*Violet's POV*

I kept my eyes on the floor as I followed Erza out of the guild hall. The moment we stepped into the main room, everyone became deadly silent. I tried not to think about what they were feeling as I walked by.

We were almost out when Lucy joined us. She walked behind me through the tables on the way to the door. I could tell that she was a little annoyed that everyone was so quiet. She knew I was uncomfortable. She wanted me to feel safe.

I didn't deserve that.

Just before we made it to the door, I felt a familiar presence move ahead of us. Natsu was standing near the entrance. We made brief eye contact before I returned my eyes to the floor, but I could still feel him looking at me. I didn't want to think about him. I didn't want to see him.

Luckily he said nothing as we passed by, and soon Erza was pushing the doors open, and we stepped out of the guild hall and into the sun-lit street. Immediately, the smells and sounds of Magnolia reached me. I felt the emotional climate of the towns people rushing in to replace the less than pleasant distrust that I'd felt inside the guild hall.

I took a long, deep breath. The part I'd been dreading most was over, but I knew I wasn't out of the woods yet. I still had many hours to kill before August would arrive at Lucy's house to save me, assuming he arrived at all. Until then, there were two ways that things could go.

Either Lucy and Erza where going to try and talk to me, or they were going to leave me in an uncomfortable silence. On first glance I assumed that I would prefer the latter, but when I thought about it, both options seemed unbearable.

If they tried talking to me, then I would have to talk back, a social minefield for sure. I had thought that there where a lot of tough topics before...somehow now that I had nothing to hide, the idea of interacting with them seemed so much worse. If something hit a little too close to home, I could no longer just construct a clever lie and then pat myself on the back for deceiving them. If they started talking to me...I would have to have a real conversation. Something I hadn't done with anyone other than August or Takashi.

But if they stayed silent, would that be better? How long would I have to wait until August came back to offer companionship? What if he was silent too? I would have to sit there with them, felling their emotions, but never knowing where the emotions where coming from. I didn't like either option.

"Are you doing okay?"

The question startled me, and I looked up to find that Lucy had halted in front of me. Erza had stopped as well, appearing at my side from behind.

"I'm fine."

An obvious lie.

"You just started walking really slow." Lucy said, "We can take a break if you need it. I know you're still healing."

I blinked. Had I been going slow?

"No," I shook my head just a bit too fast, causing it to throb again. I didn't want to be outside any longer than I had to be. "I'm fine, I don't need a break."

Even if I hadn't noticed Lucy and Erza's shared glance, I would have felt their doubt with my magic.

I didn't wait for them to speak again before I started walking, this time paying more attention to where I was. I hadn't noticed I'd been walking slow, thought it did make sense. I was still getting used to being on my feet again, and my thoughts were pulling me in all directions.

We were only about halfway to Lucy's apartment, not nearly far enough for how long we'd been walking, and yet, I had been keeping pace with the other women, both of which were perfectly healthy. Or perhaps...had they been keeping pace with me?

The idea that they wouldn't leave me behind was new to me, thought I knew it made since when I considered the strange logic that seemed to drive every member of Fairy Tail.

Of course they wouldn't leave me behind, it was against their better nature.

Or because you're their prisoner.

I swallowed. The lacrama-infused bracelet that August had given me seemed to grow heavier on my wrist. I tried not to think anymore, and took to watching the paving stones disappear under my feet. Already they were going by slower and slower.

I bawled my hand into a fist and lengthened my stride. Bigger steps. Faster. More power. I was not weak. I was not weak.

I felt Lucy and Erza's concern spike, but I didn't care. I was cruising now, a full power walk, and it felt good, for about ten seconds.

I could feel the way that my feet hit the ground, it was not the sure footed steps that I was used to. My breath was starting to come faster. Sweat dripped down my temples, despite the cool breeze.

With a sigh of defeat I came to a dead stop, leaning against the closest building for support. I kept my eyes on the ground, for fear of meeting others, but I knew that we were close now. We were on the right street. If it was safe to look up I would be able to see our destination. I was so close, and yet...I couldn't bare another step.

I could feel Lucy and Erza's presence around me, though my hair blocked them from view. Both seemed to be debating whether or not to help me. I concentrated on slowing my breathing, I would wait until one of them was ready to act, then I would start moving again, it was best to avoid their concern.

Without warning, I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder. A single finger grazed my bare upper arm. With a hiss, I jumped back, out of reach. How had I not sensed that coming? I looked up just long enough to see that it was Erza who had touched me. How could she have been that sneaky? Did she figure out how I sensed her from the last time she'd tried it?

I continued to pull away from her, bringing myself closer to Lucy in my panic. Lucky she stepped away before we could collide, her concern alerting me of her presence.

I had broken their guard formation now. Behind me was nothing but open road, and I wanted nothing more than to turn on a dime and run for it. But I had just learned the hard way how unreliable my body was, and even if I could get away, I would never leave August. It was hopeless.

I tipped dangerously forward then, and for a moment I considered letting myself fall. But then I remembered that Lucy and Erza's hands would be on me in an instant, and with some effort I righted myself again.

I took a long deep breath, fighting against the unwanted burning in the back of my eyes as I turned back in the direction of Lucy's house and started walking again, slower than ever before. After a moment, I heard the other two start walking behind me.

I looked up then, now that I was safe from accidental eye contact. The sky was a brilliant blue. And for whatever reason it was that of all the things that caused the tears to start falling.