Summary: An infection has spread and killed across Fiore. Those who have contracted the illness are sealed off and left to die on their own. Now Gray is sick, first of all, the mages. No one knows what to do. Some people want him killed and burned, others want to research him and the virus, and Fairy Tail just wants to protect what's theirs.

Word Count: 2450

A/N: Didn't take long to write this and was hella fun to write as well. Hopefully, this chapter isn't too boring because we find out what happened and the start of Gray's adventure. Next chapter will be more fun (more information at the bottom). Anyway, have a great day and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone

Warning: I am not a doctor, so if I get things wrong please forgive me. Also, cussing, some minor sickness, and grammar/spelling errors if I did not catch them.

Thank you: PokeTail! Once again! I haven't responded to your PM but I saw it and was like: "Best write that down now!" And then it turned out I wrote the whole chapter!

Chapter 2: Deadly Kiss

Yesterday

Three bandits attacked Erza, one coming from the front two from the side. She brought both of her hands up, swords manifesting and blocking the crooks attacks as he kicked forwards. The idiot was sent back, his eyes screaming and mouth bellowing in alarm as he fell back, his head slamming against the ground, going unconscious. She turned around, one sword fizzing out as she looked around the tall trees to locate each foe. Between the hundreds that had surrounded them, Erza could make out fire blooming from the east and sparks of ice sharpening up from the ground towards the west. She also spotted Lucy jump backward, her whip out and her crab spirit cut down a few bandits.

A cry came from behind her and she looked back, watching a man raise a hammer above his head. But Erza took a single step, her form darkening as she appeared on the other side of the man and blood trickling out from his stomach. He fell backward and Erza frowned. This was supposed to be an S-Class mission, something that would prove a little bit of difficulty, but the mission was unbearably easy. She even heard Natsu complain about the bandits weakens. Had they not met their real challenge yet? Or had the person who wanted this quest done, not understand what challenging really was.

She had equipped into her normal armor when she heard a shout. "Shit!" Normally the shouts would be unfamiliar, but she knew who this was. She turned in the direction where Gray was and she found him fumbling backward, one hand out as ice flew in the direction of the crooks that were surrounding him. As the ice shot out, it seemed odd to her that cracks were evident as he sent out the arrows. The other hand was wrapped around his midsection and as Erza looked closer, sweat was pooled off his chin. Had Gray really been having a difficult time with these men and women? It wasn't likely, Erza knew that Gray was very powerful, but something was wrong.

She ignored the other bandits that were coming her way and raced towards Gray. She flew past Lucy, and the Celestial Mage turned, "Erza? What's wrong?" Erza ignored her teammate and watched as Gray brought his one hand up, a shield appearing before him. However, he seemed to forget the man behind him and Ezra's eyes widened as the man attacked.

"Gray," she shouted, light poured around her and she quickly dawned her Black Wing armor. The dark wings flapped and she appeared behind the Ice Mage, her sword clashing against the bandit that was about to impale Gray. The said mage looked back, his eyes cloudy and sweat dripped from his chin.

"Erza," he mumbled.

Erza frowned at Gray, "Are you alright?"

The bandits behind Gray's shield paused in their attack, but as Gray stumbled they smiled menacingly. Gray coughed, his face twisting as laughter filled the surrounding trees. "Honestly," Gray looked up from the ground and his face twisted in pain, "I feel sick."

Erza's eyes widened, she quickly reached out, her sword dropping from her grasp and the bandits started to circle them. She looked up, her eyes fierce and deadly making them men around her pause for a second, taking an unconscious step backward. She looked back at Gray, her fingers digging into his shoulder, trying to grab his attention that seemed to float in between her and the surrounding trees. "Gray," she said forcefully, "sick? What do you mean by sick?"

He couldn't mean the illness that had infected so many? Up until now it only infected non-mages, never had a mage gotten sick. So he couldn't be talking about the virus. Could he? She looked at the Ice Mage before her. Gray blinked sluggishly, his muscles shivering beneath her grasp and he suddenly jerked from her hold. His cheeks puffed out as he fell to his hands and knees, vomiting. She stepped back, her eyes widening even further.

"Natsu," she yelled turning away from Gray, "Lucy. Get over here!"

"Aw," a goon cooed next to her, "poor black hair is sick."

Erza faced the bandit and her eyes sunk into a pool of promised death. "Stand down," she growled.

"Like you scare us," another crook spoke and he stepped forward, his hand holding out a sword lazily. "Plus you're the one's who attacked us."

"Stand down, now." Erza hissed, she felt the air around her rise as the two other Fairy Tail mages appeared.

Behind the bandits that circled her and Gray, stood Lucy and Natsu whose hands were ablaze and eyes almost as fierce as Erza's. "You heard her, bastards, stand down now."

One goon snickered, "We don't listen to those who want to throw us in the slammer."

"Gray?" Lucy said above the laughter that started to rise. "What's wrong with him?"

"We aren't going to throw you in jail," Erza stated, a sword raising the thug's throat. "No," she growled, "we're going to kill you. Only if you don't stand down."

Beside her Gray moaned, his head almost falling in the contents he upchucked. "Guys," he moaned between pants, arms shaking as he tried to look up. "I really don't feel good."

"We aren't scared of you freaks," the goon spoke again. Erza took a protective step towards Gray and behind the wall of criminals, she felt Natsu heat up with irritation.

"Your funeral," Natsu snapped and jumped forward.

An explosion rattled the ground as fire shattered around them and the bandits flew back. Erza turned, feeling men rush up behind her, and she swung her sword watching as it cut down those who got too close. She jumped forward, her eyes lit in fury.

2 Days Ago

Gray stepped out of the bar, his shirt swung over his shoulder and mind slightly foggy from the alcohol. He didn't drink much tonight, surprisingly uninterested with the selection presented. Gray looked left then right as he dug in his pocket, somehow he was more stressed out than usual and found the packet of cigarettes he kept around. His fingers hovered above the small packaging in his pocket and found himself turning down the alleyway next to the bar.

He leaned against the brick wall and took out a cigarette, lighting it. Gray wasn't one to smoke daily, but he did sometimes. Never around his Guild members, though, although he was pretty sure Natsu and Gajeel had smelled the smoke, even after he took a shower. But they never said anything; just stared for a bit before Gray shook his head and walked off. People told him he'd get lung cancer, but he's pretty sure he'll die before anything like that happens.

"I told you I'm not sick," a voice drifted down the alleyway. Gray left the cigarette in between his lips and turned to the front of the ally. A woman stumbled; her heels clamped between her fingers as a man push her back, his finger nudging her shoulder.

"Liar," the man growled. He was tall, his hair straw-colored and slicked backward, even with the street lantern behind him, his eyes glowed a dark emerald. "You know you're sick and you still kissed me?"

The woman pushed her auburn hair behind her ear, "I'm not sick!"

"Like hell you aren't." He growled, eyes bright with irritation.

Gray watched the man shove the woman again, Gray grabbed his cigarette between his fingers and stepped towards the two. "Hey," he growled, "That's not how you treat a lady."

The man looked up, his face twisting into disgust as he saw Gray. "This bitch is sick with the virus." He crossed his arms, "She kissed me and I'm probably infected now!"

Gray frowned, "That's still not a good reason to be pushing someone, let alone a woman."

The man growled, his eyes drifting across Gray's shirtless chest, looking at the Fairy Tail symbol then to the cigarette in between Gray's fingers. "You wouldn't understand, mage," the man growled and spat at Gray's feet.

Gray paused, his frown deepening as he stalked forward, putting the woman behind him and eyes turning cold as ice. "I really wouldn't do this if I were you."

"Oh, I want to kick your ass," the man growled. Gray and the man both moved closer, their faces almost touching and anger flowed out between them.

"Last chance," Gray snarled, "ugly."

"Oh," the woman spoke behind him, her hand reaching out and holding onto Gray's arm. "I think he does." Her nails suddenly dug into his skin and Gray looked back.

Except he couldn't.

He felt his world come to a standstill, the air around him lashed around him and he found that his muscles wouldn't move. The woman unfastened her hands from his arm and stepped back. "Hurry," she muttered, stepping around Gray as the man chuckled.

"You think it will work on mages?" The man looked Gray over once more.

"Worked on all the other people, didn't it?" The woman popped out her hip, resting on hand on her side as she raised an eyebrow. "Most of them are dead."

"I guess we'll just have to see," the man stepped forward, his eyes bright and greedy.

Gray wanted to step back, freeze both of them and kick their asses all at the same time. But he couldn't move anything but his eyes as he looked at the female. Underneath her long hair, Gray noticed an odd symbol resting on the side of her neck. His eyes widened, he knew what it was. She smiled sweetly, both pausing in their actions before the man stepped forward. He reached out and Gray felt the man's hand caress the side of this head and tangling in his hair. Gray watched as the man leaned forward, his mouth opening and then suddenly he felt the man kiss him. Gray tried to real back, his eyes closing in disgust as the man forcefully coughed into his mouth then pulled back.

The man drew his arm across his mouth, which ended up turning into a frown, "God I hate doing that."

The woman rolled her eyes as Gray moaned in disgust. "Oh c'mon, you wanted to be the sick one." She turned back around towards Gray, her hand reaching out fingers moving slowly. "Now for you, Mage, let's forget this ever happened."

He woke up in his bed, his throat sore and mind slightly foggy. "Shit," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I knew I shouldn't have drank so much last night."

Yesterday

Gray woke up to Erza and Lucy hovering over him. He blinked sluggishly, finding that everything hurt, shit. "Gray," Erza demanded. Gray looked into her eyes slowly, finding that even that action caused pain to pound behind his eyes. "Gray," she said again. Her hand clamped around his shoulder and he grimaced, "Did you get poisoned?"

He paused for a second, ignoring the pain that washed over his entire frame. Poisoned? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He opened his mouth, noticing how dry it had become and it left behind a sour taste. "What?" He rasped out.

"Poisoned," Erza demanded, "Did one of the bandits that we were fighting poison you?"

Gray frowned, bandits? Poison? What the hell was she talking about? He looked around; disregarding the relentless ache then found that tall trees and bodies of unknown people surrounded him. "Where are we?"

"What?" Natsu said somewhere around him and Gray felt a cloud of warmth come from his side. It was at this time he noticed he was ungodly cold.

"We're on our mission, Gray," Lucy spoke.

Gray paused again, blinking, trying to put together what they had said. Then it clicked. "No," he shook his head, but it turned out he could only move it to the side before a coughing fit racked his entire frame. "No," he said again, mouth sour and dry.

"No what, popsicle," Natsu growled out.

Erza looked up, her eyes narrowing.

"No," Gray smacked his tongue, "I wasn't…poisoned."

Lucy's face, which was tense with alarm, melted into relief. Though Erza didn't seem as happy, actually she seemed to panic even more. "What happened then? Did a bandit cough on you?"

"Ya," Natsu spoke up, his and Happy's head leaning into Gray's obscured view. "You were fine before we started this mission."

Gray recalled something, why he had gotten sick, why he was so incapable of beating up easy targets. The problem was he couldn't remember what happened. He knew something happened last night, but what? One thing he did retain was that each time he used an attack; his chest began to pound with an odd sensation that sent his world toppling. He was about to reply but then the sourness in his mouth only grew more displeasing.

"We need to get him back to Porlyusica," Erza stood. She looked at Happy who seemed unsure of what Erza was about to ask. "Do you think you can fly him there in under a day."

"Hold on," Natsu stood as well. "He can't even stand up. Do you really think Happy flying him is the right way to go?"

Erza frowned, "If he really is sick – with what's been killing people back in Fiore…we need to get him medical help as soon as possible."

"But what if it hurts him even more," Natsu debated. He glared, to Gray the Fire Mage looked annoyed and troubled, which he only saw whenever Lucy was hurt or in trouble. "Happy can't carry two people, what if Gray starts getting worse? Happy can't take care of Gray if something worse happens."

Erza looked down to Gray, "Happy…"

"Aye?" The blue cat sprouted wings and hovered above Gray.

Erza's eyes flashed and she looked up, her face stone cold with determination. "How fast can you fly me back to Fiore to get Doranbolt?"

Happy blinked, his paws then balled and he nodded quickly, "Going as fast as possible? Maybe a day?"

"Doranbolt?" Natsu growled, "If you think that the bastard will help, he won't."

Erza crossed her arms, her armor clicking against each other as she met Natsu's glare, "He'll have to." She turned back towards Happy, who had drifted next to her. "Happy, let's go." Happy quickly latched onto her back and with one fell swoop, they were gone.

Gray watched as the trees around him rustled as the air around them calmed. Natsu had turned around, his arms crossing over his chest and expression deep with irritation. Lucy had returned her attention to Gray, watching him as he studied the atmosphere around him. Unexpectedly, Gray found himself shivering…damn it was getting cold.

A/N: So I want to set this before the Grand Magic Games Arc because Mest is still considered Doranbolt (if I remember correctly). I haven't really studied his character all too well, so if next chapter I write his personality wrong, please forgive me. Also, I haven't really written Erza that much in my stories, but I love her character and hope I represented her well. Very important chapter. Found out something's that will be present next chapter and on. I'm very excited for next chapter because we will be back in present time, watching what happened to Gray and how the citizen of Fiore will react to having a Mage sick. Other then that I really liked the chapter and hope you liked/loved it as well! Thank you again, PokeTail!

Reviews:

Just Me- Thank you so much! I'm glad that the story still flowed together, despite the whole mission missing. For the ending, it really depends on how the reviewers are responding to what's happening. But I do have plans for both ways. But thanks again!

PokeTail- I'm so glad you like it! For some reason I kept panicking, wondering if you liked it or not. I'm just glad you like it! Tell me if I go to far and I'll totally correct it!

Nerd-life77- I love your username, totally relatable. You know my mom asked me what Gray was like and said: "He's a man that can never exist in this world because he's too fucking AMAZING!" (I also said that about Bucky Barns) And her reply was, "Nerd…" I take that as a compliment. Anyways, thank you xD

Lazy lilymoon90- Thank you very much! I love PokeTail as well, don't tell her this but I really want to make a story with her – I'm sure it'd rock the Fairy Tail Fandom! Thanks again!

Just a Bubble- Yaaay! I'm so glad you like it; hopefully, today's chapter development drew you in even more!

Anniegirld132- Yes, nervousness is wanted! Super glad their confidence in this situation is not shining through. Honestly, I don't know if Natsu or Lucy would know what to do. I tried researching to see if Lucy knew really any basic facts on the sickness part and found that she has common sense, but with seizures never really happening around the group I wanted to go out on a limb and say no one really new except maybe Wendy (but she's not here lol) Thanks again!

Ryuu91- Super happy to know you've maybe cried in my other stories! Hopefully, you liked this chapter as well. Anyway, thanks so much!

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