After the adrenaline from the battle wore away, the pain became greater than I could handle. Although I had not originally wanted Natsu's help, I now saw that it truly was my only way back to the guild hall. If he had not been carrying me, then I was sure that I would have passed out before even leaving the woods.

Natsu did not speak as he walked. And I felt in him a kind of block, he was refusing to deal with the new emotions until we got back. Until the master had decided what to do with me.

I stared at the back of Natsu's neck. Even though he had been carrying me for nearly an hour already, the feeling of it still felt wrong. My clothes were torn in many places, allowing our skin to touch. I didn't like being read in general, but to be forced to share my emotions for so long was starting to wear on my nerves. I wondered what he felt in me. Fear? Pain? I wished I could see into my own head the way he was just then. The way I saw into others'.

I wondered what August would do when we returned to the guild hall. Maybe he could get away, if I lied hard enough, he could have a chance to escape; to live a good life. Somewhere far away from both gilds

As we walked on I found myself beginning to slip in and out of consciousness. At first I fought it. To be so vulnerable in the hands of my enemy was not something I wanted to happen. But after awhile I realized that it wouldn't matter what I was awake or not when we got back to the guild hall. I was in no condition to fight back. Whatever the master desired, that would be my fate. I might as well have been a rag doll.

"Hey," Natsu called, bouncing me against his back, "Try to stay awake alright."

I groaned. Things were easier without a third party spying on my emotions.

"Don't give me that." Natsu said, reading me again, "I'd hate to see what August would do if you came back dead."

"He'd get over it." I mumbled. He'd been trained to.

Natsu's stomach turned. "How can you say that?" he asked, "Isn't he your brother? You would just leave him like that?"

I sighed. At this point that would probably be better for him.

"That's not true." Natsu said.

Again I wished he couldn't read me.

"We're almost there. Just...hang on till then."

The idea of getting back to the guild hall made me want to throw up, but I didn't argue. There was nothing I could do about it anyway.

It wasn't long before we passed Carida Cathedral, it was then that I began to shake. I didn't want to go back there. They would send me to the council, or worse, back to Justice Valerie. I began to cry again.

I knew Natsu must have noticed my break down, but he said nothing. He probably just didn't want to deal with it. Not when he was so close to being rid of me.

When we reached the guild hall Natsu kicked open the doors without hesitation. I pushed my face into his scarf and closed my eyes. I didn't want to see how they reacted. But I knew there was nothing to stop me from feeling it.

A moment before we entered I felt the happy go lucky atmosphere that I had grown to know. But once Natsu and I were thought the doors, it began to disappear. The talking stopped. I hear someone drop a cup; the shattering glass echoed through the hall. "Someone get the master!" Natsu yelled, "Tell him to meet us in the infirmary."

As Natsu walked deeper into the guildhall questions began to fly.

"What happened?"

"Where they attacked?"

"Someone should tell August."

"Where is August?"

I felt a hand touch my back, but it did not feel my skin. I tried to focus enough magic energy to read the emotional signature, but I didn't have enough to get an accurate reading.

"She looks pretty bad."

I felt Natsu turn, facing the owner of the hand, "Wendy," he sighed, "Can you help her?"

"I can try." she nodded.

We entered the infirmary and Natsu shut the door behind us, muting the babble from the main hall. I wondered where August was. If he had seen me he would have followed us. Or maybe he knew what happened. Maybe he had already gotten away.

With Wendy and Carla's help, Natsu placed me in one of the beds. Although Natsu's touch had been problematic for me, it was strange to be without it now. I felt utterly alone.

I opened my eyes and rolled over in the bed, facing away from where I sensed the others were standing.

"She's awake?" Wendy asked.

"Last I checked." Natsu said.

I stared at the closed door, wondering if there was any chance of escape.

"What happened to you two out there?" Carla asked.

Natsu hesitated. "It's a long story."

"But-" she was cut off when the door opened.

Master Makarov lingered in the doorway for a moment before walking into the room. He was staring right at me. Natsu quickly circled around the bed, coming between us, hidding me form the master's icy gaze.

"We need to talk." Natsu said.

"I imagine we do." the master nodded.

The door opened yet again and Erza came through, "What the hell happened out there?" she asked, "Where is August? He needs to know about this." she turned, perhaps to find him, but the master stopped her with a raise of his hand.

"I'll explain everything later." he said, "But for now I need to speak with Natsu, alone. Could you...keep an eye on Violet?"

Erza raised an eyebrow, obviously not understanding. But I did. The master didn't trust me to be here without a guard. But I didn't blame him. I would have done the same.

"Just...make sure no one comes in or out, okay?" the master asked.

"If you say so," Erza sighed, taking a seat on the bed next to mine. The master gave me one last look, a warning, and then he left with Natsu, shutting the door behind him.

I could feel the confusion of the others in the room. I was the only one there that had a clue what was going on.

Wendy walked over to my side of the bed, and I resisted the urge to turn away from her again. "First I'm just going to see how bad it is okay?" she asked.

I nodded, and her hand came down on my forehead. I knew she could read me, but that wasn't what she was worried about. She was looking only for physical wounds, and using her own magic to do so. And even if she was looking for my emotions, I doubted she would be able to piece together what happened without an explanation. And I wasn't going to give her one.

I didn't want her wasting magic energy on me. Not after what I'd done. But even if I told her to stop I knew she wouldn't. That's Fairy Tail for you...

Wendy moved around me, placing her gentle hands on parts of me that I had forgotten where injured.

Erza asked me what had happened, but I just shook my head as tears began to escape me again. Erza was anything but reassured, but she didn't ask again. I didn't say much of anything. I hoped they could write it off as shock or something of that caliber.

As Wendy worked, I did start to feel a little better, even if only physically. After a few warnings from Carla, Wendy finally stopped, and I was grateful for the healing she had done, however undeserved.

With the help of Erza, Wendy found some pajama like hospital clothes, drawstring pants and a bubblegum pink button up. Even thought they would not be my first choice in color, I was grateful to be free of my destroyed stealth suit.

Once I was changed, Wendy began to wrap bandages around my burned arm, and place the broken one in a sling. She said that even with healing, it would be a few days before I was well, and warned me to stay in bed. Just as Wendy finished with my bandages, the door opened again. Instantly I felt my resolve shatter. The Master and Natsu had returned.

The Master's lips were tight, and I didn't have enough magic energy left to make an accurate guess as to why. "I would like to talk with Violet." he said.

Most of the others saw this as their cue to leave, and did so, leaving only Natsu.

"You can go to Natsu." the master ordered.

"But-"

"I'm sure Happy is eager to see you," the master said, "and you both need rest. Go."

Natsu didn't look happy about it, but he did as he was told, and left me alone.

The master grabbed a chair from the corner and scooted it over to me before sitting in it casually. It was obvious this wasn't going to be a short conversation.

"Natsu has told me what happened." he said, "but I would like to hear your side of the story, from the beginning, if you don't mind."

"It was just me." I said immediately, "August had nothing to do with it."

The Master raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised, but then he shook his head, almost apologetically. "I can understand why you would want to protect August," he said, "but he is sitting in my office after trying to run away when Happy came in earlier."

I cursed under my breath. So there was no chance of saving him then. What now? I debated whether or not to lie. I could just say nothing. That's what Takashi had taught me to do. What had August done? I knew they would compare my story to his. If I lied, surely something would give it away, I had no idea what they already knew.

"I don't want to talk." I decided.

"Your brother tried the silent treatment as well." the master said, "Is that what they told you to do? Back at Justice Valkyrie?"

I swallowed, so he did get August to talk after all.

"I understand your hesitation to share." the master said. "But I'm sure you understand why I need to know the whole truth."

I took a deep breath. If August had decided to talk, then I would follow his lead. "I don't know what August told you. But we are assassins from Justice Valkyrie. We were sent here to eliminate five targets."

The master nodded, he had heard this part before, but I had to tell it again, to prove August was right. And so I told him everything. Every detail since August and I boarded the train to Magnolia. I told him about our plan, and Takashi, and then how scared I had been when he'd first pulled me into his office. At first the words came slow, spastically. Debriefs where no stranger to me, but I knew this was different, even if I didn't want it to be. The names I mentioned now weren't just targets to this man. They were faces, family. People he loved. And yet as I told him of our plans to kill them he remained perfectly calm.

When I got to the part of the story when August told Justice Valkyrie's policy for failed missions, I'd expected the master to react. But his expression didn't change, and I didn't have the strength to properly read him. I didn't understand.

After describing our plan to kill Natsu I stopped talking. I wasn't ready to relive the events in the forest quite yet. I was afraid that I would have no other choice. But the master nodded, seemingly satisfied with what I had already disclosed.

"We both know how it ends." he said.

I waited for him to call in and report us to the magic council, or throw me out of the guild hall into the street. But he did neither.

He stood from his chair and walked to my bed, placing his hand gently on mine, reading me, "has everything that you told me tonight been entirely truthful."

I took a deep breath. If I lied now he would sense it.

"Yes."

He nodded, stepping back.

"What are you going to do with us?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

"Normally anyone who has hurt another member is kicked out immediately." the master said, "but under the-"

"So not August then?" I asked hopefully.

The master smiled. "You have a good heart Violet. I will not be kicking anyone out tonight." and then he walked out of the infirmary, ending the conversation.

I sighed, hoping to enjoy some time alone, but the master had hardly been gone a moment then the door opened again and Natsu and Erza stepped thought. Erza was staring at me strangely. I rolled over, not wanting to look at them.

"So you told her?" I asked Natsu, staring at the wall.

"Gramps told me to." he said. He seemed to be using this as some kind of justification, but I didn't really care either way. I heard the door open and Wendy ran to my side of the bed. She was carrying a tray of ice and a bottle of pills.

"For your arm." she held up the tray.

"Thanks." I rolled onto my back and Wendy set the tray down so that my arm could lie in it comfortably. I had to admit it did make me feel better. Wendy then prepared a glass of water, and Erza moved in, helping my sit up to take the pills. I noticed that Natsu stayed where he was, watching us from the conner.

"These pills will help you sleep." Wendy said.

"You mean they'll knock me out?" I asked.

"Well...not exactly…"

"I don't want them." I said. I'd had pills like those before. I knew they would give me nightmares. "I want to be able to wake up when I want."

Wendy glanced at Erza, asking for help.

"You'll be fine," Erza said soothingly, "You need rest to heal."

"I can manage without."

Erza gave me a pointed look. Even without silver tongue, the message was clear. If I didn't take the pills willingly, she was going to force them down my throat. I sighed and grabbed the cup from Wendy. I felt the smooth capsules side down my throat. No going back now.

"It's late," Wendy said, "Get some rest, and we'll be here when you wake."

I nodded, already feeling the pill's effects weighing me down. Whether I liked it or not, tomorrow would be a new day.