A/N: Hi, friends! We can finally talk now because I don't have the prospects of NaNoWriMo breathing down the back of my neck. I did pretty well this year. I had 109K done in three weeks. And I'm very proud. It'll be on FictionPress soon, if you're curious. Any questions, you know where my inbox is, where my review section is. I'd be more than happy to answer. But for now, because I have a reoccurring guest that keeps asking for me to post (which is every Wednesday at noon US central), I guess I'll go a little early today. K? I'll see you at the bottom.

I never thought running all over Magnolia would be so much fun. And never in a million years did I ever think I'd be doing it with the crowned prince of Fiore. Jellal and I had gone all over. Every park, every shop, every point of interest. We left no stone unturned. In all honest, it was the first time in a long time where a job didn't feel like work. In a way, I almost felt guilty for enjoying myself this much. I did keep the prince safe, so I guess it's not too bad. No sins to atone for. Although Magnolia was a very safe town (depending on the mood one caught the guild in), it did have one little problem.

"Thank you, Erza," Jellal smiled sweetly, "This has been the best day I've had in years. Possibly even since I've been in the palace. Maybe I should get out more."

"It was my pleasure," I smiled back, "But make sure you keep an eye on your pockets."

"My pockets?" he gave me a look, "Why's that? I thought Magnolia was a safe place."

"It is," I nodded, "But every once in a while, some wizards may use their magic to pickpocket you. Some pickpockets around here aren't even wizards. Just…Make sure you watch your pockets."

"Ok," Jellal accepted my advice, shoving his hands deep in the inside pockets of his cloak, "Have you lived in Magnolia long, Erza?"

"Most of my life."

"That explains why you knew so much about it," he figured, "And in the years you've lived here, have you ever caught any pickpockets?"

"A few," I smirked a bit, "But I taught them all a valuable lesson in stealing."

"I could only imagine," Jellal laughed to himself. No doubt because of my reputation, "My deepest sympathies to them."

"They weren't too bad," I assured, "Just a little misguided. I never had to resort to physical violence. Although, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted a time or two. Some of them had it coming."

"As long as you weren't too rough on them," he stipulated, "I guess I can allow it."

"I'm glad I have your permission," I giggled with him, "But I haven't had to take care of any in a couple years, so maybe they've all learned their lesson."

"To not pickpocket Erza Scarlet?" Jellal teased.

"Or anyone else for that matter."

Snatch!

"Hey!" I called after a group of kids who had helped themselves to Jellal's outer pockets. He patted them down, doing an assessment of the damages, "Did they take anything?"

"Just a pocket watch," he checked…But then, his face lost all its coloring. That can't be good.

"Jellal?" I worried, "Is everything ok?"

"We have to go after them," Jellal bolted toward the culprits.

"Jellal!" I followed him, "Where are you going?"

"They took something important!" he kept on running, "And we have to get that back. I'm not letting them get away with it!"

"Ok!"

I didn't know Jellal was so quick on his feet. For the normally bed ridden prince, he's fast. The two of us ran all through Magnolia on a search for the punks that stole whatever it was that was important. Maybe the watch has sentimental value. No…Otherwise Jellal would've specified the watch. There was something else in his pocket. Maybe his medication? I'm sure that would go for some high money on the black market. Especially when Jellal's is, no doubt, specially formulated for him. No. Jellal rattled when he ran. What could it have been?

"We'll cut them off in the alley," Jellal ordered, "You get one end. I'll get the other."

"Got it!" I ran off to the opposite end of the alley and sure enough, I found Jellal standing at his end with one of the kids floating in the air, "Jellal, put him down!"

"Where is it?!" he snapped, "I demand you tell me now!"

"It's just a watch!" the kid squealed, "We didn't get anything else!"

"Except for a weird rock," one of the others on the ground cowered. Rightfully so.

"Ow…" Jellal put the kid down, doubling over in pain.

"Jellal!" I ran to his side, checking on him, "Are you ok?"

"That was a bad idea," Jellal held his head, "My medicine hasn't kicked in quite yet. Telepathic magic isn't exactly easy on my body."

"Forgive me if I'm overstepping," I apologized, "But you really should've known better."

"I should've," he agreed, "But that doesn't mean I do."

"Honestly, Jellal," I kept my voice down, "What am I going to do with you?"

"That rock…" Jellal requested, "I need that rock."

"Ok," I wasn't going to question it. Although, the little culprits thought they could pull a fast one on me, "Where do you three think you're going? I didn't say I was done with you yet."

"Come on, lady!" the leader of the group stepped forward. The one Jellal just put down, "It was just an old watch and a stupid rock. What are you so angry about?"

"Neither one of those things belonged to you," I put my foot down, "Give them back. Now."

"Please," Jellal had recovered somewhat. Enough to face them again, "A friend gave me that rock and it's very special."

"You probably have a million more pocket watches, don't you?" the kid pouted, "Rich guy like you never starves."

"I don't care about the watch," Jellal shook him off, "I just want the rock back. In fact, I want you to sell the watch."

"Jellal," I wondered, "What are you talking about?"

"The other two," Jellal asked, "Are they your brothers?"

"Just one of them," the kid told him, "The other one is a friend of ours. Do you really mean it? You want us to sell the watch?"

"The three of you just want a meal," he smiled gently, "I can't fault you for that. And when you do go to sell that watch, I don't want you to settle for any less than eighty thousand jewel. The gold is real. The diamonds in the hands are real. No less than eighty thousand. You can at least get that much."

"Really?" the kid's face lit up, "You mean it?"

"On one condition…"

"Anything!"

"You can eat quite a bit on eighty thousand jewel," Jellal pointed out, "I don't want you go back to pickpocketing. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," the kid nodded, "Come on, guys. Let's go get some food. Sorry for pickpocketing you. You're a really nice guy."

"I wasn't always the rich guy you think I am," he explained, "I was once in your shoes. I know what it's like to not know where your next meal is coming from. The position I'm in is very charmed. I'll give you that. But even I didn't resort to pickpocketing. Go on. There's a pawn shop down the street."

"Thanks!" the three of them started taking off. Although, their friend looked familiar.

"Hold it!" I stopped them again. And only one of them hid their face. That's what I thought, "Romeo…What are you doing?"

"Uh…" a little voice croaked out.

"You know her, Romeo?" the older one asked.

"No," he lied, "Never met her."

"Romeo," I reiterated, "Don't make me have to ask again."

"H…Hi, Erza…" Romeo quivered. But then, he grew a little bit of a spine, "I was just trying to help, Erza! They were so hungry! I would've given them some of my allowance, but I didn't have enough for the three of us!"

"Your intentions were noble," I got down to his level, "But you know pickpocketing is wrong. I'm sure if you would've gone to the guild hall, Mirajane would've found something for you three to do for a little extra money."

"But the last time we did that," he went on, "She made us clean Master Makarov's office. We saw things in there that I don't think anyone was ever meant to see. And I think a rat almost bit me. And a pile of goo started moving!"

"You're exaggerating, Romeo," I settled him, "But you knew there were better ways of helping them than this."

"Please don't tell my dad," Romeo begged, "Please, Erza."

"Only if you stop this," I stipulated, "No more pickpocketing. And you apologize to my friend."

"I'm sorry," he followed orders, "We'll never pickpocket anyone ever again…"

"Thank you," Jellal gave him a nod, "Go on. Around the corner. And next time you kids are looking for my pocket watch, all you have to do is ask."

"Thanks for the watch, mister!" And just like that, another lesson learned. Romeo and his friends took off to the nearest pawn shop. Although, Jellal fell into the wall, holding onto his head.

"We need to get you home, Your Highness," I insisted, "You don't look very good."

"What did I say about calling me Your Highness, Erza?" Jellal chastised lightly, "We're alone."

"Sometimes, it's warranted," I threw his arm over my shoulders, letting him use me as a crutch, "Let's get you home."

"Ok," he leaned against me as the two of us started walking back toward the palace, "Erza…About the boy…"

"What about him?" I wondered.

"Do you really know his father?" Jellal asked.

"I do," I confirmed, "Romeo's father, Macau, is a member of Fairy Tail."

"Are you really going to keep what happened here a secret?"

"No," I shook my head, "I have a responsibility. And that includes Romeo dealing with his earned punishment. I can talk to Macau some other time, but until then, you can hardly stand. We're not too far from the palace now. You shouldn't have overexerted yourself."

"I know," Jellal agreed, "But now, I'm dealing with those consequences. I guess I'm no worse than your little friend."

"You weren't committing petty crimes," I continued carrying him, "You were merely a little too reckless for my taste. What was so special about that rock?"

"A friend gave it to me," he explained, "I've had this rock for a very long time. Since the before times. I had a friend in the absolute misery that made things a little more bearable. I may not wish times like that on my worst enemies, but this little rock is what got me through a lot of those nights. Every time I look at it, I have brief memories of those times."

"Then, why would you keep it?" I wondered, "Aren't those times painful to think about?"

"Not when I think of my friend," Jellal smiled, holding back tears, "I couldn't even tell you what they looked like, but when I see this little pebble, I know they were important to me. I wonder where they are now."

"I don't know," I sighed out, suppressing my own memories, "But…No offense, Jellal, but you're heavy after a while."

"I'm sorry," he tried to stand on his own, only to trip over his own two feet, "I guess I can be kind of useless."

"Don't say that," I shut him up, "This is my job. To make sure you're ok. And you shouldn't call yourself useless. You caught a group of pickpockets today."

"Yeah," Jellal brushed me off, "Only to throw myself into a worse migraine than I already had."

"You still stopped them, Jellal," I hardly spoke above a whisper, "And telepathy isn't an easy magic to learn. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Thank you, Erza," he leaned against me a little more, "I'm glad they chose a wizard this time around. Even more so, I'm glad they chose you."

"It's been my pleasure," I held him up, "Come on. Not too much further."

I brought Jellal back to the palace, not too roughed up. But I could see it all over his face. He was tired. Without stopping by the throne room, I brought Jellal straight to his bed. He needed the rest and I wasn't going to let anyone stop him. I took this job fully aware of what it meant. Protecting the prince was my number one priority. From anyone. Although, I did fail in that aspect today. I couldn't protect him from himself. Forgive me, Jellal.

"Your Highness," his regular butler walked in, "How are you feeling, sir?"

"Weak," Jellal could hardly talk, "I'll be taking my dinner in here."

"Very good, sir." That was my cue to leave his bedside and sit back outside his door.

Although, I felt his hand on my wrist, "With Ms. Scarlet…If that's alright with her."

"I'm flattered, Your Highness," I turned him down, "But you need the rest. However, I'd be more than happy to take a raincheck."

"Alright," Jellal agreed, "However, if this is the last time I see you today, good night, Erza. Today has been a true pleasure."

"Good night, Your Highness," I bowed to him, keeping formalities, "Rest well."

"Ms. Scarlet," the butler stopped me, "Before you go to bed, His Majesty would like to see you…"

A/N: Yay! Suspense! My beta had a really good theory of what the king would want to see Erza about, but I'm going to keep that to myself. I wouldn't want to ruin anyone else's fun here. Although…I have visions of things not going very well at Macau's house later. I'm not mad, Romeo…I'm just disappointed. See you next chapter! xx