Chapter Seventy-Seven: He knows- Part One

(May 31st, 2018, Thursday Morning)

"What kinda bullshit is this?!" someone screamed seconds before a loud crash echoed throughout the arena.

Jellal paused, his plate of food hovering over the table as he turned towards the commotion. After the ordeal last night, hearing Mest yell wasn't out of the ordinary. However, watching him throw his food on the ground was new. It caught everyone's attention, a few guards making their way towards him to deal with the outburst.

'Is this still going on?' Jellal questioned as he set his food down. He took a seat with his friends, minus Gray, Natsu, and Lucy of course. They were still off base, though the details of their mission weren't disclosed among the others.

"Wonder if they're going to restrain him?" Levy asked as Jellal turned to watch the scene.

After last night's complaints, Jellal thought the matter had been resolved. Some of the survivors brought up excellent points to get their way, saying how they thought some resources could be used better.

It made sense, even if it had Jellal's stomach unsettled. They mentioned the excessive amount of guards that could be contributing to Fairy Tail in other ways, as well as plenty of food in storage.

After lots of shouting, threatening to strike, and negotiating, Makarov agreed to start serving lunch for people who worked on base. It was supposed to start today, but apparently Mest found another reason to complain.

"Calm dow—" Doranbolt tried, but he was shoved out of the way by his twin.

"Is everyone seeing these portions? They're small as fuck!"

A few parents covered their children's ears at the harsh language while others gave disapproving glares. It only riled Mest up, pointing at the survivors. "Check your plate! This breakfast is half of what we normally get!"

Mest's wild eyes found Makarov, their leader making his way towards the unruly man. "You! How dare you try to cheat us! What good is lunch if you cut the rest of our meals!"

"I assure you, Mest, no such thing has happened." Makarov looked around, raising his volume. "No one's portions have shrunk."

"Actions speak louder than words old man!"

"This does feel lighter than normal," someone said, followed by another in agreement.

Like a gust of wind the atmosphere had changed to that of last night's. Jellal reached over and grabbed Erza's hand from under the table, the two watching how their leader would handle it. Without Laxus or Cobra to back him up, Makarov didn't seem as formidable. However, Jellal had voted for Makarov to guide, and he wanted to make sure his judgement was well-placed.

The same arguments from last night resurfaced, some with valid points.

"I was supposed to retire this year! It's not fair I have to work my ass off for less!"

"I have a bad hip! I can't kill those things like the others can. Why am I being punished for that?"

"There's too many guards! Send some out there too and you'll get more than enough to cover lunches!"

"Why do the people putting on a play get more time off work! That's not fair to the rest of us! We're tired too!"

All-in-all, Makarov calmed the crowd. He listened to their concerns, acknowledged them, then told them he was going to sit down with Mest and a few others later today to discuss compromises. Jellal would love to be a fly on the wall for that meeting, but he had given up his dream to be in politics. From an outside perspective, it didn't look as rewarding of a job as he once thought. If anything, it looked like Makarov had aged ten years since the outbreak began.

Jellal turned his focus back to his breakfast when things settled, Mest cleaning up his mess while only muttering under his breath. The problem wasn't solved, but maybe there was a middle ground they could reach.

Jellal wasn't sure, but he knew one thing.

He had a bad feeling in his gut. It was unlike when he thought of the dangers beyond the gate. No, his concern was tied to the choices their fellow man would make.

Zombies were predictable.

Humans weren't.

"Glad to see you're back," Jellal said after opening the door, relief temporarily soothing the pit in his stomach. Elfman stood behind four men, waiting until they were cleared. It was good to see their faces again.

Nodding behind him, Jellal disappeared into the room. Everyone knew the drill. Strip down and spin. If someone told Jellal that was going to be his promising career when he grew up, he would have laughed. Staring at naked men wasn't on his list of fun activities, but it kept him safe and someone had to do it.

He switched from guard duty early on to be a processor since they had an abundance of guards, and now it looked like more were going to have to change jobs.

Dread settled in his stomach again, but he did his best to work through the discomfort.

"Laxus, you're good," he said after going through the man's pockets, moving on to Cobra's. He sighed, his mind refusing to forget his worries.

The arguments that morning had riled up the whole base. Threats of striking or leaving stayed in Jellal's head. They had a good thing going at Fairy Tail, but he could see how some might find it unfair.

"Cobra, you're good too."

He hollered at Elfman from beyond the door, letting the two men leave as he went to inspect Gray's clothing.

It was easy, seeing as he was missing his pants.

"I forgot to put my lock on," he said, tugging his boxers up his pale legs.

Jellal looked to Natsu, expecting a smart remark, but the man was oddly quiet. Natsu leaned against a wall, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the tile floor.

Gray noticed too, laughing as he said, "Really Flame Brain? You got nothing?" That didn't garnish a reaction either, Gray's eye twitching as he marched over there and snapped his fingers in Natsu's face.

"Huh?" He blinked before scowling. "I'm not a dog! Don't snap at me!"

"Someone's crabby," Gray mocked with a tight grin, Jellal sensing the underlying concern. "Thought for sure you'd say something about me riding my bike in my underwear."

Natsu furrowed his brows before shaking his head. "Sorry, just... I got a lot on my mind. I'm not in the mood for jokes."

Gray nodded before grabbing his shirt. "Yeah, I get that." He turned to Jellal before saying, "The mission was pretty gruesome. Didn't run into any trouble though."

That earned a soft smile from Jellal. "Good. I can't say the same for us."

Natsu's body tensed as he directed his attention to him. "Is anyone hurt?"

Jellal shook his head. "Nope. Just a possible strike coming soon." When both men gaped at him, he sighed. "I'll fill you in later. Let me get you two finished first."

"Am I good to go?" Gray asked, causing Jellal to nod. "Okay. I gotta piss first, then you can tell us what happened."

Respecting Jellal's rule about not peeing in the processing station, Gray left, after Elfman confirmed he was good to do so.

Jellal threw Natsu his boxers first before checking the pockets of his pants, pulling out more contents than usual. The doorbell and squeaky toy he expected, but the crumpled piece of paper and folded picture confused him. He didn't think as he looked at the photograph, blinking a few times as he recognized the hairstyle of the little girl featured.

One of his friends wore their hair like that on occasion.

"This looks like Lucy?"

Instead of sounding upbeat, which was typical for Natsu when talking about Lucy, he mumbled, "It is. Found it in a lake house."

Jellal frowned, wondering if Gray had been correct. Maybe they hadn't met any physical danger, but something must have happened to put Natsu in a sour mood. "A lake house?"

"Yeah. In... In that rich part of the camping site we used."

"Hmm." He didn't have anything to say on that, so he turned his attention back to the picture. "She's kinda adorable," he laughed, hoping to lighten the mood. "The missing teeth is a nice touch, and that ponytail is—"

Jellal lost his breath, eyes hyper-focusing on the photograph as something triggered in the back of his head. He searched his memory, pulling out something that he hadn't thought about in years. It was scratchy, but he saw that picture in a beautiful frame sitting on a fireplace mantel, surrounded by others like it.

His hand shook as the pieces clicked together. He pictured Lucy's face in his head, the dread he felt earlier multiplying until he thought he might throw up. It wasn't the portion of his breakfast that had him feeling nauseous. His sickening feeling stemmed from the realization that he knew.

He knew who Lucy was, and he didn't know what to do with that information.

"Am I good?" Natsu asked, startling Jellal out of his thoughts.

"Y-yeah," he said, not bothering to look over the other paper. He returned them to Natsu's pockets before handing his clothes over. With a pounding heart, Jellal informed Elfman he was in the clear, dismissing the guard before returning to find Natsu dressed.

Jellal couldn't find the words to use, debating if his memory was incorrect. What were the odds that she was his daughter? Certainly that would have come up at some point.

'Unless... No, it can't be true. There's no way.'

"So," Natsu said, voice distant as he looked up. There were dark circles under his eyes, something Jellal hadn't noticed before. "What happened while we were gone?"

Jellal swallowed, struggling to handle the new information in his head. 'Should I tell Natsu? Does he already know?'

He was seconds away from asking, but something in the back of his head told him to stop. 'Ask her first.' Either it was a misunderstanding and there was no reason to panic, or Lucy was hiding something far deeper than her real identity.

In the end he held his tongue, though he couldn't do anything to relieve the growing tension in his muscles. There was a reason Lucy kept her name a secret, and he hoped it wasn't a sinister one.

After Lucy was cleared she went to the safety of her room. She wanted to seek out Natsu for comfort, but she couldn't for two reasons. Not only was it harder on herself in the long run if she kept leaning on him every time she was down, but she also didn't think her presence would be welcomed.

Last night was suffocating. Not much was said between the five who went on the mission, but that silence wasn't peaceful. She could read it on everyone's faces. They couldn't erase what they had seen in that lake house.

Could she blame them? It was horrific, her stomach sinking every time she imagined what they were thinking of her.

Natsu had been especially distant. He didn't share the room with her. She wasn't sure he even went to sleep. He volunteered for the first shift of watch, and despite saying she would cover the next shift, Natsu never woke her.

She got up that morning when Gray knocked on her door, telling her they were heading back to Fairy Tail.

Lucy wanted to question Natsu on his odd behavior, but she decided against it. He had a rough time out there too. She imagined it was difficult seeing that, especially with how close they were. If their roles had been reversed, she wasn't sure what she would say to him either.

Though, she did wish he had offered to talk. Maybe even share the room so she didn't feel as alone. Getting to sleep hadn't been easy, Lucy's muscles aching as she took a seat at her desk. She rested her head against the wood, relishing in the cool surface.

The relief didn't last long, Lucy's heart clenching when she thought about Natsu again. She didn't want to take it personally, but it felt like he was shutting her out.

'Maybe he's rethinking me being a runner again. Maybe he's thinking my mind's still fragile.'

It wasn't made of steel, but it wasn't ready to shatter at the slightest tap either.

'I can't let it get to me,' she decided, using her time to revise her latest chapter of her original story. Makarov had promised them the day off, and she wasn't going to let it slip by worrying about things she couldn't control.

When Natsu was ready to hang out, she would welcome him with open arms.

'Well, maybe not that open.'

She sighed, knowing she had to set boundaries, but in all honesty, she didn't want to. It was safer to limit their physical touch, but with as heavy as her heart had felt the past few days, she would love nothing more than the safety of Natsu's arms.

Lucy flushed thinking about a warm hug from him before casting the thought away. She poured her rattled emotions into her story, lost in her imagination until a knock brought her back to reality.

Despite knowing better, her heart leapt, hoping Natsu had come to visit and check in with her. She cursed herself as she stood from her desk, knowing she was relying on him too much again.

That was one of the reasons he thought she couldn't be a runner in the first place. He had seen her in a pathetic state, and now that memory was probably amplified after seeing where her torture had taken place.

'I just have to trust he doesn't think less of me,' Lucy told herself as she opened the door, ready to greet Natsu.

However, another man stood there, his dark eyes haunting. Lucy braced herself on the door frame, fixing Jellal with a quizzical look. "Oh, hi?"

"I don't have much time," he said, looking around the hall before asking, "May I come in?"

Lucy's lips parted, wondering what the heck he wanted with her. It wasn't like they were strangers, but they weren't close either. Aside from when the topics of literature or books came up, they rarely spoke to each other.

"Sure?"

Lucy stepped aside, allowing Jellal in before she closed the door. "Are you okay?"

"Me? I'm fine. Well, yeah, yeah I'll be fine." Despite his words, he shook his head. "I need to ask you something, and I need you to be completely honest with me."

The intensity in his gaze had Lucy squirming. Jellal wasn't easy to read normally, but it wasn't often she had to guess what he was thinking.

"What?" She wasn't sure if she was asking for the question or asking for clarity. Could she be honest if she didn't know what he would ask? That was too dangerous, but the look on her face gave him his answer.

"I'm just going to ask. Are you Lucy Heartfilia?"

She gaped, eyes blown wide as a choked sound slipped from her throat. Aside from her private thoughts, she hadn't heard her full name spoken in what felt like ages.

"I take that as a yes," Jellal said before she could form a reply. He smoothed his face with a hand, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's not true, right?"

"I—"

"The medication? I know pharmaceutical companies can do shady shit but this—"

Lucy managed to swallow past the lump in her throat. She couldn't place Jellal's tone. Irritated? Exasperated? Disbelief? She shook her head before lowering it. "I..."

"It's true, isn't it?"

Her teeth clenched as pressure settled on her chest, similar to guilt. "I don't know, b-but I don't—" She sucked in a sharp breath before meeting Jellal's gaze. "I don't think so. M-my dad... he wouldn't."

Jude Heartfilia was power-hungry, yes, but a murderer? She didn't believe her father was capable of making something so vile, something so lethal in a twisted way. Her father couldn't be the one who created the undead, but what did she really know?

People hid the parts of themselves they didn't want anyone to find. She had done the same, yet somehow Jellal figured it out? Her brows furrowed, her confusion growing as the seconds ticked by. How did he know? The only thing that changed was a group going to the lake house, but not only did they not tell people where they were going for their mission, every shred of evidence in there that said she was a Heartfilia had been burned by Ivan's hands.

Her journal, her schoolwork, her personal items. Every piece of mail, everything with their name on it was gone. They couldn't have found her ID. That was tucked away in her purse at the hospital, and she doubted Fairy Tail had gone there yesterday.

"Why lie about your last name then?" Jellal asked, pinning Lucy with his stare. She had never seen him more serious, her heart sinking as she thought of her answer.

He had a valid question. If her family wasn't the cause, why hide her identity? He wouldn't understand her reasons. Even thinking about them now, they held no merit. She chose her words carefully, seeing they only irritated Jellal. "I never lied. I just didn't tell anyone."

"Because?" Frustration leaked into his tone, causing her body to heart to drop.

She didn't want to upset her friends, and Jellal looked pissed. She gulped, answering honestly. "People treat me differently when they know I come from money. I thought... that might happen here too."

"Why the hell would that matter now?" Jellal asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked around her room for emphasis. "It's not like that wealth followed you here, so there's no reason to hide it."

Lucy fought the tears wanting to form, remembering the snide comments made about her when people thought she couldn't hear. Spoiled. Entitled. Pompous. Snooty. People judged her by her last name alone. Sure, she lived up to the title on occasion, but she wasn't a bad person. She was never intentionally cruel to people. She enjoyed her parent's money. That didn't make her a monster.

Lucy debated playing the victim, but she decided against it. She could tell Jellal how Ivan taunted her about her last name, calling her a spoiled brat as he smacked her. He had started carving 'Brat' into her thigh once, but she had kicked him hard in the nose. That bloody mess earned her three days of solitude. No light. No food. No water. She wasn't even sure he kept his word. It felt like months before he finally opened her door and let her sip some lake water.

He hadn't tried carving the word into her skin after that, but he found plenty of other ways to make her life a living hell.

Lucy's shoulders sagged, her voice hollow as she said, "I still thought people might judge me. And then when Gray," she waved her hand, "started talking about the diet pills, I decided it was best to just not say anything."

She met Jellal's gaze with her own intensity, summoning her strength and feeling the words in her heart. "My father wasn't the best, but he would never allow something like this to happen. He loved my mom more than anyone in the world, and he didn't stop her from taking those pills. He wouldn't hurt her or anyone else. I can promise you that."

Jellal stared back for a moment, his eyes unwavering before he sighed. "Alright, fine." He ran his fingers through his long blue hair. "Fair enough," he said, shaking his head. "I understand why you want to keep it a secret now, but why not just tell Gray and convince him his idea is asinine."

"I—" Her strength faltered, fear taking up residence in her chest. It intensified after recalling how supportive he was yesterday. "I'm scared he won't believe me, and then he'll know. I don't want him treating me differently. I don't want anyone doing that."

Natsu's face surfaced in her mind. She saw the pain in his eyes whenever he spoke of lost friends along the way. If there was even a chance he might blame her for what happened, she couldn't let him find out.

She wouldn't be able to live with him resenting her.

It was better to bury her last name. She wasn't that person anymore, and despite wanting her family back, she didn't want that life again. It felt superficial to the one she lived now. That Lucy was smart and clever, but she didn't feel love like she did now. She didn't experience true friendships and laughter that had her stomach hurting and eyes watering with joy.

They were all prisoners to the infection going on beyond the gates of Fairy Tail, but at the same time, she felt free.

"I don't feel like Lucy Heartfilia anymore. I'm just Lucy, and I like that."

Jellal took a deep breath. "Okay." He averted his eyes before shaking his head. "I never really believed Gray's theory anyways, it's..."

"Bizarre?"

He blew out a breath while nodding. "That's putting it lightly." He frowned as he glanced at her. "I've always leaned more towards biological warfare."

Lucy hummed. She had entertained a few possible causes for the outbreak, but out of all of them, that one made the most sense. "I wish I knew what caused it."

Jellal didn't answer, but she could see it on his face. He wanted that too.

They all wanted answers.

'Speaking of answers...'

Lucy tilted her head as she asked, "How did you figure it out?"

"What?"

"My last name?"

"Oh. The picture Natsu has."

Lucy blinked, unable to follow. "What picture?"

"Of you, as a kid." Jellal held out his hand by his legs to show how tall Lucy looked in the photo. "You were next to a cow or something."

Lucy let that sink in. She vaguely recalled a picture like that, but she was sure Ivan destroyed everything. 'Unless—' Her eyes grew wide, wondering if one escaped his clutches. "Natsu has it?" she asked, earning a nod. "D-Does it say anything on it? My name?"

Jellal paled. "I didn't think to look on the back." He must have been thinking the same thing she had, because he asked, "I take it he doesn't know?"

Lucy swore she had sour milk in her stomach from how bad it churned. "Do—" Her hands by her sides shook, her legs growing numb. She grabbed the edge of her desk to keep herself upright. Her head spun, remembering how distant Natsu had been after entering that lake house.

'He knows.'Lucy's knuckles whitened as reality set in. 'He knows, and he's mad about it.'

She took a string of deep breaths, shaking her head. 'No, no he probably doesn't know. Not everything's about me, so it's possible something else is on his mind. But... what?'

Was he acting weird because of what happened on their day off? It was only the day before yesterday that they shared what she thought was an intimate moment in the house they planned on someday occupying, but it felt like weeks had passed.

Was that the cause of his odd behavior, or was something else troubling him?

"He was acting strange," Jellal said, not helping her anxiety. "There's no reason to worry though. Natsu doesn't believe the theory either."

"R-right," Lucy choked out, nearly stumbling as she turned. Her weight settled against the desk, her knees too wobbly to support herself. 'If it does have my full name on that picture... then he knows. He doesn't think Gray's right, but what if he's doubting it now? What if him being so quiet is him overthinking it?'

'Maybe I'm overthinking it?'

"Probably," Jellal said.

She pressed her fingers to her lips, surprised she voiced her concerns. "Sorry," she mumbled, shaking her head. "I'm just..."

'Just... what?'

Her fingers curled as she looked at Jellal, finding no answers to her dilemma. She knew what she needed to do. Talk to Natsu and find out what he knew, but the idea of confronting him now had her on edge. How was she supposed to look him in the eye when there was a possibility he could blame her for all the misfortune around them?

How could see face him with that hanging over her head?

'My dad didn't do anything wrong,' she told herself, ignoring the rumors of him having an affair or doing inside deals with the stock market. Those were typical of a man in power, but mass murder?

Impossible.

She would know if her father had a heart capable of that.

Lucy forced herself to swallow, her face pale as she summoned her strength. "I'm... worried," Lucy admitted, the life in her draining. After everything she witnessed yesterday, her energy was depleted. She thought today was a chance to recharge, but she didn't see that happening.

Not until she cleared the air with Natsu, but, did he even want to talk to her?

Was it best to give him space? Or would leaving him alone with his thoughts drive a rift between them? What if he was now considering Gray's theory because she kept her last name a secret?

"What should I do?" Lucy asked, earning a frown from Jellal.

"Honestly, I don't know. I get why you kept it a secret in the beginning, but I doubt anyone would treat you differently."

"Unless they believe Gray."

It looked as if Jellal was going to roll his eyes but thought better of it. He sighed, nodding. "Which isn't likely. I bet Alvarez is behind this."

Lucy's eyes closed as she recalled a memory. "One of my professors was talking about the possibilities of attacks, but they said it would probably be a retaliation if Fiore struck first."

"There's a lot of us here that believe the same." Jellal shrugged before walking towards her door. "Either way, I don't think there's any harm in telling Natsu." A sliver of a smile formed as he added, "I doubt anything could change the way he feels about you."

If Lucy didn't feel defeated, she might have blushed. "Thanks." She knew Jellal meant friendship. It was obvious they weren't destined for more.

She was just the last person to realize it.

"I have to get back, but thanks for clearing that up." Jellal pulled the handle before casting her one last glance. "I won't tell, in case you were wondering."

Before Lucy could say thanks, another question popped in her head. "Wait!"

"Yeah?" Jellal turned to find Lucy standing.

Her head was still hazy with uncertainty, but there was one truth she couldn't ignore. "If you didn't look at the back, how do you know?"

Jellal's eyes widened before he shut the door. "Oh, right. A few years back I was invited to a lake house with some coworkers. I was doing an internship at the Magnolia pharmaceutical branch. They said the house belonged to," he nodded, "your father. I saw some of the pictures in there and recognized your side hair thing. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have made the connection."

Lucy reached up, brushing her fingers over her hair. It was down, but she knew what he meant. It was something she did as a kid and occasionally did it as an adult. She would pull some of her hair into a side ponytail because her mom thought it looked cute.

She never thought it would be enough to single her out.

"Oh."

"Yeah. It was a fun weekend. We fished, shot some guns, and relaxed." Jellal blew out a breath. "I remember the place being covered in pictures of your family. I wasn't one-hundred percent sure, but one look at your face confirmed it. You're her."

"Was her," Lucy mumbled, but Jellal didn't comment.

"Anyways, I'll see you at lunch." He shook his head as he reached for the door again. "Hopefully there's no drama with that again."

Before Lucy could ask what he meant, he opened the door. "See you la—Hey?"

Lucy perked up, thinking he was talking to her. Instead of turning, Jellal kept his back to her, speaking towards the hallway. "You here to see Lucy?"

Her brows furrowed as she took a step closer, only to halt when she heard his voice.

"Yeah, she busy?"

"Nope," Jellal said, widening the door. He turned towards her, pressing a finger to his lips. "I'll keep it a secret if you do."

While Lucy's jaw went slack, Natsu cocked his head. "Secret?"

Jellal nodded, scooting his way out of the room. "She's going to get a present for Erza for her birthday, right Lucy?"

Lucy's eyes widened, but she recovered quickly. "Yes," she said, voice scratchy as the lie came out. Or, maybe it wasn't a lie? Maybe that was Jellal's way of saying if she scratched his back, he would scratch hers.

A present to keep her secret. Considering what was at stake, she could agree to those terms.

"I'll pick out something nice for her."

Jellal smiled, though it was tense. Natsu didn't seem to notice, his eyes fixed on Lucy. "Oh, cool." His words didn't match his tone, the man looking lost outside of her door. He looked at Jellal, then Lucy. "Can, um... I come in?"

Jellal glanced at her over Natsu's shoulder, nodding as he mouthed something. She was terrible at reading lips, but if she had to guess, he was telling her to talk to him.

Lucy couldn't find her voice, instead gesturing him in as Jellal made his exit. He offered one last wave before heading down the hall.

He kept his thoughts on what he learned about Lucy. It was easier dealing with that than the reality in front of him. He should have known better. He couldn't avoid reality, Erza waiting for him outside of the men's processing station when he returned.

"Do you have a minute?" she asked, earning a reluctant nod from her husband as he unlocked the door. There was no one waiting to shower, so he invited her inside for privacy.

"I'll keep this brief," she said, her voice echoing against the tiles. He occupied himself by lighting a lantern, afraid of her decision. Last night it seemed like she wanted to talk about what Mest and the others were saying, but he had steered the conversation in his favor.

Maybe it was wrong, but he couldn't bear the thought of her in danger.

However, Erza had made up her mind.

"I've decided I'm going to leave the guard," she said, the haunting words stirring up his fear.

He was shaking his head by the time he turned towards her. He didn't get a chance to disagree, Erza's steel gaze leaving no room for debate. "I've informed Makarov. Starting next week, I'll be joining the runners."

Jellal stood, closing the distance between them. "Is there anything I can say or do to change your mind?" he asked, knowing he had to at least try.

When Erza shook her head, his shoulders fell. He knew the answer before he even asked the question. He was wise, learning from his mistakes as well as those others made. He saw the stance Erza took when it came to the 'Lucy being a runner' debate.

He wanted to convince her to stay on base, to switch to a safer job if she couldn't stay with the guard. Mest brought up excellent points last night, saying they had too many guards. Half of them did continuous patrols because there wasn't enough work for them to go around.

He understood Erza's decision, but he didn't like it.

'Especially since...'

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders before pulling her in for a hug, his other hand settling on her waist. His vision of her stomach full and round with their child appeared in his mind, but he had to kiss that dream goodbye.

They had talked about starting a family now that Fairy Tail felt safe, but she couldn't risk a pregnancy while working off base.

It was a stretch of a dream anyway. Some days their safety felt more like an illusion, tricking them into lowering their guard.

"I'll join you," Jellal said, feeling her shake her head against his chest.

"Someone has to process—"

"They'll find someone else."

"Jellal—"

He held her tighter, fighting the sting in his eyes as tears formed. Erza's voice faltered as she exhaled, her arms wrapping around him.

"Okay," she whispered, fingers gently running against his back. "We'll do it together."

Jellal clenched his teeth, biting back the searing pain in his heart. Regret and guilt clouded his mind despite no changes happening yet.

He mourned the future they were giving up, knowing the chances of them having a family dwindled by the second.

But, those seconds counted. He wasn't going to risk losing time he could have with Erza. He wasn't sure if he believed in a soul, but he knew if he had one Erza held it. She was his whole world, and nothing was going to keep them apart.

Not zombies.

Starvation.

Or people challenging Fairy Tail's rules.

As long as they had each other, they could take on any challenge that came their way.

.

.

.

Thank you so much for all the support! I appreciate all the feedback last time: samurai of sunflowers(x2), FyreFalcon, ElementalMiko12(x2), fairytailfanatic0703, theunicorn22, valerioux, BeachBumBabe, sakshishetty3003, anneryoko(x2), Skibblez, Copperreign12, shootingstarssel, guest, lovelyleveret, Tohka123, galactiaconstella, dareaderreads, AnimusLunari777, Guest, Sam, SwordBlaze221, Patpat, Lodemai04, SistershoOk, Letavia, MycatLucario, stranger1999, Duchixx, CathJorda, Shio Uchiha(x2), FlameDragonHime, FearGod5, Guest, and biscoiju!

Tension is running high for Fairy Tail. Can a few compromises keep the peace? Or are they heading into disaster?

Up next, Chapter Seventy-Eight: He knows- Part Two

It shouldn't take too long for the next update. It's all written, just need to edit it. Hopefully won't be longer than a week, but we'll see!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter! Next chapter is 96% all Natsu and Lucy. (I calculated it) Hope you'll enjoy it!

*I ran out of time this morning to post on AO3 and Tumblr, but I'll do that in a few hours when I can get back to my laptop. Thank you again!