From the Ashes, Part 10
Juvia lied in her bed, drenched in sweat. Fathiyya's magic was taking hold. The only thing that stopped it from a complete take over was her will to protect Gray. He sat in the far corner of the room and watched her toss and turn in her sleep. He felt bad about the way he treated her, but he also didn't want anyone to touch him after what he'd been through. Every now and then, she uttered his name, clenching the blankets in her hands. Guilt ridden, he slowly crossed the room and placed his palm on her forehead. She was burning up. A thin sheet of ice was all he could give right now. He was still very weak from his ordeal. Part of that monster's magic was suppressing your own. He sat near Juvia, leaning his arms onto his knees, and stared into the floor. What could he do? Why did she risk her neck like that? He knew she had feelings for him, but that was just reckless. The worst part of it was now she belonged to the empress. He prayed Juvia would maintain control as she was not like the others. His memories were foggy from his time under Fathiyya's power, but did remember one important thing. If you gave in to her power willingly, you were far better off, even keeping a level of control. If she 'broke' you first, you were just a toy to be posed as she pleased.
A knock at the door resulted in him tensing. Slowly the knob turned. Gray readied himself for a fist fight. The face that peered in was unexpected. "Rogue? What are you doing here?", asked Gray. He stepped in, closing the door behind him. "Glad to see you back to normal. How is she?", he replied. He could see for himself that it was a bad situation. Gray watched the dragon slayer with caution as he took a seat and sighed. "What about you?", he inquired. Rogue met his gaze with sad eyes. "I don't know how much longer I can do this." He stared at his shaking hand. Fighting her influence was slowly killing him. Putting his own problems aside, he turned his attention back toward Juvia. "Since you're back, I'm guessing she traded herself out", he ventured. "Yeah", said Gray distantly. "At least that gives her a chance", said Rogue. Gray was right about what he thought he remembered. The next utterance pulled him back from his reverie. "I wasn't sure you'd ever come back", stated Rogue. Shying his gaze, Gray replied, "I was pretty far gone." It was silent for seemed like an hour. "I'm only holding on to see if I can spring the rest of my guild", said Rogue. "How many are here?", inquired Gray. "Rufus is here somewhere, but I can't find out the exact location. I lost track of Yukino. Sting and Orga are locked up with the other slayers." Gray thought for a moment and tried to word his question carefully. "Why aren't you?" "I don't know...She said I would be amusing and put me somewhere else. Turned me into this...", he trailed. "But you still have your wits", offered Gray. A cynical grin crossed Rogue's lips. "Just barely. I still can't think of -...". He stopped his sentence, covering his mouth as if he were going to be sick. Getting up, he said, "I'd better go before Gobi comes looking for me. Take care of her." An acknowledging nod and he was gone. Gray wondered what had hit Rogue so hard, but tried not to focus on it. He certainly didn't want anyone knowing the details of his capture. A soft murmur came from Juvia. She was coming to. "Gray-sama?", she whispered. With a deep breath, he took her hand. "I'm here."
Somewhere outside of Magnolia, Erza and Jellal tried to keep busy while they waited for word from Meredy. She'd challenged him with her good arm and once again slammed his hand against the table. "You're not even trying!", she teased. He shied his face away, afraid she's notice his red cheeks. In all honesty, he was just glad to hold her hand for those brief moments. Taking a break, she headed for the kitchen for something to drink. She glanced at her wrist. The mark was gone. The last sensation she'd received was the chill of cold. Where was Meredy now and what happened to her? She pretended not to notice that she was being watched. She hid a grin as she glanced out the window. She was torn inside. Her friends needed her, but she couldn't leave Jellal alone when he was unable to defend himself. At the same time, he was nowhere near ready to travel. Her glass shattered in the sink as it fell from her hand. She couldn't believe her eyes. Before Jellal could ask, she was out the back door.
Down the path, approached a girl and a feline. "Wendy!", she called, waving her down. The young dragon slayer's face lit up with relief. She hurried forward, but was clearly lugging something behind her. Erza met her half way. Wendy ran forward and hugged her. Embracing each other tightly, Erza said, "I'm glad you're all right." Charle waited by the small cart with a serene smile. Suddenly remembering her load, Wendy doubled back. Erza was surprised to see a sleeping infant swaddled inside the cart. Wendy explained, "She's the only one I actually managed to save." Her face was pink, obviously still upset that she couldn't do more. Lightly patting her head, Erza offered a kind smile. "You did well." Returning to the small building, Wendy and Jellal were not expecting to see each other. He grinned softly. After all, she had saved his life before. "Bringing in guests?", he teased. He was caught off guard by the sight of the infant in Erza's arms. She shushed him and took the baby to the bed. Wendy sat her small bag of clothes aside and took a seat at the table with Jellal and Charle. Joining them, Erza asked, "Does she have a name?". Wendy shook her head. "She was all alone", she explained. "Why don't you name her?", inquired Charle, very aware of the shy glances she had just caused. "It's not really my place", stuttered Erza, blushing. Jellal smirked, but said nothing as he stared into the distance. Changing the subject, Erza asked, "Have you come across anyone else?". "You're the first friendly face we've seen", answered Wendy. "Is everyone at the guild all right?", she asked with hope. "I can't answer that", replied Erza softly. "You haven't contacted anyone?", inquired Charle. "She's been stuck here looking after me", offered Jellal. "We sent Meredy to the city several days ago, but no word yet", added Erza. "Once we rest up some, I can fly ahead to see what I can find out", said Charle. "Just be careful", uttered Wendy. The two friends shared a kind smile. "Of course I will", said the exceed.
Elsewhere, Lily had gone out to gather information, leaving the uneasy pair of fairies alone. Gajeel was minding his own business, punching at a crumbling wall to release some stress. Levy watched him, thinking of what she could do to help him with this new plan. "Got something to say, Shrimp?", he huffed, knocking a new hole into the concrete. He glanced toward her, covered in sweat and dust. He'd been at it for quite some time. Dropping her gaze, she said, "Just thinking." He sighed and wiped his brow. It was time for a break anyway. "Still planning on tagging along?", he asked, walking in her direction. He sat a few feet away and dumped a bucket of water over his head. "You need a plan. Just barging in isn't going to work", she replied. "I know that. Now answer the question", he smirked. "Is it all right?", she asked shyly, "If I stay out of your way?". "I can't exactly leave you unguarded, can I?", he replied, faintly grinning. She smiled to herself. This was going smoother than she thought. "What about the others?", she inquired, meeting his gaze. "Lily's looking for them", he said, leaning back to relax. Lily had been doing most of the runs lately. Levy pretended not to notice, but he always had that sneaky grin when he left. He was giving them room to grow. "Gajeel", she called, a little shaky. He opened one eye and glanced over with question. She fidgeted momentarily, then frantically waved her hands. "Never mind!" He grinned to himself as he closed his eyes, knowing what it was about. "You don't have to sit so far way. I don't bite", he teased. Trying in vain to get her red cheeks under control, she gathered her nerves and moved beside him. "See?", he taunted.
Levy tried not to stare, but her eyes kept wavering back toward Gajeel. "No!", she thought, "He's sweaty and dirty and -..." She hated feeling like this. Without looking, he gently grasped the back of her collar and pulled her backward. She nervously lied beside him and slowly began to relax. "Better?", he asked. "Yeah", she replied softly. Nearly half an hour passed that way. Thinking he was asleep, she rolled over to face him. She was surprised to feel his arm wrap around her waist and press her close. She blushed, but said nothing. After while, he said, "Kind of nice, isn't it?". She nodded, afraid to speak. She couldn't help, but remember the events in the desert. "It was nice of Blythe to take in those kids", she said absently. She felt his muscles tense. Now he was thinking about it, too. Glancing up, she saw him staring at the ceiling with a faint smirk. Relaxing, he said, "Yeah." He seemed to squeeze her even closer without thinking about it. She hid her smile and tried to enjoy the moment of peace in his arms. Silence drifted through, giving an air of calm to the situation. Eventually, he asked, "How scared are you right now?". "What?", she replied, confused. At first she thought he was asking about the war. Then she realized he was asking about things much closer. She felt silly once it had sunk in. "I'm okay", she said shyly. Without warning, Gajeel turned, pressing himself over her tiny frame. "How about now?", he asked. His cheeks were red, but his eyes showed no fear. She instinctively shied her gaze off to the side. "Now I'm not so sure", she said coyly. With a grin, he gently turned her face with his palm. Those eyes and that smile...She didn't want to fight it anymore. Staring back into his eyes, his resolve seemed to reflect, too. A soft grin parted her lips as a rosy hue crossed her face. It was mere inches now. 'Forget the army', he thought, 'Face your fears here.' They say that the first kiss is most memorable. Certainly neither of these two lovers would let go of such a precious moment any time soon.
To be continued...