A/N: first off, let me start off with thanking everybody who had supported this story, whether from reviewing, following, or favoring. It means so much.

I'm so glad you all like it so far. Things are now gonna get really heated.

They say there a small red string attached to you and the one person you're meant to be with. The legend comes from an old Chinese myth, where the gods tied a little red thread around your hand, and tied the other end to that specific other. The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break.

Jellal's POV

"You were amazing! How long have you been playing?" Erza asked me excitedly, sitting next to me on the bus.

About an hour after my gig, I left the other back in Crocus, accompanying the redhead back home.

"13 years," I replied, "I picked up the guitar after my parents died. Then Simon, the big dude who played bass, approached me and asked if we could start a band. I've been playing in that band for about 5 years."

Erza placed a hand on my arm, sending electric shocks zipping through me. "I'm sorry about your parents. May I ask how they died?" She said gently.

I sighed. "We were driving on an unplowed road, going to pick up my sisters from nursery school the weather had turned foul, and the teachers wanted all the parents to flick up their kids before the storm got any worse. While we were driving, a deer jumped out into the road. My dad swerved to avoid it, and we ran right into an oncoming car. I was knocked unconscious, and when I woke up, I was in the hospital with a broken arm. But worst of all, Mom and Dad were gone."

Erza put a hand to her mouth, her eyes glassy. "Jellal, I'm so sorry," she breathed, genuine sorrow in her voice.

I patted her hand. "It ok. I've gotten used to it. I feel bad for Juvia and Wendy though, they were too young to even remember Mom and Dad. Juvia might, but Wendy, not a chance. Wendy was only a year old."

"my parents are divorced," Erza began. "Then my mom contracted cancer, and my dad wouldn't lift a finger to help. She died a year after. I refused to talk to my father anymore, so he sent me to Fairy Tail."

She looked at me. "Is that why you have a hard time socializing. Because you had such a traumatic experience?"

God, I wish that was it. Little did she know of my curse. Or, what seemed to be a cure. That every person I seemed to love ended up dead.

"I guess," I lied, shrugging. "I guess it just destroyed my self confidence."

Erza suddenly leaned up to kiss my cheek. I flinched, shocked at her bold move. "Thank you for sharing that story with me. I am truly sorry for you loss," she whispered. "And I want you to know that I'm here for you. I know you're struggling with losing your parents. But I want you to know that I'll help you find a way to live happily again."

I blinked at her declaration. No one has ever said that to me before. Everyone else thought I was a lost cause.

Except for Erza.

Erza's POV

We made it back to the dorms at 8. Jellal and I walked in together, going down the hall to the senior lounge. I had offered Jellal to join in on the movie night. After a little bit of persuasion, he finally accepted.

It made me glad.

His past saddened me. He was lost in the world, saddened by the horrific loss of his parents. And the worst part was that he witnessed it too. No wonder why he was so shy.

And yet, I had the feeling there was something else, something he wasn't telling me.

I entered the room. Gray and Natsu were facing the gigantic TV screen, playing a wizard gamd, while Lucy sat on one of the plush couched, knitting what seemed to be a red, woolen rug.

"Are we having fun?" I asked. Lucy looked up from her knitting. "Hey Erza! You're back! And- who's this?"

Natsu and Gray looked over to me. Gray's face lit up when he saw me, then he caught sight of Jellal, standing right behind me. His face fell, and he looked suspiciously at the bluenet.

I stepped forward, pulling Jellal in with me. "Hey guys, this is Jellal. He and his sisters just moved here."

"Oh, you must be Juvia's brother. She showed me how to knit! And now, I'm making a scarf!" Lucy said excitedly, holding up her gigantic blanket-scarf-contraption. I gigggled, quietly.

Gray came over and took the bags from my hands. "Jellal," he said quietly. He nodded curtly at him. Jellal frozed. Gray stared icily at him.

Natsu jumped in. "Hey, Jellal, I'm Natsu, Co captain of the soccer team with this lazy son of a bitch over here. Nice to meetcha!"

"Oi, what did you call me, flame brain?" Gray snarled.

"I called you a lazy son of a bitch cuz you are one!"

"Oh yeah? Well, who's the one who got accepted to Magnolia University over here? Oh right, me!"

"Boys," I said. "Let's not start a fight in the pristine, nice, neat senior lounge, ok? Otherwise, your cleaning it up and I'm kicking you our of this school."

They gulped. "H-hai…." They both murmured.

I stepped over to the couch. "So, what movie are we watching?" I asked. Gray shrugged. "I forget…something about a phoenix princess?"

I blinked. "Sounds good enough," I said, plopping down on the couch. I patted the seat next to me and looked at Jellal. "Pop a squat, Mr. Fernandes."

He blinked, then shyly came over, and sat down next to me. Gray came over and sat on my left, immediately wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Natsu joined Lucy, who set aside her basket of red thread on the floor.

About an hour into the movie, I got up, intent on finding a bowl of popcorn, or strawberry cake. I loved strawberry cake.

I didn't stop to think, that since it was dark, I would trip over something. Especially when that something happened to be Lucy's basket of yarn.

"Aiee!" I screamed, falling flat on my face, the yarn immediately getting tangled up with me.

"What the-"

"Erza!"

Suddenly, the lights were turned on, and three pairs of worried eyes looked down at me: Lucy's, wide-eyed and concerned, Gray's, surprised and humorous, and Jellal's, concerned and hesitant.

"Help?" I squeaked.

Gray grabbed my hand and pulled me into a sitting position. He looked me over, noting the string wrapped around my wrists, my hands, my head, my entire freaking body.

"Jeez, Erza!" He complained, beginning to unwrap the yarn. Lucy and Jellal pitched in, Natsu joining after a minute or two.

Soon I was mostly untangled, just a few stubborn pieced tangled in my hair. I picked furiously at one tied around my wrist- it must've knotted and tightened in the struggle. I yanked hard on my wrist.

"Woah!" Jellal suddenly exclaimed, falling forward. I looked hard. He had wrapped a batch of string around his wrist, wrapping more as he went along. The current piece of string he was neatly wrapping around his wrist was the same one attached to my hand.

"Crap, sorry Jellal!" I gasped. He pushed himself to a sitting position and looked at me, noting the piece of string in his hand, and how it connected to the one around my wrist. He sighed.

"You really got tangled, didn't you?" He asked, coming over. He took my hand and deftly began to untie the string. I looked at him, seeing the fine detail on his handsome face.

Suddenly, Gray pushed Jellal's hands out of the way. "Thanks, Jellal. I got this. Can you help Lucy out, untangling the rest of the thread?"

Jellal looked at Gray. "Sure," he murmured, backing away from me. I sighed, then focused my attention on Gray. He bent down next to me.

"I don't know about him," he whispered, gesturing back to Jellal, who was helping Lucy and Natsu untangle the rest of the thread. "There's something off about him."

I glared at him. "Seriously? Gray, he just got here! He's had a hard past, and some difficult problems in his life!"

Gray glared at me. "How do you know so much about him?" He hissed, ripping the piece of string off my wrist.

I stood up, glaring at him. "I don't want to hear it," I hissed back, stomping out of the lounge, intent on heading to my dorm.

"What's with her?" I heard Lucy ask.

"We didn't even finish the movie!" Natsu complained.

"Should we-" Jellal began, but I ran up the stairs, his voice fading.

I ran to my dorm, but before I could enter, a hand grabbed my arm and flung me around. I slammed Into my door back first, and the same arm crashed next to my head.

Gray stood facing me, one hand holding my arm flat against my side, and the other hand braced flat against my door, effectively penning me in. We were breathing heavily, and Gray stared deeply into my eyes. I flinched at the burning intensity in his gaze.

"Erza, you're my girlfriend. I worry about you. I'm just trying to look out for your welfare," he gasped. I glared at him. "I don't need you looking out for me 24/7," I said back.

Gray snarled. "God damnit, Erza, can't you see that I want to protect you?"

He suddenly leaned in, kissing me hard on the lips. My mouth was open in shock, his tongue plunged in without hesitation. His forceful kiss sent all the breath whooshing out of my lungs, and my brain short-circuited.

I protested, he took my hand and slid it onto his chest, parting his collared shirt, until it was resting against his beating heart.

He pulled away from my lips. "Erza, my feelings for you are as strong as ever. So it worries me when you get too close to another guy."

My chest heaved. "G-Gray," I murmured.

He leaned in again, and pressed his lips against mine, without the desperate passion he just had moments ago. It was a different kind of passion, reserved, yet still wanting. I sighed and kissed him back.

We stood there for what seemed like ages, kissing passionately, hands roaming up and down each others bodies, until Gray finally pulled away. His eyes were gentle as he pushed a few locks of red hair out of my face.

"Get some sleep, ok Erza? I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered, and I nodded mutely. He smiled and placed one more kiss on my forehead, before walking away. He disappeared down the hall.

I sighed. I loved Gray, I really did love him, but lately, all I could truly think about was Jellal. Part of me knew that Gray and I were better if we were just friends. My whole being longed for Jellal.

At that very moment, the blue haired young man stepped into the hallway. He froze, seeing me still standing outside my door.

I stared back at him. Jellal, Jellal, Jellal, my mind screamed out. I held my breath. Will he…..will he come?

His eyes locked onto mine. Even from this distance, I could still see the dark green. They burned with a hidden feeling.

He walked towards me.

Even if that string gets tangled or stretched, it can never be cut. For it was decreed by Fate, that no matter what, nothing can prevent the destined lovers from being together. You cannot fight what Fate has destined for you.

A/N: So, whatcha think? Leave me your thoughts in a review!

Thanks for everything!