Erza shot up from her satin sheets, eyes puffy and stained red from the countless tears she shed just the night prior. Bile rose in her throat nearly immediately, forcing her out of bed and into the bathroom down the hall. Lurching towards the toilet bowl and emptying her throat, her lips burned, body begging for care after two days of neglect. "Shit..." she whispered to herself, wiping her lips and rinsing out her mouth in a hurry to get back to wallowing in self pity. Stumbling into the kitchen, she opened the fridge door, finding nothing but ketchup, few soup ingredients, misplaced nori sheets and some rice vinegar. It was empty as it always was, no different from the last time she checked last night, much to her surprise. The rain outside never helped, somehow. It always did, when they sat together by the open window late in the stormy nights and shared a cup of tea. When they would ruin their clothes just to dance in the rain to together, soaked garments instigating colds. Now, it was worsening her mood as the fridge closed slowly and she dragged herself to sit on her cold sofa. Maybe it was because of his absence, the fact that she wasn't used to being old and alone during the rain. She felt pathetic and utterly miserable, a common feeling yet just as burning as it was every single time it came and went. It was always like this, after all, she never stayed in her own home. Her eyes were heavy, hair a complete knotted mess and skin uncared for. She was a disaster without him to hold her and her life together— it was undeniable, they both knew it. Everyone could tell by her appearance, the way she hadn't shown up for work after the party. At this point, just about everything upset her, made her feel sad and alone, something she was not so fond of. Especially after meeting Jellal, being alone was just never something that she had to endure because she would be busy working or cozying up on Jellal's bed and preparing to watch a romantic film. Every single thought of him was so painful. She missed their life together so dearly and it had barely even been two days since they had last met at the party. She distracted herself, thinking of the pain in her stomach and random uneasy gut feeling. Did artificial aphrodisiacs really have such a strong effect on the human body? Would it really take two mornings of agony and vomit to empty it from her system? How much of the damn drug did the freak use? Her head swirled with unanswered questions as she buried her head in the pillows of her couch. She hadn't really used it since their make up and her home needed cleaning.
Knock knock
A few light taps of the wooden door to her apartment echoed through her ears, nearly passing through her emptied mind before she rose up and opened the door with her eyes sleepily shut, not a second thought hitting her of potential danger and her lack of defense. Wendy passed by her, plastic bags crumpling beside her as she entered the apartment and placed the goods on Erza's table. "What're you doing here?" She asked, a bit of a grumble in her tone as she spilled the items onto her table. Instantly, a small pink box caught her eye. Wendy maneuvered her way into the kitchen, kicking away small piles of dirty laundry that had accumulated over the past few weeks of neglection.
"You'd think after telling me you've missed your period for almost a month now and that you've been sick every morning, you'd expect me to come at some point. So sorry Juvia, your first option is in bed recovering from sever wounds but I'm not a child, Erza..." She sighed. "Well, you're either dense or stupid. Regardless, you're gonna need someone to hold your hand for a while if what I suspect is right." She muttered, groaning at the lack of food in her friend's fridge. "I should have brought some form of food other than fucking nori sheets, ketchup, rice vinegar and soup ingredients, shouldn't I have, Erza? I don't know what I expected, good lord. You're hopeless." She rolled her eyes, slamming the door shut and slumping down on to a chair.
"I don't need anyone to hold my damn hand, Lima. I'm not five."
"Aren't you? With the way you're acting, It really seems like you are. Look at you, Erza. Your own home is a disaster, you are a disaster!! You can't even use common sense right now because of how out of it you are, get a hold of yourself. You've gone through this before, you can't expect Juvia to help you through each and every one of your problems. Or me, or anyone because she's busy fighting for her life right now. Jellal left you, it was I don't know- 80% your fault? —and you have to accept it, Bethel. He's not here to hold your life together anymore, stop avoiding your problems, it's pathetic."
"You think I don't know that?" Erza whispered, tears gathering in her eyes at the memories of her love. "What are you so upset about? Did your crush sleep with some bitch from a night club? I didn't ask you to come here, I have my ways of coping and I don't appreciate you slandering me for it." Wendy glared at the red head, voice laced with venom as she spoke.
"Go take the damn test and tell me the results, I'll clean up here." Erza snatched the small pink box and locked herself in the bathroom, staring at the item with a fixed scowl. Wendy sighed in her seat, beginning to clean up after the assassin in the bathroom.
Minutes had passed when another set of light knocks sounded from the door. Stronger but controlled. Wendy opened the door, rolling her eyes at the sight of Jellal holding a box likely filled with Erza's belongings. She shook her head and scowled, a form of asking him what he wanted as he looked down at her.
"Uh I came to drop off some of Erza's things, I'm just gonna leave them in her room." He muttered, confused by Wendy's presence. The apartment's disorderly state and lack of natural light made him inwardly cringe in discomfort. Something he should have been used to, seeing as Erza almost was never in her house and much less spending time cleaning it. Wendy said nothing and slipped back into the kitchen as Jellal stepped over piles of laundry to access her room. Placing the box of items on her unmade bed, he paused for a brief moment before quickly making his way out. Unexpectedly, he caught the familiar sound of Erza's small voice whine in the bathroom. He paused and thought for a moment, knocking on the door and hearing her jump in surprise, gentle rustling followed. "Oh Erza~" he sighed, imagining the surprised look on her face if she were to see his face. "Your house is a mess." She nodded to herself, knowing how pathetic she must seem. "Why is your world flipping upside down? Act mature, yeah?" He continued, a bit more serious.
"I know." She whispered. Jellal scowled, clenching a fist at his side. Ignoring the searing pain in his chest at hearing her voice— strained and broken.
"Get your shit straight baby, I am not your man." He finished with a bit of a bite to his voice, receiving a small "yes" as a response. And with that, he left, not knowing of her teary eyes and slumped over position. Not knowing of the small stick resting atop the sink counter. A sob escaped her at the sound of her door slamming closed and his presence vanishing from her imagination. Everything was falling before her, her only source of happiness now forever infuriated with her and any form of a dream she'd had now crumbling to pieces. Positive, it read. Positive.
Positive, positive, positive, positive.
No matter how many she took, they were always positive. One week later, still positive. She wasn't pregnant, she couldn't be pregnant, how would that ever be possible? Her? An assassin bearing a child? The questions were endless, it was a miracle and a half that all Wendy was able to muster was "Well shit, good luck." And leave, taking an apple with her from the now clean kitchen.
Just as many tests it took to confirm her fears, it took the same amount of days to let the news sink into her mess of a reality. The very next thought after "This isn't real," was "I can't drag my child into this world." I refuse to selfishly drag a child into this hell of a world. The reality of it. The responsibility of it. What's more selfish, denying a child their right to live in this world or forcing them into one they didn't ask for?
The Next Day - Late Night
"Erza!"
BANG BANG BANG
Wendy pounded on Erza's door, "Erza don't do this!!" She yelled, sliding to the floor in defeat after so many failed attempts at opening her door. Tears threatened her, lip quivering in fear. "Erza I know I joke about it a lot but you can't do this, you're gonna regret it! I don't know why or how you got your hands on that thing so damn quickly but don't do it please! Please don't ruin your life!" She yelled, anger soon mixing into the emotions flooding her mind. The plan B pill clutched in Erza's palm sat waiting for its fate. Erza rested her head against the wall, huddled in the corner of the hallway.
"You don't control me. I can't keep
it—"
"Don't be selfish!! Erza, this is your baby. This is Jellal's baby too, not just yours! Your baby is not a thing. Not an object you can throw out like it's nothing. There is a baby inside of you and your job is to protect it. Erza please," he voice cracked pathetically. "Don't fuck this up, you can't go back... just tell me what happened and we can get through this together. I'm here for you, when Juvia gets up, she'll be here as well. You're not alone." Erza exhaled, relaxing her grip on the pill and standing to throw it out in a trash can close by. Unlocking her door, she pulled it open and let Wendy fall into her home as she pulled the red head into an embrace filled with sobs. "Oh my god. Sit down... just sit down." Once she was comfy in her spot on her couch, Erza glanced up at Wendy and wiped away a tear that was ready to escape her.
"I know what he's going to say. I ruined his life, there isn't even a chance..." she caught herself, embarrassed by the way her voice slowly hushed as her words progressed.
"You dont know that."
"Yes I do!"
"Have you asked him? Have you stood in front of your child's father and told him about the life you now have to take care of? Have you spoken to him and asked him about his opinion?" She did not respond. Wendy sighed, moving to sit across from Erza bundled up in with herself. "Then how would you know if he wants the baby or not?" Many minutes passed before Wendy built the courage to cut the tension hanging in the air and ask the question they were both dreading. "Do you want the baby?"
Once again, Erza did not respond.
"Well?"
"...Of course I want the baby. It's my fucking child."
"Then why are you rambling about the plan b!?" Wendy raised her voice, confused by Erza's mixed signals.
"Because I don't want him to hate me even more! I'm so scared of telling him! What if he doesn't want it? What if he leaves for good? What if he tells me to get rid of it? What if he thinks I was seeing someone else!? What if he hates me!?" She rambled, eyes teary and body trembling.
"You're being so damn childish Erza, this isn't like you. You're not living in some angsty romance, you know him and you know him as he is. Do you think Jellal is the type to leave town, yell at you or hate you because you're pregnant? The most that'll happen is you'll get a scolding from Nishio, get over it. You're an adult and now you have to be even bigger for the sake of your baby. Understood?" Wendy boomed, grabbing Erza by the shoulders and staring her down. Erza slowly nodded, eyes now noting determination.
"Underst-" the loud blaring of both assassins phones interrupted Erza as they looked down at their devices. Erza picked hers up first, putting it to her ear and immediately regretting it as Natsu's voice screeched on the other line. She winced.
"Both of you get down here immediately!!! The police back up is finally here!!!" Loud beeping followed, meaning he'd hung up. Both women stood with purpose, booking it out of Erza's apartment and to Phoenix.
The first thing noted when arriving was the six police cars stationed right in front of the entrance. Leaving them with the back door as their only option. "Get in here!!" Natsu yelled, snapping the neck of a police officer and scowling as more entered, some dressed in fully black outfits and wielding thick, bulletproof shields. "Jerome is the only other one here and he just arrived, help out!!" At the same time that Jellal glanced at Erza, her eyes wandered to his, catching both of them off guard. Jellal hastily turned away, evading the attacks of some officers and shooting at others. Wendy quickly turned to Erza and grabbed her by the sides of her head.
"Listen to me, you have to go." She said, pulling them both to the ground behind a thrown table.
"No, you listen to me." Bethel retorted, vigorously shaking her head. "I refuse to leave any of you here. I'm fighting for my baby's life, my life, Jellal's life and everyone else's life!"
"No you're not, you're risking your baby's life!!"
"Both of you do something!!!" Nishio yelled again, anger evident in his tone. Without another word or regard for those of Wendy, Erza stood and charged at one of the men. Finally after almost an hour of combat, the number of enemies was beginning to thin, leaving only a few reloading their guns and protecting themselves. Jellal stood by, taking cover and loading a gun off the corpse of a cop on the floor and checking it to make sure it was usable. Wendy sat out of breath behind a table as well. Nishio had an arm wrapped around the throat of a cop, veins bulging as he twisted his neck back completely. Picking up the now cooling body, he slowly stalked towards an officer shooting at him, using the large body as a shield and throwing it aside to charge once he got close enough.
BANG
BANG
THUNK
The unexpected clattering of an all too familiar set of armor clashed against the wooden as Erza curled into a ball, clutching her stomach in pain and twitching from her overwhelmed senses.
"Erza!!!!"
BANG
BANG
BANG
BANG
BANG
BANG
Down went the cop standing out of breath above Bethel as Jellal put more than one bullet directly in the center of his skull, instantly killing the man. Wendy dropped by Erza's side, heart pounding at the way a lone tear left the red head as she pathetically clutched her abdomen. Jellal huffed out of breath above them, expression absolutely enraged and stance tense with anger. But he walked away, aiming at the remaining cops. "Erza!!! Erza, what happened!?" She boomed over the loud popping of bullets firing across the room.
"Fuck!" A deep curse echoed through Wendy's ears, looking up at the sight of Jellal's hand gushing with blood as he grimaced and picked up his gun with the opposite hand. He stood in front of Erza and herself, aiming at the officer who attempted to shoot Erza and leaving her on the ground in one swift click of the trigger. "Move, will you!?" He yelled, temporarily shielding them with his body and loosening his stance in the slightest upon watching Wendy scramble to finally hide behind a fallen piece of furniture.
"Your stomach!! Did he get your stomach!!?? How's it feeling!!??" She mustered out of her dry throat. Erza took a deep breath, an attempt to regulate her breathing. The wind stolen from her wasn't returning and she began to fear for worse. Her inner thighs, she noticed, felt warm. Now her ass felt warm. It felt like she was lying in a small puddle when she shouldn't have been. Looking down, she noticed blood. Dripping, almost spilling down one of her thighs and slipping down the other as she lifted herself to lean on her hands behind her. Her jaw dropped, eyes wide, legs beginning to quiver and vision positively blurred. Small whimpers escaped her.
"Wendy... Lima!! Lima!!!!" She began to scream, not taking her glossy eyes off the blood staining the chipped wooden floors below. Wendy followed her desperate gaze in a hurry and stood immediately at the sight of Erza's thighs that shone with the thick of her own blood. Glancing at the commotion behind him, Jellal ripped his attention away from the last two cops; one of which was killed quickly after thanks to Nishio.
"We don't have 30 minutes, sir!!!" The last cop yelled, trying to get a shot on Nishio with his shaking hands.
"Erza, whats wrong?" He questioned firmly, walking over to the girls and towering above them. "Get on your feet and-" he paused, eyes shooting wide at the pool of blood beneath Erza's aggressively shaking legs. Tears poured down her cheeks, mixing with the red of her blood.
"Erza where is the pain!!!??? Is it your stomach!!?? Were you shot!!???" She yelled, hands hovering around the red head in search for a way to help.
"It's- I was shot in my lower hip... but I can't... I don't know where the pain... Wendy I don't know if it's the..." She looked up at the younger girl, fear evident behind her pupils at the thought of what her irresponsibility may have likely led to.
"Okay. Okay, I understand!! Erza, I need you to stand, we need to get you to a hospital immediately." She said a bit more calmly once watching the last cop fall to the ground in front of Nishio.
"No! Wendy!! Please I can't do it!!"
"You guys have to tell me what's going on!!"