A/N: Well, thank you to everyone who helped me meet my goal of ten reviews for the last chapter! ^.^ You guys even exceeded that, with twelve reviews! Arigatogozaimasu, minna-san! Of course, still feel free to continue reviewing on the last chapter, even though this one is up now. ;) And as promised, this chapter is being posted early as a Thank You for your participation! ^.^

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Now, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! There's only one more after it. :(


Chapter Seventeen – Fate's Hands

One year later

Laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the warm spring air with cheerful, familiar noises. Everyone in the city of Magnolia was celebrating the Sacred Sakura Festival this evening, and Fairy Tail was no different. Perhaps, like always, they were even the most rambunctious group in the whole city.

Except for one scarlet-haired mage.


I looked on as all my friends lifted their mugs (or in Cana's case, her whole keg) of sake and drank heartily beneath the falling sakura blossoms. They were all laughing and talking energetically, their expressions rosy and animated. Evergreen was sitting on Elfman's lap, the two accepting congratulations from well-wishers on their recent marriage. I could swear that I still had rice kernels stuck in my armor from their lavish ceremony just yesterday. It was still hard to believe that they were actually married—almost up until the actual event itself, they had denied their feelings for each other adamantly. I shook my head helplessly. They were stubborn to a fault. And poor Mira…when she had found out, her face had gone whiter than her hair and she looked like she'd seen a ghost. She'd stumbled off to the bar, muttering something about ghosts of her past coming back to haunt her, but from the way she was now smiling and fawning over them, you'd never know it.

A little ways to their left, Lucy caught a falling blossom and cupped it in her hand, staring down at its fragile petals. A pink-haired man snuck up behind her and plucked the blossom from her hands, laughing as she tried to take it back. After several failed attempts to reclaim her flower, Lucy laughed and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "Alright, you win."

Natsu surprised her then as he took a step closer to her and adopted a more earnest expression. A soft smile lit his face as he slid the blossom behind her ear, running his fingertips along her jaw as he did. Lucy blushed but held his gaze, as the two slowly drifted closer until their faces were mere inches apart. Until a half-naked man with raven black hair stumbled into Natsu from behind, causing him to fall to the side.

"Gray! What are you doing?" he demanded angrily. Lucy chuckled and moved off to help Mira serve drinks as the two men began wrestling on the ground. The Dragonslayer and celestial spirit mage had drawn even closer over the past year, often staring into each other's eyes for so long that others had to retreat or feel like a third wheel. I smiled to myself in satisfaction. It won't be long before we celebrate another matrimony, I think.

Speaking of marriage, the sound of a crying baby brought my attention to a certain young couple that was now walking into our festival. Juvia held a wailing infant in her arms, her white-haired husband guiding her with his arm around her shoulders. A little tuft of white hair was visible above the folds of the blanket that swaddled the ten-month-old child, and her big blue eyes were crinkled in distress as tears gathered in her outrageously long eyelashes.

"Shhh, Yuki," Juvia cooed, the ends of her dark blue hair brushing the baby's rosy cheeks. Lyon stepped closer and planted a kiss on his wife's temple before creating an ice teddy to rest in his daughter's arms. She immediately stopped crying, and an intense look of concentration scrunched up her tiny face. I felt a nervous flop in my stomach as I anticipated that Juvia would shortly find a surprise in Yuki's blankets. However, it was a different surprise that appeared after a moment. The teddy bear was now covered in a soft white powder, resembling fur. Yuki giggled in delight and smooshed the teddy to her chest.

"Dada, wook!" she gurgled. "Teddy has fur!" She giggled again, showing charming dimples in her chubby cheeks. Lyon laughed and ruffled her hair that matched his own.

"Indeed it does!" he said proudly, beaming down at Yuki. Juvia smiled up at him, and they brought their lips together in a kiss.

Gray strolled over to them, clad in only his boxers. He clasped Lyon on the shoulder and grinned down at Juvia. "Well well. I see you two are doing well. You three," he amended as baby Yuki gurgled at him and waved her snow teddy at him. "And it looks like your offspring's going to be just as troublesome as you, Lyon," he said with a shudder. Lyon punched Gray in the shoulder and Yuki blew a raspberry at him.

"Unckie Gway is meeaaan," she pouted, clutching the teddy protectively to her chest. Gray looked down at her, offended.

"Ugh. She's a smart little thing." Yet a small smile twitched at his lips as he peered down at the child.

"Of course my Yuki is smart! She takes after me in both looks and intelligence," Lyon gloated. Juvia glared at him and he playfully jumped back so as not to get whacked. "Of course, if she had her mother's intelligence, it would simply be too much for a baby to handle," he said smoothly, shooting a winning grin at his wife. She rolled her eyes and dismissed him.

Gray snorted and smacked Lyon in the back. Before Lyon could respond, Gray turned to Yuki again. "Here." He created a rattle and placed it in Yuki's waiting arms alongside the teddy. "That's edible ice." He hastily looked away from Lyon's raised eyebrows. "Not that I've been experimenting for any such reason as this, of course."

As he wandered hastily away with his hands laced behind his head, Juvia chuckled and Lyon nuzzled Yuki's fuzzy head. It was still strange to see them like this, even though it was no longer new. A month after we'd defeated Death Strike, the two had eloped and gotten married. We'd all been completely floored upon their return, but especially Gray. Considering how he'd originally been, I thought that he'd come a long way in accepting their relationship. I'm sure it helped that they both quit their guilds and took up residence in Magnolia as independent mages. Not being around Juvia as much made it easier for Gray to cope with this dramatic change in events. After all, for so long, he'd been wishing Juvia would direct her affections elsewhere, and yet when she finally did, and in such a complete, abrupt manner, I'm sure it must have sent him into shock. And yet, as I watched Juvia with Lyon now, I would never have known that she had once been head-over-heels for Gray. I guess she's just as single-minded and passionate as ever. I'm glad that she got her Happily Ever After.

But something in my chest felt hollow still, almost aching as I watched the happy couple showing off their baby to the guild. Mirajane was fawning over the child, rubbing her cheeks against Yuki's silky baby cheeks. Levy approached, as well, clasping her hands together in delight as she peered down at the little stranger. A certain rugged Dragonslayer watched her take the child from Juvia's arms with an unreadable expression. But I thought I could detect the faintest hint of a blush in his tan cheeks. And it looks like we may find ourselves with yet another couple soon enough.

A high-pitched squeal of delight preceded a familiar pink-haired woman as she passed beneath the sakura tree. Her pale pink dress swept the petals covering the grass as she went, a dark-haired and –skinned mage following closely behind her. Each of them held a small child in their arms, about the same age as Yuki. They had dark hair and pale skin, with bright blue eyes that were taking in their surroundings with interest.

"Sherry! Ren!" Juvia exclaimed happily as the newcomers joined them. "It's so good you guys could make it! I see you're all looking fine."

"Yes! Thank you, we are doing fine! And you look rather good, yourselves." Sherry winked at the blue-haired mage, and they wandered off to play with their children. The Akatsuki twins had apparently both inherited their father's magic, as they were sending little puffs of wind across Yuki's face, much to her delight. She reciprocated by dumping a pile of snow in their laps, much to their dismay.

My smile gradually drifted from my face like the sakura blossoms from their trees. The hollow feeling in my chest persisted, though I couldn't understand the reason for it. All of my friends were here, and we were all alive and well. What more could I want?

A fleeting image of dark blue hair and a red tattoo around a chocolate brown eye flashed through my mind. My eyes widened. Jellal…. Tears gathered in my eyes as I recalled the pained smile he had flashed me at the end, filled with so much love that I wondered how one person could contain so much emotion. But I won't be seeing him ever again. He…he's gone. For real this time. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million tiny fragments as I recalled the way his eyes had slowly drifted shut, and his body had stilled. His final sacrifice for me.

Suddenly unable to breathe, I pushed off of the tree I'd been leaning against, slipping through the shadows to get away from the suffocating air. I couldn't draw enough oxygen into my lungs, my breaths coming in short huffs. My steps quickened as I headed deeper into the sakura grove, away from the festival. I didn't care where I ended up, just so long as I was away from there. Seeing everyone else, so happy with their loved ones…I couldn't handle it now. Tears, hot and bitter, tracked down my cheeks, blurring my vision. All the pain and sorrow I'd kept pent up inside for this past year burst free with the glistening droplets. I howled my anguish to the skies as I ran through the trees, the sakuras weeping with me as they shed their blossoms. I kicked off the strappy stilettos I'd donned for the occasion, feeling the cool grass caress my feet as I fled. Though it hindered my movements slightly, I didn't bother to exquip out of my new white evening gown. The ends hiked up around my knees as my legs pumped harder and faster.

At last, I came to a stop. Panting, I pressed my hand into the trunk of a sakura tree. After a moment, I brought my other hand up to rub the tears from my eyes. Physically, I wanted to go take on an army. But emotionally, I was so drained I wanted to curl up in a hole and never come out. I inhaled a deep, shaky breath and held it for several seconds before slowly releasing it. Then I raised my eyes, taking in my surroundings for the first time. It was a grove of sakura trees, but I didn't recognize this place. It was the most glorious sight I'd ever beheld in nature. Delicate, pale pink blossoms drifted down to the ground, falling like snow. The ground was cloaked in a pale pink blanket of blossoms, and the air was so thick with them that I couldn't see much else. The sun's fading rays carved golden paths through the flowers, making them glow and sparkle like gems. I closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of the sun-kissed blossoms, turning my head up to face the sinking sun. For a moment, I wished I could stay in this moment forever.

Suddenly, above the quiet, silky sound of the blossoms nestling against the ground like snow, I heard another sound disturbing the quiet. Footsteps, gliding through the soft petals. My eyes snapped open and I spun around, preparing to take down any enemy who dared disturb my solitude. But what I saw made my heart stand still and my breath catch in my lungs.

An excruciatingly familiar figure stood on the other side of the small sakura grove, his warm brown eyes watching me with a haunting expression. Tousled blue hair fell across his forehead, and a red tattoo was visible around his right eye. He stood in a simple but elegant black suit, a gray dress shirt visible beneath his sleek jacket. A dark blue tie completed the ensemble, matching his hair.

A sound that was half gasp, half whimper escaped me. "Je…Jellal?" I whispered, not quite daring to hope. Falling sakura blossoms partially obscured his figure, and I was wary that this was some type of desire-induced mirage.

"Erza…" he breathed, a look of awe crossing his handsome face. "You're here."

"Jellal!" I cried, suddenly running towards him with tears streaming down my cheeks.

He held out his arms as I flung myself into them, burying his face in my neck. "Erza…it's really you. I can't believe…I finally found you." He inhaled deeply, his fingers curling into my hair.

"I thought you were dead. I thought I would never see you again." My voice grew thick with tears as I pulled back just enough so that I could look into his face.

"So did I." His grip tightened on me, tugging my waist against him. "I'm still not entirely sure what happened. All I remember is a vast, empty plain…and then I woke up in a strange town. Thank goodness it wasn't far from here…I hoped I would find you if I went to Magnolia's Sacred Sakura Festival."

A tearful chuckle escaped me. "Well, here I am. And all that matters is that we're here now, together."

"Erza…" he began. But I didn't let him finish. Leaning up on my tiptoes, I crushed my mouth to his, wrapping my arms around his neck. He responded immediately, one hand tangling in my hair to cup the back of my head while the other pulled me closer to him. All the tension and frustration of years of distance between us burst free in a glorious explosion of color. Jellal's uniquely musky scent, of pine, spice and citrus, consumed my senses. I wasn't just smelling him—I was tasting him.

I slid my hands down to his cheeks, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. His masculine, angular jaw was smooth beneath my palms, and I caressed his cheeks and jaw with my fingertips. Something wet flicked against my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to him. Jellal's tongue swept in, dancing and twining with my own, a passionate, rhythmic dance that stole my breath. He moaned against my mouth, his fingers tightening in my hair. My hands slipped down to his broad shoulders, exploring across his muscled chest and back. My fingers squeezed his shoulders and kneaded the hard muscles bunched in his back. Jellal gasped and pressed my body against his so that you couldn't have slid a piece of paper between us from our chests down to our hips. He caught my bottom lip between his teeth, gently tugging and sucking. I moaned as little sparks of fire ignited in the pit of my stomach, traveling lower.

Jellal lifted his lips from mine, and I whimpered with the need to feel his lips again. However, they reconnected with my skin just below my ear, trailing a line of little kisses down my jaw. A trail of fire followed in their wake as his lips moved to my neck, right below the corner of my jaw. I arched my back into him and tipped my head back, my eyelids at half-mast with pleasure. My hands traveled upwards again, tangling in his ragged blue hair as I pressed his head against me. When his lips reached the base of my neck, they began travelling upwards again, this time nipping and sucking gently at the skin. His tongue flicked out and slid across the sensitive skin right beneath my ear, and I gasped with pleasure. My skin was on fire, burning with heat and yet shivering with desire. For so long I had wanted this, for so long I had dreamed of this. And now Jellal was here, in my arms at last.

As his lips once again found the hollow between my neck and shoulder, his hand slid up to my shoulder, tugging the thin strap of my dress off my shoulder. I shivered as his velvety lips glided across my shoulder, trailing down my arm until his lips pressed against the inside of my wrist. I looked down at him and saw him peering up at me through his dark lashes. His cerulean hair was tousled from where my hands had raked through it, but he looked sexier than ever. Confusion settled over me as I saw him get down on one knee, still holding my hand between both of his. Tenderly, he pressed a kiss to the back of my knuckles, gazing up at me with a smoldering look in his eyes.

"Erza Scarlet," he murmured. My stomach felt like a swarm of butterflies had taken up residence in it. Pale sakura blossoms drifted down around us, catching in Jellal's hair and swirling around us like a barrier between us and the rest of the world. Licking his swollen lips nervously, he gazed up into my eyes with a serious expression. "Since the day I first laid eyes on you, I have been in love with you. You are the most beautiful, strong, caring woman I have ever met. And you are my light in a dark world of chaos. No matter what we have endured, Fate's hands have brought us together again. I love you, Erza, and never want to be separated from you again. Will…will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" His voice quivered slightly as he asked me the one question I'd always wanted to hear from him. But his eyes were steady and determined, and shining with so much love that for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

"Jellal…of course!" Tears slid down my cheeks once more, but this time from joy. I threw myself into his arms, knocking him over onto his back. The flowers coating the ground flew up in a pink puff as I landed on top of him, and then spiraled down around us. My thighs were straddling his hips, and I brought my lips down to his. Jellal gently wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumb before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tightly against him. This kiss was more passionate than before, leaving me breathless and flushed as I pulled back to gasp for breath. Our lips locked once more as our hands roved over each other's bodies, desperately needing to reassure ourselves that this was real, that we were really here. Sliding my hands between our chests, I began unbuttoning his suit jacket. He helped me remove it and then nimbly removed his tie and undid the buttons on his dress shirt, exposing his tan, sculpted chest. My fingers glided across his smooth skin, luxuriating in the feel of his hard muscles. Jellal's hands slid down my ribs and over my hips, coming to rest at the place where my dress was bunched around my knees. After only a moment's pause, he slid his fingers beneath the edges and caressed the smooth skin of my upper thighs. Then he tugged upward on the hem of the dress, and I sat up a little so that he could pull the dress over my head. Casting it to the side, his gaze roved hungrily over my body. I was wearing nothing but my lacy black bra and panties, and I saw his eyes darken with desire as he swept his gaze over the delicate lingerie.

Needing to feel his bare skin pressed against my own, I pulled his unbuttoned dress shirt the rest of the way off, lowering myself down against his body. Jellal buried his face in my bare neck and made a growling noise in his throat. "Erza…" he said in a husky voice, inhaling my scent and moving his hands down to cup my hips. He squeezed and tugged them down against his own, and a low moan slipped past my lips.

Knowing that the last of my control was about to slip away, I cupped his face and gazed into his dark, dark eyes. "Jellal," I said in an equally husky voice. "I love you. An eternity with you would not be enough time."

We smiled knowingly at each other, and as we brought our lips together again, the sun finally slipped below the horizon. Only the moon and the stars illuminated us as we spent our first night in an endless line of nights together in each other's arms, surrounded by the velvety night and the drifting sakura blossoms. It was the most perfect night of my life.


What did everyone think of this chapter? I hope you all appreciated it! ^.^ Please leave a review, minna! Those of you who left reviews on the last chapter telling me how sad you were that Jellal died had better leave more reviews on this story! :P Haha

Please look forward to the little epilogue's epilogue chapter that I will be posting next! ^.^ And thank you for all of your continued support. :)