As Natsu was walking home that night he noticed a man sneaking around the brothel. Now that wasn't unusual but a feeling in his gut told him that he should keep an eye on that man. He watched him climb up the wall of the brothel and slip through the window of Erza's bedroom. Sensing danger may come to his sister figure, Natsu immediately rushed upstairs into Erza's room and tackled the man.

"Hey get off of me!" The man demanded.

"Not until you tell me who the hell you are and why you're sneaking around here!"

"That's none of your business! Now get your hands off me you maniac!"

The sound of the floor making thumping noises is what brought Erza upstairs to her room.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

"This creep was sneaking into your room." Natsu said. "He was probably trying to rape you."

"No! I would never do such a thing!" The man said.

"Jellal? What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know this guy?" Natsu asked.

"Unfortunately yes. Natsu get off of him and go. I want to talk to him privately.'

"You sure that you'll be okay alone with this creep?"

"I think you know the answer to that. Now leave."

"Okay."

Natsu got off of Jellal and left the room. Erza then shut the door so no one could hear their conversation.

"Why are you here?" She asked him.

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About what happened between us years ago."

"Why do you want to talk about that? I know what happened. You ditched me."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"Then what happened to you? Where did you go?"

"Jail!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember when we had very little to eat and you got sick from malnourishment? Well we didn't have enough money to buy food so I...I stole a loaf of bread and I got caught and they...They threw me in jail."

"You went to jail?"

"Yeah. It was supposed to be for ten years but I escaped after two. I've been on the run ever since."

"If that's true then why didn't you come back for me when you got out?"

"I tried to look for you but I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Then you didn't look hard enough!"

"I thought you were dead! You were so weak and ill the last time I saw you, when I couldn't find you I...I...I assumed the worst."

"I see." Erza looked down at her hands. "I didn't die Jellal, I found a way to eat but I didn't like it."

"Oh Erza."

"Don't you judge me okay? I didn't want to do this but a girl's got to eat."

"I'm not going to judge you Erza."

"But you're disgusted by me right?"

"No. Of course not but I don't want you to live like this anymore."

"How else am I supposed to live?"

"You could live with me."

"And steal to get what I need? Risk being thrown in jail for life? I know all about you Jellal, you pick pocket people for a living."

"Erza I tried working for money once. You know that but my employers never paid me enough and others wouldn't hire me because they saw me as a dishonest thief so in the end I guess I would just conform to their views."

"And how is that working out for you?" Erza put her hands on her hips.

"I get to eat more than I did when I was working," Jellal said, feeling frustrated that she, like everyone else, felt the need to to judge him.

"But you're always running, always hiding, always lying," said Erza, sighing. "Do you really want that kind of life?"

"You are in no position to lecture me in how I live!" Now he was just angry. She of all people should understand what it meant to do what it takes to survive.

"What's that supposed to mean?" How dare he judge her. At least what she did was honest work. She never took a penny she didn't earn.

"I won't judge you for your choices Erza but you're no better than me. The only difference is what you do isn't illegal."

"I never said that I liked being a prostitute!"

"And I never said that I liked being a thief! But like you I can't think of any other way to stay alive!"

"Get out!"

"Erza I'm not done talking to you!"

"Well I'm done talking to you! Now get out before I lose my temper! And you know how bad things get when I lose my temper!"

Jellal huffed but he abided by her wishes and left. She looked out the window and watched him until he was gone. Once he was out of sight she broke down and started to cry. She was ashamed and disgusted with herself. She never wanted Jellal to see her like this. She was more angry with herself than him. Angry that for all these years she thought that Jellal would be so cruel as to abandon her when in truth he actually went to jail for her. Now he's come back into her life and he's seen her as a filthy slut.

She felt a hand gently grasp her shoulder. Looking up she saw Natsu looking down at her. His face was filled with concern and he looked like that he was about to cry himself. He always made that look whenever Erza cried. It was because he couldn't stand to see her so hurt and upset. He was so used to seeing her so proud, strong, and happy. He wanted her to always look like that. He couldn't bear to see her sad.

"Please don't cry Erza. Don't cry." He told her. "I hate it when you cry."

She gave him a smile and wiped her tears away.

"It's alright Natsu. Just some old memories stirring up."

"Did that guy hurt you? If he did I'll beat him to a pulp."

"No. No he didn't do anything."

"Then why are you crying? You hardly ever cry."

"It's nothing. Really."

"You're lying."

"Natsu I just...I just don't want to talk about it right now. Can we just for right now, pretend this never happened?"

"Okay but you know that you can tell me anything right?"

"I know." She rubbed the top of his head affectionately. "I know."