I'm finally back! With a couple of chapters ready to make up for my lack of activity on this story. Expect a couple of chapters every couple of days this week.

Enjoy !

Lily xxx

Despite her body which was battling by instinct, Erza's mind was troubled. Before her was Jellal. Her childhood best friend, the one she had admired for so long, the one who always managed to make her smile, the one who atrociously disappointed her…

** Four years earlier **

"Ah! There you are!" Said a voice she knew very well in her back.

"Jellal!" Exclaimed the young woman, her best friend entering her field of vision by walking in from of the bushes. "I thought you where leaving at dawn!"

The teenager sat beside her and imitated her by also plunge his legs into the lake.

"I have to meet them in a couple of minutes" he confirmed "but I knew you'd be already awake even at this early hour and that I would find you here. You didn't really this I would leave without a good bye" he teased her, gently pushing her with his shoulder.

Erza lightly blushed, her eyes locked on the lake before her.

"It's a big day for you. It's not every day someone's starting his soldier carrier after all… I just thought you would have better things to do before leaving…"

"Erza" he calmly said turning her face so she would look at him. "Saying good bye to you is what better to do. I'll miss you" he said taking her into his arms.

She timidly let herself getting hugged then rose up with energy.

"Stop it" she said in an encouraging tone. "You won't have any time to miss me! You will be a super soldier and protect us against all those horrible fallen".

He smiled. She just loved his smile.

"In that case I'll make sure I'll always be there to protect the population. I wont disappoint you."

They then herd a far noise. The DFA army was about to leave.

"Go. You don't want to be late at your first day!" She said, pushing his back towards the trail. "Make us proud!"

"And you try not to get in trouble with your training with Rob. You know you can't train in martial arts outside of the army."

"Yes, yes" she said irritated by that aberrant law.

"Take care, Scarlet" her said with a wink before leaving, calling her by the surname her found her when her learned she never knew hers.

Then he disappeared through the threes. It was only when he was out of sight when she sat once more, hugging her knees with her arms. She knew he wouldn't come back for a while. And even if he did came back, he wouldn't be aloud to stay for a long time., having to follow the army he was now part of. As for her, even if Erza could understand more than anyone the importance of what he was doing, she couldn't help but staying in her village, illegally training into the marshal arts to protect the town and specially the young Wendy she had taken under her wings. However, the purpose wasn't enough to chase the sadness that was taking over her heart in the moment.

"I'll miss you too Jellal" she let out as tears were now flowing on her cheeks.

** Two years earlier **

Erza came back from a long training with Rob, like most of the mornings, her sword well hidden in a rolled cloth. It was a hot summer day and the young women was thinking it was the perfect day for bringing Wendy to the lake to swim. A smile on her lips, she happily walked to her hometown. But the usually calm village was abnormally agitated and a big gathering of people surprised her. The DFA was there! Running towards the mass of people, she scanned the audience looking for the blue haired young man, barely hiding the excitement she felt at the possibility of seeing him again. But that sentiment quickly let place to one of horror. She recognized that kind of gathering. IT was the moment soldiers where recruiting ring bearers to defend the wall. But what really froze her blood was seeing them choose her little Wendy. But she was only ten! How could a ten year old do anything against the monstrous fallen? Of course, Wendy was already developing extraordinary skills in medicine, but it had nothing to do with her ring. She rather owed her skills to the healer Porlyusica, she affectionally called Grandine. It was surprising the rather cold Porlyusica accepted to take a student, but how could anyone refuse something to the adorable Wendy? In any case, the kid would surely face death in her first meeting with a fallen.

Her blood was boiling in her veins. She couldn't simply let that happen. Not to Wendy. Only her common sense kept her from attacking every single person between her and Wendy. Then started an intolerable wait until the soldiers started their way to the wall, escorting the chosen bearers. Then, seeing that most of the soldiers were far in front of the group, she couldn't hold her patience longer and pulled out the sword she had kept hidden for years.

She didn't mind that her odds were highly unfavorable. All that mattered was that she could get her small protégé back. Her sword hit the one of the first soldier she crossed. She had no difficulty disarming him. She, for the matter, had also no problem getting rid of the next one. However, it didn't take a long time to figure out her lack of judgement. She may excel in sword fighting, she would never get the advantage against so many opponents. But giving up was strictly out of question. She gave it all she got, throwing blow after blow. She held her ground for a considerate amount of time before an elbow violently hit the side of her head make the world sway around her. Her dizziness was taken advantage of and an other calculated hit disarmed her.

When a sword was pointing at her throat, her mind may have been restless, no solution seemed to surface. And that was when the sword keeping her at bay was violently pushed away from her. Her eyes wide open by the surprise, it took her a few seconds to get what was happening.

"Master Rob!" Said exclaimed incredulously "what are you doing here?"

"Leave!" He said "I'll cover your escape."

"But…"

"Take the small one and leave!" He yelled with more intensity. "It's your master's order!"

Clenching her fists, her eyes full of tears, she started to run towards the lot of bearers, disarming one soldier on her way. The group of soldiers and chosen bearers was now in total chaos. It however took her only an instant to localise the blue haired girl from whom she gripped her hand to drag her behind her into the woods. Branches were whipping her face but she couldn't care less if it meant Wendy could be safe. Out of breath, they fell on their knees after putting a considerate amount of distance between them and their followers.

But at the moment they expected the least, a mass hit Erza forcing her to let go of Wendy's hand. The mass and her rolled on their side, each of them struggling to be on top until she was pinned on the ground by the weight she soon associated with the one of a man.

"Jellal…" she let out recognizing him.

He had changed so much, a couple of inches taller, a lot of muscle mass additional but even then, he seemed just like before… at least in appearance.

"Give her back immediately Erza!"

"Jellal! How can you possibly agree sending a child on the battle field?" she yelled with anger.

"It's for the good of the kingdom and you know it!"

"But what can she do?"

"Captain Thompson takes care of the new recruits personally. Believe me, if he judges it necessary, it means she can help."

"But at what cost?"

The young man bit his lower lip, knowing very well she wouldn't give in.

"Erza, please… If you go against the kingdoms best interests I… I have to intervene… I don't want to hurt you.

His tone was pleading, but as painful it was for the young woman, never would she abandon Wendy. She placed a hand on the young man's cheek, an immense weight on her heart.

"You know as well as me that nothing will prevent me from saving her."

His face was so close from hers that her body was filled with goose bumps. His breath caught into his lungs, his voice trembling.

"Then it means that from now on, you're an enemy of this kingdom" he finally said with pain, his breath on her cheek. "If one day we shall cross roads again, you'll then be my enemy."

"Jellal…" she only managed to say, tears shining on her face.

"Go, before I get back my reason and take my duty as a soldier seriously."

Her heart in pieces, she noded, taking once more Wendy's hand. Never did she saw him again. Not once. Until that day she infiltrated the wall.

** Present **

Jellal and Erza were exchanging a couple of sword hits. Numerous where the times where one of them could have finish of their opponent, but none completed their task. Their powerful fight seemed infinite and without any goal but what could they do?

"Jellal, listen to me. The DFA…"

"How can I trust you Erza? Getting in the way of Wendy's enrollment, that I could get. But this? Fighting against the DFA is just like fighting on the fallen's side."

"That's were you're wrong" she said.

Than, as well as for Erza's agility as for Jellal's fatigue, the latter's sword wasejected from his hand. The young woman however didn't have the upper hand for a long time, the young man disarming her almost simultaneously by a kick.

Both looked at each other out of breath. Then, just like she did all those years ago, she cupped his face in her hands. Much to her surprise, much to her pleasure, the young man didn't step back.

"You have to listen to me. The leaders of the DFA are lying to every one since the beginning."

"Don't try to…"

"Jellal… the DFA's leaders are the fallen.

This time, he backed of, stepping back like an affrayed animal.

"You're lying. You're telling this to distract me."

"Do you really believe me capable of telling such things if I don't truly believe them? Look into your heart" She continued to his more and more apparent hesitation "you know I'm right. Think about all those questions stayed unanswered concerning the origin of the fallen, their apparition so close to your basecamp. Did you even once fought a fallen? Do you have the simplest idea of how all those bearers you're recruiting can help you cause and were do they all end up?"

Seeing his lack of answer, she quickly told him all she knew on the fallen, how they took form. This time, it was too much. He fell on his knees, a defeated look on his face, taking his head into his hands. Everything made sense now. All of his questions, all of those missing pieces…

"All those things I did in four years" he finally said. "All those things to serve these monsters… I dragged dozens of innocents to the slaughter house…"

"You did what you thought was fair" said Erza, a hand on his shoulder.

At her contact, he stepped back. Erza had no idea how long he stayed like that. A small part of her was glad he didn't acted this way in a knowing the awful truth. However, seeing him tormented was a true torture for her. She was about to try to reason with him, to tell him he wasn't a lost cause, that he could still act the right way but she didn't get the chance. Jellal stepped up in a quick motion, a new flame shinning in his eyes.

"I have to make amend for my actions" he said with conviction. "It's finally time for all the soldiers to know the truth".

"Juvia will help" intervened the young woman who gained consciousness long ago enough to hear what Ersa just explained. "Gray had told he wasn't the enemy and Juvia now knows why."

"You believe me?" Was surprised Erza who only counted on her old relationship with him to make him believe her.

"If Jellal his convinced it is true, then Juvia is too. Juvia can feel it here." She said pointing at her heart.

"And the others?" Asked Gray, having just vanquished another opponent, taking place next to Juvia who just grabbed his arm without valuable reason.

"I'd say the odds of them believing us is one on two" said Jellal with a pensive tone.

"If someone can convince the others, its Jellal" added Juvia with a nod. "Many people have him in high esteem within the DFA. At least, those who are not fallen" she said as if she had a sour taste in her mouth from the last words.

"Then it's worth trying" said Gray who just managed to get out of the young woman's grip. "We will give you a hand."

"No" opposed Jellal. "It's our duty to repair part of our mistakes. You, find your friends" he said, handing his keys to Erza. "Two of them are maintained in the other section of the wall, at the end of that hall at your left."

"But Mira!" Intervened Lisanne. "She went in the opposite direction to find Laxus."

"I don't know the plans regarding that Laxus" but I know with certitude that captain Thompson is personally planning on taking care of the two other, very soon… ans I now know what that means" he said, pain on his face.

Clenching their teeth, the group of Fairy Tail agreed on Jellal's plan being the more urgent, especially now that they knew their localisation. Then the groups split. On one side, people rushing to save their friends, on the other, two soldiers willing to cleanse their past mistakes.