A song about water possessed me to write this, so I hope it's decent. I don't own Fairy Tail. I hope you all enjoy it.

A man was floating in the seemingly endless sea. His body paralyzed yet protected with the blue web like marks that marked him. He seems at peace, as though there is nothing to prevent him from disturb him from his sleep. However, that is nothing but a mere glance. In reality, he is suffering. In actuality, he is in pain. The truth is that he is crying and screaming. Why?

...Because he is a soul being tormented by the ghosts of the past. Constantly, they screech at him, in hateful tones, they wail out in the pain that they've received from him, they hurt him. Even though his body is not harmed, his soul is suffering.

But he feels that he doesn't deserve to scream, he doesn't deserve to protest against their words and their actions. Hasn't he only done things worthy of punishment? He's murdered, he's filled with nothing but lies and deception, he's betrayed the ones that he's cared about the most; the hauntings of these ghosts were just bring a small part of his retribution.

"You cruel man..."

"Betrayer..."

"...Murderer."

"How dare you try to raise that sinful man from the dead?"

"You deserve to rot in the depths of hell..."

"Never recieve salvation..."

"You should be burned at the stake..."

"...You should be dead"

"Totured from head to toe, slowly and painfully..."

"...Until you beg for death to bless himself upon you..."

"Why were you even born?"

The words tore at him, like blades, repeating slicing over old wounds. The words burned at him like him being set off as a live sacrifice at the stake. The forces that kept his soul from standing seemed to increase in intensity as time moved by, slowly, painfully. He didn't deserve to scream or wail out in pain. He didn't dare say a word in protest. They were probably right; he was the worst type of human being that could have possibly existed. He did not deserve pity, kindness, or even his most precious and happiest memories of the past. He didn't deserve anything but punishment, and that was that.

Then within the harsh tones, a single voice rang out, "Stop this." He could lift his head just slightly to see a woman, full of details unlike the ghosts who haunted him. "Stop hurting him, when it's not his fault."

No, don't be kind, don't be kind to someone like him. He was shaking, those words, they weren't words worthy of him, they weren't the type of words of hate that he needed to hear. He didn't deserve to be within a kind presence!

"Jellal, have you even forgotten your own name? Get a hold of yourself!" He looked up at her in confusion. He's never seen this woman before, but she vaguely reminded him of someone... Dark hair with matching eyes... "Listen to me Jellal, none of this was your fault, so snap out of it! You're still alive, you still have a chance for redemption."

His lips moved, ever so slightly, for he had not spoken ever since he's become in this state. "...I don't..."

"Stop thinking that!" Her voice was laced with hints of desperation. The woman was kneel down in front of his pathetic mass. "If it's anyone's fault, then it's mine for letting my daughter do this to you."

His eyes opened slightly in reorganization. "You're..."

"I'm sorry, Jellal." She was glad that he knew of her. She pitied the boy, though. He wasn't suppose to have a fate such as this. Maybe if she didn't let her only daughter go... Just maybe... Things would be different for the better. However, there is no use for 'maybe's, there is only truth within what 'has' and what 'have' happened.

Jellal soon forgot about the woman, and that brief warmth that graced his presence. He continued to be tortured, not caring about what happens to his body or his soul.

Afterwards, another figure graced his pathetic presence. This time it was a man, tall and muscular. The voices urged the man to harm him, knowing of what become of him due to the paralyzed man.

"Now..."

"...Attack him"

"He can no longer hurt you..."

"You deserve to cause him pain."

"He was the one who killed you."

He recognized the man in front of him. An old comrade, someone who wanted to bring him back to his senses by defeating him, a person who he had murdered not too long ago. "Si...mon..." The man said nothing. Jellal gave a bone chilling laugh. It was cruelly loud, it was torturous to the ear, and it was an incredibly pitiful sight. His voice came out foreign to his own ears. "Are you going to punish me? You have every right to, you could have lived, I should have died, you deserved to be with her, so much more than me! You should be living!"

Other figures were clutching onto him, beating for him to become silent once more. His words became mixed into unintelligible sentences, his eyes were tearing up from pain, from shame, from guilt.

Finally, Simon spoke and the figures backed off. "I'm not living anymore." Jellal looked up at his old friend, his eyes were calm and accepting of his fate. "Erza always chose you. You know that. I'm just happy that I was able to protect her. I guess I owe you a word of thanks."

He gave a small scoff. "Ha... She should have chosen you from the beginning. Look at what I did to her, to our friends, to you! If you were living, she would choose you!"

Simon was silent. "You're still alive, you know," he reminded the blue haired man.

"So what?" What good was being alive? He was the worst scum of the earth who didn't deserve to live, what was the point?

"As a part of my last wish, do me a favor." Jellal looked into the man's eyes. "Protect Erza."

It's what Simon always wanted, it's what Jellal always done when they were kids. "She doesn't need me to protect her, she's strong already." She wasn't the Erza who he could protect anymore. She was the fearful Titania who didn't need protection from others.

"Strong people eventually need to be protected."

He couldn't... He doesn't have the strength to protect her. He was too weak, too tainted to protect her... The memories came flooding in, the bad memories. When one is in despair, they can only remember the nightmares that constantly haunt them. The nightmares that hold onto you and never let go. Jellal screamed out in agony, the memories overtaking him like a flood. He felt like he was exploding, but he wasn't able to finally break into pieces. Instead he remained at those agonizing moments where he felt the pressure coming down all at once at him.

"Grandpa Rob! Hurry, before he's completely gone!"

A cool hand pressed itself on Jellal's forehead. A familiar voiced gently told the man, "Forget everything for a while, Jellal. You don't have to listen. Forget and only remember Erza-chan. That's all you need to know."

The words repeated over and over within his mind, like a refreshing stream of water had flown through his mind, easing his sorrow only temporary.

He never remembered that scene, not Ur, not Grandpa Rob, not even Simon. But he remembered everything else that happened in his life. Betraying Erza, becoming possessed and committing crimes, forcing the people who he wanted to give freedom into labor.

Jellal Fernandez was a pitiful man. He did not deserve what the fates have done to him, but he has no choice but to live with it. Occasionally, there were flakes of hope for him; through his dreams. He would dream of the sea and someone's voice. He never knew exactly whose voice it was, but it was kind and gentle.

"I don't believe that you are a criminal, Jellal Fernandez."

Within that sea-like dream, there is hope, there is forgiveness, there is recognition that he is not mere evil. Perhaps that will lead him to believe that he is capable of protecting his most precious person. If only he could float within that sea for an eternity, if only he didn't have to face such prejudices against him. He and his beloved scarlet could be together.

Please review if you can and check out the other stories that I've written.