The next couple of days, Erza moved me in with her. It turns out her room led to four more rooms - all containing armor, weapons, and costumes. We cleaned the rooms together and I ended up getting a room to myself - a large one at that - right next to Erza's room. We added a bed, desk, and wardrobe into the room. Seeing as I owned nothing, which made Erza quite upset, she and Lucy took me out shopping. We ended up buying a second wardrobe to fit all the clothes - some of which Erza-nee found to revealing but Lucy bought anyway. Levy came by and took me book shopping and now my room appear to be a sort of miniature library with the two giant bookshelves I bought. Wendy and I explored the town together, finding an ice cream shop in the plaze.

"Did you have fun today?" asked Erza as we ate cake together on the floor of her room.

I nodded. "Wendy and I found a lake and went swimming in it! I haven't swam in a while! Later, we found this yummy ice cream shop!"

She chuckled, "Well, I am glad you enjoyed yourself today."

"Mmmmhmm," I nodded, eating more cake. "We should go together one day!"

"Sure."

We sat and talked for another hour before Erza made me go to bed. I wished her good-night and went to my room to sleep.

I stood near the edge of a large forest, alone.

"No...Please...No..." I said, recognizing my surroundings.

"No one is here for you Poppy," replied a low, deep, rumbling voice from the fields behind me.

"That's not true!" I yelled fearfully, looking around to find the source of the voice.

"Your parents are gone. Your friends are gone. Kagura has left you. Violet is nowhere to be seen. Gaia disappeared. Even your dear older sister has deserted you," replied the voice.

My eyes grew wide as my body began to quiver.

"No..." I whispered. "Gaia and Kagura and Violet didn't leave me...Kagura and Violet stayed with me...I just...I got lost and she...she couldn't find me...but Gaia did! She took care of me and taught me magic! She loved me..." I said, scared, " Erza-nee didn't leave me either! She never would!"

"So where are they now?"

I stood still.

"You woke up and your sister was not there, Kagura was. You turned around and Kagura disappeared while Violet never came back. Gaia was there one night and no where to be found the following morning. Everyone left you," said the voice, coming closer to me.

"Nonononononononono," I mumbled as tears began to flow from my eyes.

"I have not left you. You left me," replied the voice.

I shook my head at that. "You...You're... You're evil!"

The voice chuckled, "Yet I have never left you."

"You hurt me!"

"Didn't your so called family hurt you? Leaving you all lone, injured?" questioned the voice.

I stood silent once more. My fists clutched to my sides.

"You can not leave me Poppy. I will find you," answered the voice.

"No!" I shouted, scared, running into the forest for safety.

I ran as fast as possible, ignoring the cuts I gained from the branches and jumped over obstacles yet a tree root sprang from no where and I fell, skidding across the ground.

"Here," cackled the voice beside me, laughing.

I screamed.

"Poppy?! Poppy! POPPY! Wake up Poppy!"

I gasped and opened my eyes, sitting up on my bed. Erza stood above me, her hands holding my shoulders, eyes wide with worry.

"Erza-nee!" I cried, hugging her tightly as I wepted into her chest.

She held me, stroking my back and brushing my hair as she rocked me back and forth.

"Shhh...It's okay Poppy. It was just a nightmare. Shhh...It's okay. I'm here with you. Nothing will hurt you," she whispered in attempt to reassure me.

"Erza-nee..." I cried, unable to stop my body from shaking.

"I'm right here Poppy. You're okay," she replied quietly, holding me tighter.

We stayed like that for ages, I crying and scared while she held me tight to calm me down. Eventually, my body stopped shaking and I ran out of tears to shed. I kept hugging her while she stroked my hair in silence for a while. Finally, I let go and sat up, wiping the tears from my eyes. It was then that I noticed that I was still in my room. The last few nights, I would somehow end up near Erza's armor on the ground. Erza never questioned me about it but I could see the worry and sorrow in her eyes when she saw me wake up from there.

"Are you okay Poppy?" asked Erza, eyes still filled with worry.

I nodded slowly, "It was just a bad dream." My eyes teared up slightly from thinking about it.

Erza noticed this, sat down, and pulled me to her, sitting me on her lap and holding me. She rested her chin on the top of my head.

"I'll always be here for you Poppy. I will protect you."

"He can't find you, Poppy. You're okay," I thought.

"Erza-nee?" I asked, my voice raw.

Erza looked at me, her worried brown eyes meeting my frightened green eyes, still holding me.

I cleared my throat, " Can I sleep with you?"

She smiled at me, "Of course Red."

I stood up to allow her to stand and we walked to her bed. I snuggled to her side, feeling calm and safe, as she placed an arm around me. As I drifted back off to a dreamless sleep, I heard Erza say softly, her voice filled with guilt:

"What happened to you Poppy?"