"Hey."

Erza almost jumped when she heard the voice. Almost. It had been thirty seconds or so since she reached the light. It had leaded to a cliff. A beautiful cliff with a beautiful view. She had started to forget the pain and terror she felt in the forest. Then, the voice brought her back to reality.

Erza turned, pivoting on her heels. It was a boy - around seven or eight, her age - that had talked. He had blue hair and brown eyes. There was a red tattoo under his right eye. How unfair that he could have a tattoo and she could not! She would tell her mother, except she wasn't so sure her mother would like the fact that she went down to the Ground.

"Hey." He repeated, taking a step closer towards her. Erza could feel his magic. He was strong. He was also dark. He could either be werewolf, dragon or demon.

Erza sucked in a breath. "Who are you?"

The boy's grin dropped visibly, probably because she sounded quite rude. She hadn't meant to sound that mean - it just came out that way. She wished she could take it back.

"I'm Jellal, "he said slowly, "Jellal Fernandez. Who are you?"

Jellal. That was a nice name. It sounded like jelly - her favorite dish.

"I'm Erza."

"Nice to meet you, Erza!" His voice was calm, and it sounded nice.

For a minute, there was silence. The comfortable kind. Erza stared at the view and she felt Jellal's presence near her too. They both enjoyed the view together.

"It's beautiful," Jellal murmured.

"It is." Erza agreed.

There was only silence after that. After a while, Erza sat down, her legs dangling by the cliff. Jellal joined her. They didn't talk - apart from the occasional 'Look at that!' - but it was nice to sit next to each other. Erza found Jellal's company peaceful and he, hers.

Soon, the sun was setting in the sky. It was time for Erza and Jellal to go back. Erza prayed that her mother hadn't returned as she stood up. Jellal hoped his 'fathers' were still hunting, or that Ultear managed to lie without getting found out.

He wanted to spend more time with Erza. He felt something when he was with her. Something he couldn't name.

"Let's meet again?" It came out like a question rather than a statement.

"Ummm, sure. If my mother lets me out." Erza avoided his eyes.

"Great."

And with that, they separated.

"Did you go to the end of the forest? How was it? Was it dark, like it is here? Was it more green? Were there any other colors?" Ultear shot him with questions as soon as Jellal came back. It was annoying. Jellal was looking forward to the silence of his room but of course Ultear had to ruin that.

"Uh, yeah. It had more light. There were so many different colors." Jellal formed the sentence to the best of his ability. Obviously, he didn't go to the end of the forest - he was spending all day with Erza! - but for some reason, he didn't want Ultear to know that.

Unfortunately, Ultear was very perceptive. Nothing went past her. "Jellal, be honest."

"I am."

Ultear rolled her eyes. "I've known you for eight years, Jellal. You can't lie to me. You just can't."

Jellal sighed. "I went to this cliff."

"Oh." Ultear smiled but it quickly turned into a frown. "Why would you lie about that?"

Silence.

"Is it... Did you.. Did you meet someone?" She asked, cautiously.

Silence.

Ultear gasped dramatically. "You met a girl?!"

"Wha- I didn't say that!"

"But you didn't deny it either!"

Jellal was blushing furiously by now. How had Ultear found out so quickly? Jellal opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the older males coming back.

"I will talk to you later," Jellal whispered, "Tell them I'm asleep."

Ultear nodded and walked off to the entrance to greet their 'parents'.

"You want to go again?"

Jellal flinched. He didn't think Ultear would be this ecstatic if he went out again.

"Can you cover for me?" Jellal repeated.

"Duh." Ultear rolled her eyes. "You owe me three servings of your dessert, though."

"Ugh. Fine."

With that, Jellal took of, sprinting to the deep, dark woods.

She wasn't here.

'Maybe she's just not here yet,' Jellal repeated in his head. 'Maybe she'll come later.'

There was no later. It was already sunset, there was no way she would come after sunset. Maybe her mother found out about her socializing with a werewolf. Maybe that's why she wasn't here today.

Jellal bit his lip, hard enough to draw blood. He had hoped she would be here - he shouldn't have. There is no way an angel would be friends with a werewolf. There was never a chance. He was simply deluding himself.

As he turned away to go back, he heard the unmistakable beat of wings. Erza's wings.

A smile found it's place in Jellal's lips. Erza was panting. She must've flew really fast.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I'm l-late."

"It's okay."

Together they watched the stars. Jellal wished this time would never end. He wished the time would just stop. Secretly, Erza wished it too.

Erza and Jellal met together almost every day. They met in their secret spot - the cliff. Erza was still wary of the forest but Jellal promised her that the forest just didn't like intruders. Erza still wasn't so sure.

So, Jellal took her into the forest.

Erza held his hand all the time. She would never admit it but she was scared. Her mother was a Heavenly Knight - a famous one too. How shameful that her one daughter is scared of the woods! How shameful indeed!

"Hey, Erza..." Jellal suddenly stopped and faced her.

"Yeah?"

"What's your last name?"

Erza was taken aback by that question. She hadn't expected it at all. She couldn't just tell him her real last name. It was too famous. Even if Jellal was a werewolf, he surely would have heard of the name 'Belserion'. Surely.

"I-I don't have one." Erza silently swore for stuttering.

Jellal narrowed his eyes. "Aren't we friends?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Then tell me!"

"I just said I don't have one."

"Erza, you and I both know that's not true."

Erza sighed. Sometimes it was frustrating that Jellal knew her this much. She wished he would just leave it at that. She really didn't want to tell him her last name.

"Leave it." Jellal's voice was soft.

"Eh?"

"It's fine, you don't have to tell me."

Erza felt bad. Terrible. Jellal was her only friend and now, she felt as if she had betrayed him.

"Why... Why don't you give me one?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I will never tell you my last name and I would feel bad if you never knew it so," Erza stared into Jellal's brown eyes. "Why don't you give me a surname?"

Jellal seemed to be thinking.

"Scarlet." He said finally.

"Scarlet?"

"Scarlet." He confirmed.

"Very well, then."

They both were very happy while they were together. Very happy indeed. But, everyone knows that happy things are never, forever.

Soon, Irene will find out about Erza's secret excursions.

What will happen then?

What indeed?