Jellal burst into the guild hall of Fairy Tail's building almost breaking their door when he finally arrived at the guild after three days of non-stop travelling, gaining him a few surprised gasps from the members in the hall. But he didn't even waste one second to slow down his rapid breathing or to apologize for his reckless when opening his month.

"Wh…where's…Erza?" To no one particular, he panted out with a sense of urgency in his tone.

"Come here."

It was Mira who addressed Jellal's question immediately and signaled him to follow her lead. The white-haired take-over mage didn't bother to ask the blue-haired fugitive why he was looking for Erza knowing the only answer to the question.

"How's she now?" Walking closely behind Mira, Jellal asked nervously.

The news of Fairy Tail confronting Tartarus which caused several of its' famous members to get seriously injured spread across the country in the last few days. Jellal was already anxious about the situation of the friendly guild and its members before founding out the names of the injured. But soon horror replaced worries flooding over him at the instant he learned that Erza was one of the victims.

He was well aware that exposing his tracks to come to Fairy Tail would not only interrupt his secret investigation on Tartarus, but would also risk both his and Fairy Tail's safety in view that he was one of the targets of Tartaus being an ex-member of the Magic Council. Yet, he really couldn't bear to stay at the hide-out any longer not knowing Erza's real condition. What if she…

"Porlyusica had stabilized her condition, no life-threatening symptom presented." Mira's answer helped clearing some of Jellal's worries.

"But…"

This word made Jellal's heart skip a bit. He felt like being stabbed mercilessly at his heart as the bad news finally revealed by Mira after a moment of death silence.

"She was still sleeping when I watched her half hour ago." Mira told Jellal before knocking on the door to the female infirmary. When hearing no response, she opened the door and stepped aside to let Jellal walking in.

"She's at the far right of the room. Take your time."

"Thanks, Mira."

Mira nodded with a small smile and then walked away.

Jellal closed the door after entering the room. There were a total of five beds in the room, each separated by a partition. He noticed that three of the beds were occupied with patients who all seemed to be in their sleep.

He slowly walked towards Erza's bed, balling his hands into fists as fear rising in his heart followed every step he took. When he finally reached Erza's bedside, he couldn't help gasping at Erza's condition even he had already been warned by Mira in advance.

Erza's body was concealed beneath a blanket that Jellal couldn't tell how serious her body was hurt. What he could see was the cuts on her face, and the swab covering her right eye.

She lost her right eye.

Mira's words rang loudly in Jellal's head, matching with the brutal reality displaying in front of his every eye.

It was then he felt some extremely familiar feelings exploded inside him, running through his every vein and invading his every cell, like a mad beast had been set free from its' imprisonment in his heart trying to take over him. His heartbeat started to race, his breath became heavier and his blood seemed to boil.

Zeref.

He couldn't stop his body from shaking uncontrollably as he thought about who was the one behind all those people and demons who took away Erza's right eye, twice.

"I will make them pay…make you pay…" His trembling voice seeped through his gritting teeth, transforming the unsettle feelings into a promise of revenge he swear to carry out.

"Je…llal?"

Her voice calling his name, despite being so small, immediately caught Jellal's attention nonetheless pulling him back from his thought to the reality.

"Erza!"

Jellal sat down on the chair at Erza's bedside and observed her cautiously. His heart shattered as he saw sadness and fear clouding her unusually bright and warm brown eyes. He opened his month trying to say something to comfort her. But to his surprise, she spoke up before he did.

"I'm fine. It's not like I've never experienced this before. I'll overcome it again just like how I did last time." Erza forced a smile on her face in an attempt to strengthen the credibility of her words, but at the same time thought that her smile must look terrible since she actually want to cry.

Being the mighty Titania of Fairy Tail, she had already made up her mind to continue fighting for her guild and comrades even with only one eye left. She would not give in to the fear and pain which Tartarus tried to force upon her. But when this man who was now sitting right in front of her, who in the past had saved her, betrayed her, forgot her and almost kissed her but still called himself her friend only, gave her that expression and spoke those words at the sight of the injuries she received, he easily hit the most fragile spot on her heart in a way no other person could do to her, bringing tears to her eyes.

She felt as though she was suddenly reliving one of the most horrible moments from her…no, their past.

"And Jellal, please don't forget what you said to me at the time when we met at the Nirvana." Erza stretched her hand out from under the blanket to Jellal as she made her plea. Jellal grabbed her hand without hesitation and held it tightly between his palms. "Don't let hatred consuming you once again…because of me."

All of a sudden, Jellal realized that he had misunderstood the reason for Erza to look sad and scared.

It was not the cruel fate of losing her right eye again which haunted her.

It was him, Jellal Fernandes.

She felt his explosive emotions, and was frightened that he would repeat the mistakes he made at the time her right eye was firstly taken away.

Jellal couldn't suppress the feelings of shame and guilt from rising in his heart as he uncovered the truth, which joined the flaming anger that running through his body, torturing his mind and senses. Yet, he refused to let them crushing him. For the sake of the woman he loved, he would stay strong, and he would fight off whatever feelings and emotions which threatened to take away his sanity this time.

Still holding Erza's hand, Jellal bowed his head making contact between his forehead and his hands as if he was going to make a prayer.

"Never will I allow history to repeat on us." Jellal's voice was soft, but his tone was firm. "And this time, I'll stay by your side to fight with you until the day victory comes to us."

"Thank you, Jellal." Feeling relieved, Erza finally smiled from her heart.