Welcome to chapter two of my Jerza story. This was a little more difficult, as I wasn't sure exactly sure I should go darker or lighter...but than I thought...just go with it. After a few different tries, I came up with this little piece. WARNING: A bit tense...

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and all its characters do not belong to me, but to the very talented Hiro Mashima who combined action/adventure with tons of humor and made something awesome. Erza for the win!

Together We Grow, Together We Fall: Despair

By lightning-storm

Erza smiled slightly as he loosed his hands around her. She felt as if she was in a dream, her heart swelling as she basked in his arms. If she had her way, she would hold onto him and never let go. She knew Jellal though, he would never allow it. He was too serious, too guilt ridden, too determined to punish himself to give her what she wished, but why did she have to be pulled into his punishment too? She growled quietly, squeezing his ribs before he coughed and attempted to loose her hold on him.

"I don't think so," she hissed, the trademark glare in her eyes that made even the strongest men cower in fear, well other than Jellal of course. Nonetheless, he was still privy to her strength, and even exhaustion after fighting a hundred dark guilds, couldn't begin to compare to the pain he was in as she pulled him into her death grip.

"Erza." he choked, when she didn't respond, he tried again, louder this time "Erza!"

Broken out of her thoughts by his strangled voice, Erza blinked in confusion before noticing his pinched expression. There was a long pause before her eyes widened and she realized what occurred

"Ahhh!" she cried in embarrassment before letting go of his middle and laughing at nothing in particular.

"Strong," he breathed out, a slight look of amusement in his eye as he coughed lightly.

"G-gomene," she stammered out. Before he could pull away from her, she buried her head in his chest, gently laying her hand on his bicep before kissing his collarbone. When he responded with a appreciative groan, she was encouraged to persist in her actions. Even if she couldn't have him forever, what about the night? Surely he would give her that? Hesitant, yet determined, she bravely put her hand over his heart.

"Jellal." she whispered nervously, "For tonight..."

It would be her only wish, for no one, no one could compare in her heart to Jellal. No one could replace that void she had gotten so accustomed too. There was too much pain, too much connection, too much caring for her to ever truly love another man, even one of her dearest friend's. Hell, she thought jokingly, she'd become someone's prince before she became another man's possession.

Wait...she thought...possession? Looking up at the man before her, she couldn't help but feel that she was missing something, something that would completely change their dynamic.

"...mine."

The distant voice echoed in her mind, and Erza gasped, placing her hand on her forehead before shaking her head in confusion.

"Erza?" her friend asked in concern, and Erza blushed a scarlet red before fidgeting with her fingers.

"Jellal," she asked before returning her eyes to her lap, "Would you...w-want me?" she choked out, paying little attention to the way he stiffened at her words, "It would be J-Just for the night! You can have your way with me...and I you." Erza waved her hands wildly before considering her request. Erza widened her eyes at her phrase, " Ah...I mean...only'..if you care for me that is."Erza sighed in what could only be considered relief as the said object of her desire loosed his grip on her. The moment was short lived however, as the tension increased significantly and she felt as if she might be crushed. Tension that reeked with want and...anger?

Perplexed, she looked up in his eyes, and gasped. They were the same, the same eyes that saw through her soul at the Tower of Heaven. Erza suddenly felt very nervous. "Um..if you don't want too...its okay." she squeaked out, flinching as the man placed his hand above hers.

There was a long pause, before the man beside her shifted significantly closer, so close that she could feel his warm breath against her skin. Erza groaned at his proximity to her.

"How often have you done this?" he asked coolly, and Erza snapped her eyes open, turning to him in surprise.

"Hah?"

"Just for tonight?...How many men have you...o-offered yoursel-?" he asked red faced. Erza frowned.

"What's it to you?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, causing him to inhale deeply before he squeezed her hand. Erza may have had a few drunken nights, but that was her business. However, there was that one time. Erza shut her eyes as she remembered...His black hair looked so soft as it fluttered in the wind that day.

"How often?"

Erza opened her eyes and bit her lip. She had just lost Jellal to the Tower of Heaven, and Gray had gone to comfort her.

"How-"

Erza raised her arm as if to strike, before promptly turning away. "I don't see how that's any of your business." she bit out, then focusing on anything but him."It's not like it should matter to you anyways!"

For a moment it seemed as if he understood, as the taller man backed away from her significantly, the pressure on the bed lessening as he did so. Erza smiled softly before he lifted her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her chest. Erza widened her eyes in surprise before lifting her wrist towards him again.

"Shouldn't matter?" he whispered, capturing her hand in his own. "You're probably right," he spoke quietly, his soothing voice causing what felt like tiny electric shocks go throughout her body. Examining her hand with curious attachment, Jellal looked into Erza's face, a hint of possessiveness in his hazel eyes. "But it does."

Erza gasped slightly before Jellal captured her lips in his own, a small smile grazing his lips as he took in her positive response. "Mine," he whispered quietly, and Erza moaned as she melded into him.

"Resistance is futile," he smiled smugly, arms around her as he pulled on her wrists, one hand caressing the bottom of her exposed breast. Erza groaned in approval before he placed a quick kiss on her temple, "Even you know you belong to me."

Erza gasped as the familiar sensation of deja vu rippled through her heart. She had a few flashes thus far, but none of them had been so detailed. Terrifying, yes, unbelievable...even more so, but now..., Erza groaned as her beloved placed his lips on her neck.

" Shall we play a game?" he taunted, kissing her neck as he did so.

"Ah hah!" she cried, confusion coursing through her body as the lines between her past and present became blurred. Opening her eyes in surprise, as her visions of the past merged with the man before her, Erza pushed him away with all her might. A loud thud was heard as he fell against the nightstand. Realizing what she had done, Erza jumped up and hurriedly scrambled towards him. "Jellal!" she cried, grabbing his arm before he could make a break for it. The man who had just been doing such abominable things to her flesh, pulled away from her grasp. Then looking up from his position, he gazed at her with an apologetic look.

Calmly, quietly, coolly, distantly, too distant, he bowed slowly and turned towards the door. "It's been... interesting." he said haltingly, and Erza felt her heart freeze as he walked away from her, a weird sensation of finality, shocking her very core. He was leaving her... leaving for good. If she didn't stop him now...than.

"No Jellal! It's dangerous!"

"It's okay Erza, I'll protect you ..."

"W-wait! No!" she cried, her past and present molding into one. Her long forgotten tears boiled to the surface. Startled, Jellal removed his hand from the knob, watching wide-eyed as she leaps off the bed and latches onto him, wrapping her arms around his form. "I need to know something." she trembled, and he paused, an intense look in his eyes as he urged her to continue. "Have we..." she paused, curling one of her hands into a fist as the words tumbled from her lips. "Have we been here before?"

Jellal stiffened in front of her, placing a large hand flat on the door, as she felt his heart thump harshly. "Whatever do you mean Erza?" he spit, much more anxiously than he had meant.

"I-" she paused, looking at the floor before burying her head into his muscular back. "I've been having visions," not noticing as he began to stiffen slightly, "visions of us."

After a long and drawn out pause Jellal swallowed before balling his hands into fists. "Go on." he managed to choke out, and Erza gulped before she continued.

"I'm in a place," she spoke cautiously, "It's not too clear but there's a bed... and I think...I think I'm chained, " Noticing as his body turned rigid in her grasp, Erza grabs his hand pulls him away from the door, "I mean its not too clear...and all, maybe it's just my imagination," she laughs stiffly, wondering, Waving her hand wildly about, "I mean, me chained to a bed naked."a mischievous look enters her eye as she equips into her seductive armor. "Well not unless you want me too that is." she teases seductively, rubbing her hands along his chest.

Shut Down, complete, utter shut down. His response frightens her...and Erza begins to wonder if she went too far.

When he stares at her, looking as if his world has ended, she gives him a tender look before taking his hand and leading him from the door. Directing his attention to the chair she placed near the bed, he numbly obeys her unspoken order, watching as she leans on the bed before him.

"Jel-lal," she whispers, licking her chapped lips. His dark eyes dart to her mouth before a strange expression appears on his face. Slowly, carefully, she reaches up to cradle his chin, before he takes her hands in a gentle hold.

"In my visions," she speaks suddenly and Jellal breathes deeply before she continues, "You are there...mocking me," she growls, "touching me," she emphasizes, "teasing me, PLAYING with me..." Her gaze softens momentarily, as she seems to gaze off into the distance "and then you..." Erza stops there, as the tension that oozes into the room seems to suffocate her. For a moment everything seems still and Erza stiffens as a shiver crawls up her spine. Something was wrong...

Then as if in a nightmare, the man before her seizes her hand, pulling her towards him as a short chuckle emanates from his throat. He slowly raises his eyes toward her, a dangerous look on his face. Erza sucks in a breath. She hasn't seen him like this in ages, not since... Before she can react, the man jumps and pushes her onto the bed, straddling her thighs as he covers her mouth with his hand. Slowly, he runs his finger down her body, tugging on her panties before squeezing her hand so tight she feels as if her fingers might just fall off. Twisting it around her back so she can't move, he smiles darkly.

"Jellal..." she yelps in pain, grimacing as he slips one finger into her maidenhood and rubs her sensitive nub. "Ahn!" she moans against her will. With one eye open, Erza notices as his eyes become clear and myriads of emotions cross his face, from determination, to desire, to anger, to fear, to shock, to sadness, and finally...guilt, Guilt and Self-Loathing so heavy that any previous bouts of depression seemed like a walk among daisies.

Exhaling deeply he releases her slowly, sitting back before gazing at her, wanting.

"Erza." he states quietly. Leaning towards her, he brushes some hair from the side of her neck. "Do you know what sort of devil you have taken to your bed?" Then dropping his his head so his lips grazed her ears, "What sort of devil I truly am..." he breathed softly before allowing a cool and dark look make it's way into his face. He kissed her earlobe, "Do you know..." he sucked the junction at the base of her neck, "What I did to you?" he paused momentarily before allowing his tongue to dart against the swell of her breast,"What I ENJOYED doing to you?," he hissed, trapping her in a firm embrace, "...My dear Erza."

Erza felt as if her heart had turned to ice with the tone he was using, cold, indifferent, so very different from the tone she had gotten used too since he was freed, or so she thought. Yet, now as she saw him change right before her eyes, change from the kind, protective, respectful, clumsy, albeit distant man she knew to the seemingly cool and dark wizard saint from seven years ago, she froze. Erza barely managed to contain the cry that threatened to tumble out of her mouth as he started his seductive descent down her flesh.

"Jel-lal." she choked out, before he pulled her head back, allowing him full access to her neck. Erza moaned against her better judgment as he assaulted every crevice of her flesh. If she thought he was holding her tight before, it was nothing compared to now, as he nearly squeezed the life out of her. "Why are you-?" Erza squeaked out before he slackened his grip. Placing his arms loosely about her shoulders, he gently lifted a hand to her head.

"Remember." he whispered deafeningly, "Remember the real reason I have held you at bay until today." he paused, taking in her sweet scent, "No matter how much I desired otherwise."

He smiled sadly, a longing look in his eyes.

"I still love you Erza," he breathes, "so... gomene."

Erza felt her heart pound before an immense warmth flowed through her body. It's wasn't painful...but it wasn't pleasant either...it was just raw, sincere, sad and strong...it was his energy, just his and it was winding around her body like a chain of fate.

"Unnn" she mumbled, basking in it's strange quality, "What is thi-"

She gasped as thousands of images flowed through her body, images and emotions, from the time she was thrown out of the tower, to the day she returned. They were images she couldn't begin to organize. They were all images from this man, memories she couldn't begin to understand. Memories of his eyes one her. Smiling when she was glad, frowning when she was sad. Growling when she was mad...and than ever changing. She could feel when he was taken over, when he was taking over, when he was twisted, to when he was accepting, when he was hopeful to when he was thrown in despair, when he was determined, to when he was saved...and her heart began to blaze.

She was his staple...the one thing he could not let go of. Every decision he made on his own, every step of the way was guided by her...his one pinprick of light in a world of darkness.

Also, for as much as it pained for her say it, what happened at the tower of heaven made sense, not in a good way...no, but as a way...a way for him to meet her again.

"What do you want from me?!" She cried in anger and despair.
"Do you really want to know?" he said mysteriously.

"I'll never belong to you!" she cried in determination.
"Are you sure about that?"

"I've missed you...Erza."

"What?..ah!" Erza groaned as he added extra pressure to her nub.
"...How do you feel?"

"More!"
"As you wish...dear Erza."

Erza felt as if her heart had turned to stone as flashes of that room bombarded her mind. So that's what he meant, and she closed her eyes in despair. He took her. While she first confronted him, riled up with confusion, pain and anger, he took advantage of her weakness and locked her away in the Tower of Heaven.

He had wanted her. Chaining her to his bed, he manipulated her, teased her, played with her until she willingly gave into his game.

The night before Simon had come and freed her, he had claimed her. He had claimed for his own, and she had not been opposed. That night she had given herself over to the one and only Jellal Fernandes. Ultear had not been pleased.

Then he erased her memories.

"I am a possessive man," he stalked towards her with cruel intentions, "I despise those who take what is mine...and even more those who accept being taken."

As Jellal's energy stopped flowing into her body, Erza felt her own energy drain. Erza groans as she falls back into his open arms, her weakened state preventing her from moving elsewhere.

As he wrapped his strong arms around her frame, Erza could only accept her fate as unbridled tears fall from her dark eyes.

"Jellal." she whispered weakly and the blue haired man buried his face in her hair, taking a deep breath as he allowed himself this one comfort. Using one hand to brush her scarlet bangs out of her face he bent over to kiss her forehead.

"Gomenasai Erza," he whispered silkily and she looked up into the soul of the man who claimed her. What she saw there, pierced her to her very core.

Never had she seen such raw honesty, anger, pain, love, passion, need, despair, regret and fear as she did in that moment. Never had she realized just how much he cared. Never had she realized just how much his touch could affect her. Jellal...the other half of her soul.

"It appears I gave you too much," he mumbled quietly, and Erza blinks as her eyelids become heavy and her surroundings turned black.

And she thought Natsu was the idiot.

To Be Concluded...in: Defeat...or so I hope. :-p

And there you have it. Wow, that was a lot longer than I had meant.

When I had first started this idea, I really didn't know where to go, but I had known where I wanted to wind up. As I was struggling to figure out what offsets the revelation of Jellal's secret...I played with a lot of flash backs (honestly...I have three pages of lemony goodness all written out)

Then I thought of what Jerza reminded me of,'Resistance is Futile.'and this plot bunny was born. But Jeez...I think I'm going to need to take a little break before I complete this finale.

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