((A/N: Hello, hello! What an awful ending I left for you guys last chapter. So... Yeah. I guess you'll just have to forgive my awesomeness/evil and move on.

EDIT: So, just in case you didn't know, because I keep forgetting most aren't my same bedtime stories' readers, this means either emphasis or flashback/memories or a character's thoughts. But I'll write down when it is the thoughts. And the emphasis is usually just one word.I think it's classier than just writing *FLASHBACK* above it. I don't know.))

The Wolf who Fell in Love with Little Red Riding Hood

Fifth Visit: Friday Evening.

It was bright day until the sun had set.

It was getting darker by the second, and the forest was even darker than the outside. Well, that wasn't anything weird. Holding tight to the basket that had more than a few years, Erza breathed in deeply.

Sixteen, soon to be seventeen.

Everyone was pressuring her to get a husband.

But she really didn't want anyone.

Not after everything that had happened.

Even if she did want a husband, it was hard to get one when your hair represents the devil itself. Erza rolled her eyes and gave one more step. And another. Something crossed her mind. No. Take those memories away. she thought, shaking her head, trying to shake them off.

She had to keep moving on.

His lips against hers.

They tasted funny.

Step forward.

The way his hand trailed towards her hair.

Keep moving.

Her eyelids feeling heavy.

She shook her head. Moving on.

Her feet failing her.

Another step.

A strong couple of hands holding her.

Forget it all.

"You... Can get in" a voice saying loud and clear.

You don't have tears, why remember this?

Her father was there...?

You can't cry anymore.

He'd been missing for a couple years now...

Another step forward.

Oh... They had him all along, then.

You promised to keep moving on, remember that?

When their eyes met once again.

You don't break your promises.

The sadness and regret in them.

Move on.

The whisper she didn't understand.

Give another step.

Was someone calling her name?

"So stupid.." Erza whispered.

Her head touching the ground, so softly.

She breathed in again.

"That'll teach ..u Nig..walk..s!" someone's shout.

Breathe out.

The burning darkness.

In.

Out.

Erza shook her head.

"It's fine..." she muttered to herself.

She walked on.

Her nails hurting her palms as she tightened her fist. Erza walked ahead, and glanced at her left, where she saw the path to the flower beds.

The memory of how the two of them had spent an afternoon doing the crowns crossed her mind. It was long ago. They were both just so innocent. Neither had felt emotions so strong and heartbreaking as she was right now. She still had both her parents.

So long ago...

It wasn't long before she was standing in front of Natsu and Lucy's home. Lucy and Natsu had some strange relationship. They were still best friends, but there was something lingering there. Erza had an idea what it might be, but she had some doubts if it would be good for either of them...

Erza opened the main door, "Erza? I-Is that you?" called Lucy.

"Yes. Is Natsu there with you?" Erza said as she left the basket in the kitchen. As she headed towards Lucy's door, she heard,

"Ehm, actually... He left"

Erza blinked. "He did what?" she said, opening the door, and inside, Lucy was laying down her same old bed, her eyes red and puffy. "Lucy..." Erza walked down next to the blonde, sitting on the side of her bed. "I'm going to kill that bastard" Erza growled, seeing how tears were starting to overwhelm her eyes.

She shook her head. "T-There's no need to d-do that... Can you hand me o-over a tissue?"

Erza nodded and grabbed the ones on Lucy's bedside table. "What happened?" the scarlet-haired asked softly.

"I... I told him that- Eep!" she hiccuped, "that I was better off without him" she said, a sad smile crossing her features.

"What? Why?"

"I.. I don't want him here"

"Lucy... After all these years of seeing you guys smiling together, do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Y-You should leave too..." she started weakly, looking at the ceiling, a pained look in her face.

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

Her gaze darted to the other side of the room, not long before she rolled her eyes with an ironic smile. "You know what's wrong" Erza frowned as she shook her head. Lucy looked exasperated, "Erza, I'm dying. I'm not getting better any time soon. A-And you all could be doing so many things, if it wasn't be-because of me"

Erza shook her head, "Lucy, you'll get better"

"No!" she cried, "No, I'm not! Everyone's been telling me that since I was five, Erza. It's been ten years. Ten years. I'm s-stuck here."Erza continued to shake her head, but she couldn't help bit her own lip, trying to deny that what she was saying "And I don't want anyone to be dr-dragged here with me. Natsu should be making himself a living, no watch as both our lives are being wasted in here. Please, Erza. You've done more than enough. Leave. Never come back. Take care of your Mom. Pretend that what was meant to happen already h-has" she stuttered, her voice cracking.

"Please"

"No, Lucy. I would never, never do such a thing as leaving you behind"

"Erza, Please. This guilt I've been carrying has gotten too heavy. Every day, every hour you spend with me, you could have trained, you could have travelled,"

Erza's eyes widened. "Don't say that"

"You c-could have met the love of y-your life, you c-could have s-saved your father."

"Lucy, Stop" Lucy shook her head, continued.

"Erza, you could have stopped Jellal of joining that gang. You could have convinced him. Y-You could have taken Wendy of their hands. You could have been so happy, Erza." tears started to flow down her cheeks "But no. All because you have this feeling of protecting me. Natsu's the same. Everyone... Everyone is wasting their lives on me, and it's all pointless, because I'm p-pointle-" she started to sob.

"STOP! STOP DOING THIS. STOP SAYING THIS! You are precious to all of us, Lucy. Precious. And if you dare say such a thing ever again, we'll all have to stay forever to prove it to you. Natsu left because you asked him to, and he will do everything for you. He loves you, it's been obvious to all watchers like me. And even more the fact that you love him back. We all stay, because you are worth it. You are worth all those things you mentioned. If I were to make that promise, and visit you every week of my life all over again, I wouldn't hesitate. Being with you is the highlight of my day, Lucy. Don't take that away from me. Don't take that away from Natsu, either"

A sigh was heard. Both Lucy and Erza looked at each other, neither of them had produced the sound. They looked in unison at the window. Erza walked towards it, opened it's glass doors, and a pink head was sitting below it, hugging it's own knees.

Erza laughed. "Hey, Natsu"

A gasp behind her let her know that Lucy had indeed heard. Natsu looked up, "Hey, Erza", there was a slight blush on his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He stood up and entered through the window. "I... Never really left...?" he said, offering a smile to the both gals.

Lucy bit her lip to stop herself from smiling, tears brimmed her eyes, "You... Idiot"

Natsu shrugged as he walked towards Lucy, sitting next to her, and giving her a hug.

Making himself more comfortable, he put an arm around Lucy's shoulders, and laying right next to her after she had moved some inches. "I bet it took all your will not to enter the room while she was crying" Erza said, heading to the door, she opened it and glanced at the two, when she realized the puzzled look on their faces, she explained, "I'm going to make some sandwiches. You work out all your stuff"

Natsu smiled, and right before she closed the door he saw how he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. After Erza closed the door she heard how she asked for more tissues and Natsu's chuckle.

Erza grabbed her basket and stood in front of the kitchen's window, where the counter was. She took the bread that already was in the house. She sighed in, and looked at the window. The forest was there, a rather bright part of it. She glanced at one of the trees, and saw something blue.

..Huh?

Blue? "Natsu, where's Happy?" Erza asked loud enough for the two of them to hear.

"Ahm... He is where he always is, right next to me, why?" replied Natsu from the room.

"Oh.. Nothing" she answered. "Be right back" she said.

Walking outside the warm home, she walked towards the tree where she thought to have seen something. It turned out to be the tree.

We'll meet again, Little Red Riding Hood,

The Wolf.

It said. Forever carved into the apple tree. Suddenly, as she stared nostagically at the words, it's messy handwriting and the stupid nickname he had given her, she heard a soft thump as something fell next to her.

A bitten apple.

Immediately, she looked up, but there was nothing there. A strange happiness grew on Erza's chest.

.

.

.

((A/N: Aaaaand, how about that? Longest chapter. U-U-U-Until NEXT TIME! Well, I kinda forgot to mention, I think, that this story won't be long. That's why everything is quite rushed. Trying my best to do a good job at it, what do you guys think? I don't know, I'm still wondering. I don't want it to be long and lose it's touch... I don't know.))