubbles lick up her soft, bare skin. The baby wriggled in response to the sudden temperature change, making her smile. "Just you and me now, baby," Erza murmured, stroking her stomach. "Quieter here, isn't it? So different from the guild hall. You'll be part of the excitement there soon enough, when we all get to meet you."

Oh lord, what am I doing, talking to my stomach. I'm going nuts. Did Levy do this? I must make a note to ask her when I next see her.

The pregnancy as a whole, sickness aside, had gone smoothly, in comparison to Levy's, which had been riddled with accidents and misfortune. Erza had even gotten away with unblemished skin, not sporting a single stretch mark, but then again, she was only carrying a single baby. This was all she knew from the observation that Porlyusica had forced upon her one afternoon, and she had refused to know anything else. She wanted it to be a surprise when the child finally arrived.

A rather uncomfortable kick to the ribs made her wince. "Hey, don't do that," Erza murmured, pressing a hand to the top of her bump. "You're strong, little one." As if it understood, the kicks ceased, and Erza gave another happy sigh as she sank further into the water, letting it lap around her ears.

What a rollercoaster it has been these last few months...hm? Is that my communications lacrima?

A piercing ringing emitted from the next room. Groaning at being interrupted, Erza hauled herself out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel loosely around herself before padding into her bedroom, leaving wet footprints on the shining floors. The lacrima sat on her bed, ringing away, and she put it in the palm of her hand, activating it with a scowl on her face ready for whoever had interfered with her precious relaxation time.

But it was Makarov, Fairy Tail's guild master, whose projection appeared within the crystal's smooth surface. He sat, as ever, cross-legged on a table with his arms folded. "Master!" Erza exclaimed, suddenly tightening her towel and lifting it higher to further cover her ample chest, wishing she had stopped to dry off a little. "How are you this evening?"

"Very well, Erza," Makarov grinned. "Mira informed me of your return. I'm sorry I wasn't there to receive you."

"That's quite all right, Master. What can I do for you?"

"Ah...well, nothing in particular. I just wanted to pass on some news." The tiny elderly man rubbed his chin. "I had a meeting with the Magic Council today, Erza. Lahar was there to inform me that Crime Sorcière was spotted heading towards Magnolia several hours ago."

"Crime Sorcière?"

"Yes. They're probably here in the city, lying low. So you know, of course, why I'm passing this onto you."

Erza's brow furrowed in anger. "Yes."

"I just wanted to warn you, in case anybody decided to surprise you."

"I can assure you, Master, he will not be coming to me in a hurry."

"Well...I thought it were best, anyway. I'll leave you now, Erza. I apologise for disturbing you."

"Thank you, Master. See you soon."

Erza shut off the lacrima and tossed it back onto the bed with a groan. Of all the times for them to return...why now?

Jellal...

So, first chapter! And I'm going to have to bold this bit because ending the chapter on italics and then moving to author notes in italics is confusing.

What do you think?