"Are you scared Titiana?" The woman hissed in a low throaty voice, her dark red eyes glaring into Erza's brown ones. Although the scarlet haired mage wanted to flinch away, she kept her ground. She stared into the eyes of the enemy, her back straight, and her posture perfect. "Are you scared of me?"

She was. Erza Scarlet was more afraid then she had ever been in her entire life, and that was saying something considering how much horrors she had seen in her young life. This topped it all. The mission was an S-class one, one she had picked to teach her fellow teammates something about how to become a top level wizard. It was simple to say that it was the wrong choice.

The woman, or 'the witch of darkness' as the villagers called her, was a terrible creation, made by someone with the likes of Zeref. She was stunningly beautiful, with white skin that looked like it was hewn from marble, her eyes red and large in her clean face. Her hair was like a midnight waterfall that cascaded over her back, her dress a deep midnight blue that dragged across the floor as she walked, the ends dyed red from being soaked in blood.

The mission had stated they wanted to bring said woman into custody, as she had been killing locals and selling their bodies to the highest bidder. The truth was just that, except the fact that she was more powerful than anyone assumed. The moment they came into her presence, in a long cave on a mountain, she had sent Gray flying away with a lift of her index finger, so that he slammed into the near by cave wall and fell to the ground, blood trickling from his head. He would suffer a concussion at the very least, Erza assumed, at the very worst he was already dead.

Natsu had charged her with an outraged cry, before he and Lucy were sent flying out of the cave to tumble down the mountainside.

"You have to have some survivors." The woman had explained, "Got to keep the wizards coming."

Wendy had been flown out by Carla as soon as the first attack had been made, the white cat having the good sense to get the young mage out of there as fast as she could. It was the only thing that had gone right so far.

"Why have you spared me?" Erza demanded, although she knew that her end would come soon. The woman could probably get a decent pay off of her body, seeing as she was one of the most powerful woman wizards in the country.

"Spared?" The woman sneered, "I simply wanted to make your death as painful as possible. You've put a great deal of my friends in prison." She flicked a finger, and Erza went flying to the nearest wall, but didn't slam against it. Instead, her back gently pressed against the cold stone, unable to move. "Your back is against the wall, darkness will fall." The woman flicked her finger again, and Erza slid to her knees, but not of her own doing. The woman raised her hand, and a collection of dark mist began to swirl in her palm, surely a part of the magic she possessed. The woman smiled, her mouth full of serrated teeth like a shark.

Erza closed her eyes, wondering why she was ending like this. She had tried her best to do things right, to make amends for any mistakes she may have made in the past, but it didn't seem like anyone cared. No, she was going to die in this dark cave, on her knees, unable to move, while Gray lay dying feet away, surely to be the witches next victim. She couldn't even save the person who was most important to her in the world.

"Any last words?" The woman asked, and Erza assumed she was preparing to attack. She still didn't open her eyes, instead picturing Gray's face perfectly in her mind. The scar on his forehead, his navy eyes glaring into hers, the raven bangs that she always longed to push out the way. The person she loved.

"I love you Gray." Erza said quietly, knowing he couldn't hear her. Maybe, she thought, maybe if she had more time she would've told him how she felt. Maybe they could have been together, gotten married, had kids. Done everything people not doomed to die did. Now it was the end for both of them.

A sound went off like the blast of a canon, and Erza waited for the impact. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes again, and screamed.

Gray was standing between her and the woman, his ice sword piercing the woman's chest, effectively killing her, but he was shaking, trembling, and all at once, he fell over, twitching. There was a hole in his stomach, a smoking black hole that smelled of dark magic. He was gagging, choking and she scrambled over, her mind and heart panicking.

"GRAY!"

"What happened?" Were his first words when he opened his eyes. He felt like hell, his stomach was in turmoil, his legs on fire, and his head pounding. But, he supposed, he was alive so that was something.

"Gray?!" A shocked voice sounded, and when he turned his head he saw a surprised looking Lucy, her hand over her mouth.

"Hey." He said, struggling to sit up, although it seemed that something was taped to his nose. He ripped it away, and then rubbed at the back of his head. "how long was I out?" He questioned the blonde.

"Around four months." She whispered, and his eyes grew wider. "You almost died several times just getting back to Magnolia."

"What happened? The last thing I remember is leaving for the mission-"

"It was more than we accounted for…" Lucy said, "The witch was to powerful, and Erza was about to be killed when you- jumped in front of her."

"So she's alive?" He asked gratefully. Lucy's eyes filled with tears, and a terrible feeling began in the pit of his stomach. "Lucy tell me she's alive."

"The witch, in her final breath knocked her against the cave wall. She's alive-" Lucy stammered out the next bit, "But… she's not waking up."

"It's been two years." Gray whispered to her sleeping form, her breath rising and falling regularly. "They say if you don't wake up soon, they're going to let you go." He let out a rough sigh, placing his head on her slim, pale arm. "I heard what you said you know, about loving me. And I wanted you to know, I feel the same way. Do you know Cana said that I was lucky the day you walked in? You are my best friend, my worst enemy, and the only person I'm actually afraid of." He let out a bitter laugh, "I don't think the guild could manage without you. So please- wake up. Don't let go. I have a giant scar on my stomach, but I don't mind. Because it's proof that you're alive, so don't put that to waste. Wake up Erza, god damnit. If not for me, then for the guild-" He broke off, and stood up abruptly, having said what he needed to say.

This was the first time he'd been to see her in two years. He hadn't wanted to see her like this, lying motionless in a bed. It would be like every other lively memory of her hadn't happened, as if she'd spent her whole life in this coma.

"Gr-ay." A voice whispered, a dry raspy voice because it hadn't been used enough. "Gray."

He smiled.