"Hi, Erza."

Stepping out from the back of a huge tree truck, Jellal greeted Erza with a gentle smile, not showing any shock from seeing the Fairy Tail mage wandering around his hide-out. Somehow his sixth sense had told him that he would meet her again sooner or later after Tartarus revealed themselves from the underworld.

"Jellal!" Erza called out in surprise and delight as the man she had been looking for since two weeks ago finally appeared in front of her, before she sighed in relief. "So you're safe…"

Jellal knew Erza was not talking about him being safe from being arrested by the Magic Council who could barely function after Tartarus' attack. Now it was his identity as the ex-Council member instead of his status as a fugitive which put his life at the biggest risk.

"Yes. Guess luck is still on my side for the time being. It seems that Tartarus is not as smart as you, or they would have already found out where I'm."

Jellall tried to tune down the seriousness of the new threat to his life. Although it would always warm his heart to know that Erza cared about him, he didn't like worrying her.

But Erza didn't seem to appreciate Jellal's approach. She knitted her brows in discontent.

"Luck is unreliable, and Tartarus is certainly not stupid. Besides, your guild has only two people which will put you at a great disadvantage if Tartarus attacks you. You should take every measure possible to avoid direct confrontation with them."

Jellal's smile turned to a bitter one. He didn't mean to anger Erza.

"I'm sorry if I sounded that I was….unmindful of my safety. I assure you that since Tartarus made their move on the ex-Council members, I've been putting extra effort in ensuring that they won't find me…at least not before I find out their weaknesses; and I promise I won't let my guard down."

Erza bit her bottom lip. She believed in Jellal. She always did. Yet, it didn't mean that she couldn't offer him her help. She knew in her heart that even Tartarus failed in finding out Jellal, the encounter between the two was inevitable in the end since it was unlikely that Jellal would back down from Crime Sorcière's mission of eliminating dark guilds.

Erza took a step closer to Jellal, looking straight into his eyes which always puzzled her with the color of their irises. She could never decide whether they were in fact olive green or golden brown because the color would change under different reflections of the light.

"Let me join you to investigate Tartarus."

"No." Jellal rejected Erza's demand without even giving a millisecond to consider it.

"Why not?"

"Erza." Jellal said her name with a little hint of frustration in his voice. "Aren't the reasons obvious?"

"The battle between you and Tartarus is personal? Well anything involved Tartarus relates to me now because that guild became Fairy Tail's enemy from the moment they attacked Laxus and Raijinshu. I shouldn't work with a fugitive? But who cares as even the Magic Council wouldn't bother to catch you under their current circumstances. It's dangerous? Then I tell you no one is really safe now under Tartarus's threat to rule our world." Erza paused to take a deep breath, still gazing Jellal with determination in her eyes. "I need to investigate Tartarus. If it's not for you, then it's for my guild, or for our world if it makes more senses. So, please, allow me to join you. Didn't Fairy Tail let you in too when you asked for our help to investigate the Eclipse?"

Jellal ran his hand through his blue locks and let out a heavy sigh, feeling utterly defeated by the arguments made by the redheaded woman.

"So it seems that you won't take 'no' for an answer."

"No. Not possible when you can't even give me one valid reason to decline my request."

Jellal thought for several seconds.

"Are you sure that Master Makarov will agree with your action? He was nice to me, so I don't want him to be angry with me for putting the life of his member in danger." He decided to try one last time to make Erza give up her request.

"'Danger' is not a valid reason, I've explained to you already. Moreover, Master believed in my judgment. He said that I could do whatever I thought was necessary to help you or to defeat Tartarus."

"Master Makarov always has great faith in his members." Jellal commented admiringly.

"He trusted you too." Erza said; her expression softened.

Jellal nodded, acknowledging the fact that if Makarov didn't trust him, he wouldn't have given his full support to Erza to help him.

And now, he had no other choice but to accept Erza's offer as he couldn't think of another reason to reject her.

"You win. Welcomed to Crime Sorcière, Erza." Jellal stretched out his hand to Erza with a small smile on his lips. Deep in his heart, he was still not so sure whether he should be worried about Erza's safety at Crime Socière or feel happy that Erza would stay by his side for some times.

Erza gladly took Jellal's hand in hers and repaid him a gentle smile.

"Thanks, Jellal."

They then stood in silence, not making a move but tightening their grip on the other's hand, allowing themselves a moment to relish in the warm exchanged between their palms.

I won't let Tartarus hurt you. They made their vows in their hearts simultaneously.