"Welcome back to Magnolia!"

The chant was rained down upon our heroes as they made their way to the prestigious guild hall on the far side of town, where it was crouched like a large grey beast in their path. The heroes in question? A team of Fairy Tail's strongest and most powerful wizards including Natsu the Fire Dragon Slayer, Erza the Requip Mage, Grey the Ice Wizard, Lucy the Celestial Wizard, and Wendy the Sky Dragon Slayer. Flying above the group as they paraded through streets full of cheering onlookers were Carla and Happy, who performed incredible acrobatics as they went. They spiraled around each other and shot upward before separating and tumbling toward the earth in a dive before looping back up and continuing their flight. Natsu, who always had extra energy to burn off, even after dangerous and exhausting jobs, shot several gouts of flame into the air that went off like fireworks. The town cheered on the successful troop of Fairy Tail's finest, and as one the group made their way up the street to the guild where Makarov and the others awaited the strongest team's arrival.

Hours of merriment, fun, and drinking passed as the afternoon slowly faded into a warm and breezy evening. Erza, Natsu, Grey, Lucy and Wendy all sat around one table and Mira kept bringing them drinks as they got rowdier and rowdier. Wendy, being slightly too young for alcohol, stuck with juice, soda and other sweet drinks while the rest of them indulged in a hard earned tankard of the guild's best brews. The hall was well lit and filled to the brim with partygoers, all celebrating another job well done. So why all the fuss? Perhaps it was because the strongest team in Fairy Tail had completed a job without destroying a single town. Maybe it was just because the events of the Grand Magic Games had left them shaken and they needed a break from all the doom and gloom. Either way, the party showed no signs of slowing down any time soon, and seeing as the drinks were on the house, Erza, Natsu, Grey, and Lucy all decided to indulge. After Lucy's fourth mug, it became clear she was no slouch when it came to her mead.

"Hey, Lucy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why are you so… celestially?"

"What?"

Natsu leaned in close to Lucy, bright red patches upon his cheeks as he stared into Lucy's eyes. She blushed furiously and leaned away from Natsu, conscious that he was a very curious and adventurous drunk.

"Why are you… sooo celestiallyyyy," he breathed, looking at her like the question was a matter of life and death.

"I… uh…"

Lucy had no response as Natsu blinked slowly and leaned in even more closely, sniffing at her. He grabbed Lucy and she yelped as he pulled her close and took a deep whiff, his nostrils flaring.

"You smell… Celestial. Sparkly. Pretty," Natsu said slowly, peering at Lucy like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Stop being such a creep Natsu!"

A sharp chop to the back of the salmon haired young man's head sent him careening into Lucy's lap. She looked at the person who did it, her face burning up a storm as Natsu snored away between her thighs.

"Uh, thanks Mira!"

"Sorry Lucy, this is why I didn't want to give him any, but he told me he would keep his animal instincts under control…."

Taking the dragon slayer under one arm, she went about waiting on other guild members, who paid no mind to the limp body in the crook of Mira's elbow. Lucy fanned herself and used a napkin to wipe Natsu's drool from her legs where his face had landed after Mira's chop. Erza and Grey giggled, and Lucy frowned at them.

"What's so funny guys?"

"Natsu," Grey said, his cheeks flushed with drink, "he never could keep his hands to himself when he was drunk. Whether he was fighting or… something else… he always had the need for skin on skin when he was plastered."

Lucy turned magenta and stood from the table, rounding on Grey and speaking so fast it was hard to understand.

"Whatexactlyareyouinsinuatingiceforbrains?!"

"Take it easy, Lucy," Erza said, propping her head up on her arm and looking at her friend knowingly, "this is how Grey gets when he's had a bit too much to drink. A loose tongue, a laid back attitude, practically naked…"

"Dammit all!"

Grey stood, not even realizing that he had stripped down to his boxers.

"I had clothes on just a minute ago," he said angrily, "what did I do with them?"

The ice wizard stormed off in search of his clothes, starting a guild fight as he elbowed his way through crowds of people. Within a few minutes, the guild had devolved into a full on arena and Lucy and Erza remained where they were as violence flared up on all sides.

"So, you and Natsu, huh? C'mon Lucy, don't be shy, since the Grand Magic Games you guys have gotten really close," Erza noted, raising an eyebrow at Lucy.

"No, me and Natsu are just friends, and co-workers," Lucy said stubbornly.

"We'll see how long that lasts," Erza said in an undertone, taking a hearty swig of her tankard and swilling the last remaining dregs of frothy brew.

"What about you and Jellal," Lucy prompted suddenly, "you two were pretty close last I saw."

"What are you talking about," Erza asked carefully.

"Well, I mean, you were the sole communicator between Fairy Tail and Crime Sorciere during the Games, you kept up the flow of information, you worked together to figure out what was going on behind the scenes… it doesn't take much to put two and two together, Erza," Lucy said, taking a drink from her own mug and looking the scarlet haired woman in the eyes.

"We are separated by our individual paths," Erza said shortly, "we can't be together."

"Can't or won't," Lucy asked, her eyes twinkling with understanding.

"Perhaps both," Erza said, looking downcast, "but I have done my best to remain optimistic, and as luck would have it-"

Erza paused as Grey was thrown over their table, knocking their drinks to the floor. He stood again and massaged his back where it had hit the rough stone floor.

"I'm coming for that shirt, Elfman," Grey shouted, leaping over the table, "I want it back!"

"You never even button the thing up," Elfman retorted, "it should be worn by a real man."

"Touche," Lucy commented, watching as Elfman and Grey fought over Grey's clothes.

"As I was saying," Erza said angrily, her hate of being interrupted blossoming like a flower of anger, "I believe I may have found the solution to my problem… something to take my mind off of Jellal."

"Like what, a new hobby," Lucy asked.

"No, someone else," Erza said shortly, "someone who isn't afraid of a healthy, committed relationship."

"So you're back on the market, huh?"

"No," Erza said with a smirk, "I've already found the perfect man. I can't wait for you to meet him."

"When did this happen," Lucy asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"It was before the last job. I met him at the Town Square and we went out for lunch. He was so kind and sweet and just… perfect," Erza said, thinking back to that sunlit afternoon only a few days ago.

"And so now you guys are together," Lucy asked incredulously.

"No," Erza said quickly, "he is well aware of my situation, he knows I want to take things slow. For the moment, we are just getting to know each other."

"What's he like? What's his name? How tall is he? What does he look like?"

Erza thought about that for a moment while Lucy ordered a couple of girly drinks from Mira, who still carried Natsu around under one arm. When Lucy turned her attention back to Erza, she found the warrior mage lost in thought with a smile upon her face and blush high upon her fair cheeks. The faraway look in her eyes told Lucy that she was not really there, but Lucy knew better than to snap her out of it. It was best to simply wait for someone like Erza to come to their own senses, lest she draw her sword and dice Lucy into ribbons. But then another thought struck Lucy and she blurted it out without thinking.

"How did you manage to find a guy that can handle your crazy? I mean, Jellal knows you from childhood, so how is this new catch of yours able to deal with all of your, uh, baggage?"

"I honestly don't know," Erza said, frowning, "I mean, I am well aware of my rather forthright and abrasive attitudes, alongside my rather tough exterior and my impeccable manners, but that is something I just can't get over. I almost wanted to grab the guy and shake him down for an explanation, but I resisted that urge. We just hit it off so well, and I swear he's just the best listener you'll ever meet, you know? Natsu can't sit still for five seconds, and Grey can't hear you over the sound of his clothes being ripped off all the time-"

"I heard that," Grey called as he dropkicked a fellow guild mage, freezing him where he stood.

"And then there's this stranger telling me that I'm the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and that he would love it if we could have lunch together and I just sort of… said yes. Is it bad I said yes," Erza asked Lucy sadly.

"Wha- no! No, you have every right to date whoever you like. You and Jellal are on two different paths, and until he makes it clear that he wants to be with you, you can do whatever the hell you please. Capiche?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right, besides, it's not like we did more than talk and stare into each other's eyes for what seemed like eternity…"

Erza bit her lower lip and gave a small moan, thinking about her mystery man.

"So, back to my questions, who is this guy," Lucy asked, nodding at Mira in thanks for the drinks and sipping at hers while Erza explained herself.

"His name is Julius Jeremiah Leengard, weird, I know," Erza said, raising a hand to stop Lucy from commenting, "but he's actually nothing like his name sounds, he's charming and funny and he was so polite. Plus he actually pulled out my chair, held open the door for me and paid the bill, plus a decent tip."

"Shallooow," Lucy said jokingly, looking sassy and raising an eyebrow.

"Am not," Erza laughed, "but you have no idea how nice it was to simply be treated like a lady. Everyone always assumes that I'm this beefy, strong willed, heartless woman, you know? They act like I don't like the little things and they assume I have no interest in being treated like a proper lady rather than just a guild mate or a friend. Don't get me wrong, I very rarely get heartthrobs, I enjoy being self-sufficient and I am far stronger than the average guy, but that didn't seem to faze Julius. In fact, he seemed more determined than usual to make sure I was comfortable and happy."

"Sounds amazing," Lucy said wistfully, stirring at the blue colored liquid in her cup as it slowly turned purple.

"It was," Erza said, "and I really want everyone to meet him! I actually have a date tomorrow, so if you like you could come with us and-"

"Whoa, Erza, take a second and think about that," Lucy said urgently, "you just met this guy, he doesn't know what you want out of this relationship, I think you should hold off on introducing him to anyone from the guild. I mean, imagine trying to take Natsu on a date with Julius! I think you should keep seeing him by yourself, get to know him better, and when he wants to meet your friends, you arrange a gathering, not a date. If you begin to bring people with you on what are supposed to be intimate dates you make it seem like you aren't interested in him romantically!"

"But I'm not sure if I am interested in him like that," Erza admitted, "I have no idea where to go from here!"

"Erza, trust me, from the look you had on your face when you were talking about him, I'd say this guy is a major catch. You were drooling over him! No but seriously, make sure you take things slow, talk it all out and make sure you're both on the same page, otherwise it will end up crashing and burning."

"I'll think on it," Erza said.

"So, what's he look like? Do I have to wring the details out of you or what," Lucy asked with a large smile.

"Well, he's tall…"

"Ok?"

"He's got shoulder length blonde hair, he's muscly, but not crazy ripped, which is nice. I'm not a fan of all those veins and whatnot. Let's see, what else… he's got a fairly plain taste in fashion, but it's rugged and roguish, so I like it. His eyes are green, he has all of his limbs and fingers, his teeth are clean and he has a scar that runs across his lips and down his jaw. Um, he's got a younger face, but he's actually my age, no facial hair, and he's a wizard," Erza added, reveling in the fact that she could talk to Lucy about girl stuff.

"What sort of magic does he use," Lucy queried.

"I think it was some kind of air magic. Nothing major, but enough to make the flowers levitate over our table…."

Once again, Erza was lost in the afternoon spent with Julius. Lucy, desperate for more, snapped her fingers in front of Erza's eyes, ignoring the possible consequences of her actions.

"Erza, focus! Now, how much did he spend on you? Did you enjoy the date? Was he nervous? Did he buy cake?! I have to know!"

"He spent a lot! It was great! Of course he was nervous, but he was also cool about it! Of course he bought me cake! Would I be this flustered if he didn't even bother to get me cake, Lucy? I don't give it out to anybody, I have standards!"

After a moment of intense eye contact both woman broke down laughing, both at their conduct and at each other. Their breath was limited and Lucy pounded upon the tabletop as she tried to force herself to stop laughing.

'Dead puppies,' she thought wildly, 'dad is dead, I'm really, really sad… cake floozy!'

She burst out on fits of renewed laughter and Erza began to laugh harder too until they were both clutching the table for support and wiping away tears as they gasped for air.

"I needed this," Erza said happily, taking a sip of her surprisingly sweet and strong drink as it turned from green to yellow.

"Yeah, it has been pretty uptight around here," Lucy agreed, looking around at the aftermath of the brawl, in which a few people were still avidly participating.

"Hey Lucy," Erza asked.

"Hmm," Lucy responded, sipping her drink and watching Grey and Elfman play tug of war with the ice wizard's shirt.

"Will you help me with this whole dating thing? I realize that I'm a woman and that I should know what to do but truth be told…"

Erza glanced around, making sure no one was listening before she continued.

"Truth be told, I'm not exactly what you would call experienced in the love department…"

"So you're a-"

Erza nodded grimly.

"What about-"

Erza shook her head.

"He's the only guy I've ever liked in that way, but we've both been so busy with all that's happened, there's no time for us. And it's not just that I've never done that, I've also never even had an actual boyfriend. I have no idea what to do or where I go from here," Erza admitted in an undertone.

The doors to the guild hall burst open, and a figure stepped inside, bringing with him the brisk freshness of the night air. Over the threshold of the Fairy Tail guild hall and into the main entrance stepped none other than the masked mage, Mystogan.

"Whatever you do, I expect things are going to get a bit more complicated," Lucy said quietly, staring at the hooded and cloaked figure with several staves slung across his back.

"Everyone, your attention please," Makarov declared, standing upon the bar and pointing at Mystogan, "I am pleased to announce that Mystogan has returned to us at long last! He will be staying here for a small break, so do not pester the man and be sure to give him your utmost respect during his temporary stay here."

"I am honored to be staying here while I recover from my injuries," Mystogan said through his mask, "I ask only that you respect my privacy and that you refrain from touching me, as my wounds are still very sore. However, if there is anything I can help you with, please do not hesitate to ask. I am not the most practical, but I can guide your own hands assuredly in almost any task."

His eyes pierced the crowd, and almost immediately picked up the long scarlet mane of hair he'd come to associate with Erza. She looked resplendent in her armor and an unpleasant squirm issued from Jellal's navel as he took in her radiance through the guise of Mystogan.

'She's beautiful,' he thought before he tore his eyes away from her and began to work his way over to her table.

Erza watched him approach, limping as he came, his clothes worn with travel and his bandages dirty, but not stained through just yet. With a small sigh and a twinkle of mischief in his eye, Jellal peered at Erza and almost instantaneously, she knew it was Jellal.

"So it's you," Erza said quietly.

"Were you expecting someone else," Jellal asked, leaning forward.

"I've seen stranger things happen, for a moment I thought you might have actually been the Edolas version of you, the actual Mystogan…"

"Try not to sound so enthused," Jellal said quietly.

"What can I get you, Mystogan," Mira asked, cutting across the floor so that she could serve the S-Class wizard.

"Some water would be wonderful," he said in his gruff voice, "and perhaps a sandwich if you're able?"

"Coming right up," Mira said with a smile as she darted to the kitchens, sidestepping people who were waiting for service.

"What are you doing here," Erza hissed, "I thought you were on the run again, leading Crime Sorciere?"

"I was," Jellal said, "but I… well, I decided that we needed to talk…"

Jellal glanced at Lucy, who listened to every word and stared at him with a sense of disbelief.

"About us...," Jellal said, looking right into Lucy's eyes.

Lucy made no move to leave and Erza was getting tired of Jellal's stalling.

"Alone," Jellal said, shocking Lucy, who waved off the words and relocated to a different table.

"Be nice to Lucy," Erza said scathingly, "she was helping me with… stuff."

"I'm sorry," Jellal said shortly, not looking very sorry at all, "but I needed to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Us."

Erza made to stand and leave, not believing that Jellal had decided to show up then of all times, but he grabbed her arm from across the table and then withdrew his hand as if he'd been stung.

"Argh," he grunted, gripping his side and growling in frustration.

Erza immediately froze and sat back down, staring at the bandages. She'd never even given them any thought, but as it turns out it seemed they were real.

"What happened to you," Erza asked, "who did this?"

"No one," Jellal said, "that's not important. Erza, I need to tell you something, something I should have said a long time ago. I've been doing a lot of thinking and my injuries… they're a lot worse than I let on. I almost died and staring death in the face is not exactly the wakeup call I would've liked, but better late than never I guess."

Erza watched as Jellal's bandaged fingers lightly drummed the table and his eye flicked nervously here and there as he talked his way full circle around the topic. After a moment she gave him a gentle kick in the shin to get him back on track and he sucked in his breath and bit his tongue before he continued.

"Erza, I have given much thought to this, and if you would have me, I think we should make things official."

"What do you mean," Erza asked sharply, stirring her drink and eyeing the criminal before her with a warning expression.

"I mean that I am tired of being alone. I am getting to old to be alone all the time. I have spent seven long years trying to be the man I thought you deserved, and all this time I've simply skirted around the issue-"

"Sort of like you're doing now," Erza commented with a sigh, "just on a grander scale."

"Yeah, sort of like…," Jellal broke off, for a moment, realizing what Erza had said about him.

"Whoops, right, sorry. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is… what if I left Crime Sorciere? What if I took up Mystogan's mantle and stayed with Fairy Tail? I know the Magic Council, or what's left of it, still has a bounty on my head, but I don't care. Erza, I've finally readied myself for a semi-normal life. I want to settle down, work with a guild… maybe find a woman and… I dunno… raise a family?"

Erza stared at Jellal, who stared back determinedly. He had never been so flustered in his entire life. If he had ever wanted something, he went in circles trying to find the most inconspicuous way to get his hands on it. He never once just charged right in and seized it like he did now. He was usually careful, calculating and distant, an observer and talented strategist, but somehow that was the dividing line between who he had been before and who he was now. If he cared for Erza so much that he was willing to go against who he was as a person to make things work, she would obviously see his intentions and try to return his feelings, right? A nervous sweat rose on the forehead of the heavily garbed man and he pulled at his collar anf looked around, aware of the several eyes still upon him.

"Jellal, I care for you, I really do, but after waiting so long…"

The man dressed as Mystogan felt his heart drop and his stomach turn to lead as Erza spoke, each syllable condemning him to misery of the worst kind.

"…I've decided to try my luck in deep sea fishing."

Jellal stared at Erza disbelievingly, unsure of what to make of this revelation. He had never taken Erza to be an angler, and somehow the image of her in khakis and a fisherman's hat, out at sea on a boat didn't seem to fit the current situation at all, but even so, he felt his heart soar with glorious hope once more.

"Deep sea-," he began to ask questioningly before being cut off.

"That came out wrong," Erza said, bringing a hand to her forehead and scowling, "it seems the drink has begun to interfere with my thoughts… they seem sluggish. What I meant to say is that I am currently testing the waters. I have cast out my net and gotten a catch, so to speak."

It may have been more fisherman talk, but now Jellal finally understood what Erza was trying to say. She had gotten tired of Jellal and his seemingly hopeless case. She had lost faith in him, and now he had gone and blown any chances out their being together out of the water.

'Why is it that people equate relationships with fishing expeditions,' Jellal thought to himself as he digested Erza's words.

He said nothing, nor did she, instead they both just sat there and avoided eye contact until Mira came over and laid down Jellal's food and drink.

"Here you go," she said cheerfully, laying a covered platter and a pitcher down before Jellal.

"Thank you, Mira," he answered in his best impression of the Prince of Edolas.

"You're welcome!"

She strolled away and Jellal took the cover off of his platter to find it filled with delicious looking sandwiches on buttery, fresh baked buns. They were stuffed with meat, cheese, and vegetables in just about every combination available. Without hesitation, Jellal numbly seized a sandwich and dug into it. He had been so hungry during all his traveling, and while it felt good to eat and drink some fresh food, he found that it didn't taste quite as good as he had expected it too. In fact, it seemed rather bland and devoid of flavor, but not for Mira's lack of culinary refinement, but more for the slow, throbbing ache that was slowly working its way through his heart like a venomous poison. It was his hurt, his anger, his jealousy and his unrequited love. They begged to be unleashed in the form of magical energy. The fugitive of Fiore took a large bite and chewed it hastily before he swallowed, staring intently at a crack in the table. He had messed up. He had missed his chance to solidify his relationship with Erza… how could he have been so foolish, it was unfair of him to expect her to wait for him, and now all the thoughts that had kept him on his feet as he traveled seemed pointless, everything did. His sore legs were pointless, his inflated ego and sense of importance were equally as unneeded. His love for Erza, the single ray of hope that had kept him going as he walked day and night to rejoin her, was now extinguished, his flame had gone out.

"So, you've found someone else, have you," Jellal asked, trying his best to remain calm.

"I have," she said, looking uncomfortable about the breaching of the subject.

"What's he like," Jellal asked, wondering what this man offered that he hadn't.

"He's wonderful," Erza said, not mincing her words to spare Jellal's comfort, "he's kind and considerate, smart and loyal, handsome and yet somehow not quite as debonair as the wizards of Fairy Tail. Don't get me wrong, he's certainly charming, but he's so down to Earth and laid back, it's a nice change of pace from the…"

She glanced around, seeing the warning signs of a resurgence in brawling as several arguments became heated.

"…from the madness," she finished quietly.

"Erza, I seek the same thing," Jellal said, throwing down his unfinished sandwich and downing several large gulps of water so he could speak, "I realized that after my battles. I realized that my sins will never be fully atoned for, I will spend the rest of my life making amends, but I am willing to put you first! I am willing to settle down and repay society in other ways for the harm that I've done to it. I'll donate to charity, I'll buy a house and pay the mortgage on time! I'll shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, buy coats for the poor during winter-"

Jellal reached an arm forward and grabbed Erza's hand, an urgent glint in his eyes as he gazed at the scarlet haired wizard in desperation. Once more, she looked like she might pull away, but she refrained from doing so in case she hurt Jellal in the process.

"-Erza, I would do anything, anything at all, if it meant me and you could be together."

Erza felt a surge of guilt flow through her gut and she gently but firmly wriggled her hand from Jellal's grip, as there were still eyes upon the two of them. She glanced around nervously, looking for anyone who was overly watchful in her peripheral vision. When no one caught her eye, she once more looked back at Jellal and huffed.

"Jell- Mystogan you and I both know that this is too little, too late."

"So it's serious then," he whispered, withdrawing his hand and slumping down in his chair, looking at the edge of the table without seeing it, "your new relationship is serious. And you're happy with him too."

Erza did not want to lie, so she said nothing, and the silence almost seemed to make the masked man's heart hurt even more as he felt it tear in two.

"I see it was a mistake coming here-"

"Wait," Erza said, "I am not being entirely truthful with you, I just… look, I only met the guy a few days ago, but he already seems so nice and we get on so well, I've agreed to meet him again. Now I understand how you can be when you don't get what you want, but I will offer you a deal."

"And what would that be," Jellal countered quickly, feeling a sliver of hope reinflate the two separate halves of his heart.

"You remain here, seeing as you have to heal anyway. You and I can see where things go with Julius, and if it turns out we don't seem to mesh well, you and I can give us a try," Erza finished in an undertone.

The tired fugitive leaned forward, feeling as if his spirit had been built up and crumbled, then reassembled several times over, which it had. Still, he now realized why he was so enamored with Erza. It was not just that she was beautiful, nor was it simply because he had known her for so long, it was because she had always believed in and forgiven him. Even when he had done so many terrible things, she convinced him to live for the sake of righting the wrongs he'd committed so long ago.

'She's never once condemned me for my actions, she's never been concerned with the atrocities carried out by these two hands,' Jellal thought, looking down at his bandaged hands, the number of lives he'd taken using them whirring through his head, an uncountable tally of faces, names and memories, all erased by his deeds.

"Even after everything I've done," Jellal whispered to himself, "I am shown such kindness and compassion by someone whose life I've almost destroyed."

"You never destroyed my life," Erza said quietly, "that was not you, not in your right mind anyway. Those days are long gone. Now, do we have a deal? You will stay here, you will observe, and you will not interfere in any way, shape or form. In return, if things do not work out, you and I will…"

She didn't finish, but blushed the color of her hair and stuck out a hand. The man dressed as one of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages stood and stuck out a hand and with a handshake, he sealed the deal with the woman of his dreams. Unseating himself from the table, he took his platter of sandwiches and his pitcher of water and left through the large guild hall that he had never seen before. Still, he remembered the directions Mira had given him and he eventually found him way to his quarters. It was a large room, as he assumed all the S-Class mage's rooms were. It was fully furnished, filled with luxurious refinement and a wealth of comfort.

"Work hard, play hard I suppose," Jellal mused as he stripped of his heavy, travel stained robes and bathed himself in the large bath tub replete with massaging water jets. When he left the bath water, however, he noticed the severity of his injuries in the mirror. It was a gory mess of bruises, blood and gashes, but still, he rebandaged them with fresh wrappings and drew the curtains of his apartment before he retired to his bed, resting fitfully as he thought about Erza and wondered if she was thinking of him. He gazed at the flagstone ceiling supported by large wooden beams as he relaxed for the first time in who knew how long. He had been so tired, and a part of him felt that if he stayed in Fairy Tail any longer, he would only come to regret it.

'What was I thinking,' Jellal asked, 'if word of Mystogan's arrival leaves the guild hall, the Magic Council will most certainly send someone to investigate me!'

He leapt from his bed, cursing his sore and wounded body before he hastily scrawled a note and addressed it to Makarov, detailing his thoughts on maintaining the utmost secrecy regarding 'Mystogan' and his return to the guild and making sure there were arrangements made so that he could go about his business. Sooner or later, he would need to leave the residence. He also added a postal script asking if Makarov could set up a session with a healer, or perhaps just send a potion or two to help speed up his recovery. He signed the hastily scribbled note with a flourish and set it out in the dropbox outside his door, only to find that the note vanished as soon as it hit the bottom of the box.

"Magic," Jellal said wondrously as he closed his door and drifted back to his bed to await a replay from Makarov. But after he'd finally drifted off to slumber, all his dreams involved him being toyed with by a scarlet haired woman who seemed to pride herself upon his despair, and after several rude pranks, he ended up chasing her down dark and narrow tunnels until she was gone from his sight, and Jellal was left all alone in the darkness of his dreams, which had turned into nightmares that made his wounds throb with pain as he thrashed in his sleep.

Good evening, my fellow Guildmages, I present to you my latest work, a Jerza fanfiction that I hope you will get a kick out of! I realized that I've never written a romance story that was actually light hearted and fluffy, as I thought I'd give it a try. I have a few scattered idea's for scenes that I will incorporate, and if you think you have any heads up on the plot, please keep it to yourself. For instance, there's a huge hint at the future of this story hidden in the name of Erza's newest man, one Julius Jeremiah Leengard, but like I said, if you figure it out keep it to yourself. This story is a sort of test to see if I have evolved my writing at all, and to see if I can still write light hearted stories without bloodshed, swearing and violence galore. Should be fun! I listened to all sorts of music when I wrote this, as it was difficult to write for me, but the music that inspired Jellal's dream sequence is as follows:

Cosmic Love-Florence and the Machine

Read on, Fairies!

Also, a HUGE THANK YOU to Arya-Aiedail of deviantart for allowing me to use her picture as a cover image, she is truly gifted and I think you should check out her other work!