Summary: Erza is the strongest person that Gray knows. This story takes place during the Tower of Heaven arc.
Gray's feelings for Erza were what made him stronger. Erza was always the one who saved them all. She had risked her life against Phantom Lord and she had protected her former best friends when she had been just a little girl. It was always her who did everything to protect them all. She was always strong and brave, never showing if she was afraid of something. However this time he wanted to be the one who saved her. Gray knew that Erza was stronger than him, but he wanted to do everything he could to rescue her. Surely he would never be her knight in shinning armor, she was too strong to be saved by him, but he wanted to fight alongside her and give her all the support and love she never had before in her life. Yes, he loved her and he would do anything that she never had to cry again.
All he could think about during the fight was her. He remembered how he had met Erza on a day where everything had gone wrong for him. Cana had insisted that it was his lucky day, but he hadn't seen it until Erza had entered the guild. At first he had been skeptical towards the armor wearing girl, who always kept to herself. However when he had been about to challenge her again, he had seen her cry for the first time. He had never seen such a heartbreaking sight. A girl so strong, wearing armor that protected her, breaking down and letting out all the pain she was feeling. In that moment Gray had known that he never wanted to see her cry again. He had promised himself that he would do everything that she could be happy. Never again should a tear stain her beautiful face ever again.
With even more determination he fought against Fukuro. Maybe Cana had been right, back then he had a crush on the determined scarlet-haired girl, but now he was sure that he was in love with an amazing woman. Strong, brave and selfless, that was what she was and she never gave herself credit for it. She had protected her friends and had freed them back when she had only been a little girl and she had been so strong to keep on fighting. Even now, while she was back where she had been tortured, she stayed strong.
The thought that she was alone in the place that had haunted her for years and was about to fight one of her former best friends, pushed Gray harder to defeat Fukuro. She always tried to do everything alone and protect everyone. That was the way she had always been, doing things on her own, but he wouldn't let her. Not this time. He wanted to be right by her side and tell her that she didn't have to be alone.
Sho had told him that Erza fought one of their strongest enemies without her armor. Gray knew that Erza always wore her armor, it gave her a feeling of safety, so for her to fight without it was a big step. He had already thought that Erza was strong before they had come to this cursed tower, but here he was learning how strong she really was. Back then it had been Erza who had saved everyone, her that had lead the others to the revolution and it had been her that had freed them.
Now she wanted to do the same all over again, but this time she would have him by her side. That day at the river had marked the day when they became friends. Slowly Erza had started to talk to the other people in the guild, but she had never been as open with them as she had been with Gray when they were alone at the river. Often he found her there and he just sat down next to her, both of them sharing a comfortable silence while they watched the sunset. Over the years Gray had realized that he wanted to stay like this with her forever, just the two of them understanding each other without words.
Around her heart was an armor and he was the first who she had opened up to. She had given him a glance of the real her, without her armor and strong facade. He loved her, that was clear as day to him by this point and he would do everything to bring her back. She was not only a member of Fairy Tail, but he needed her in his life. He would get her back to their family and he would get her back into his arms. Magical strength came from the heart, so he could unleash his full strength when he thought of her. He would win this fight and save the woman who he loved.