Hello people! I apologise for the unexpected delay.

Isanien, so much fangirling, thank you so much! Just reading 'to start with' made me giddy with excitement for such a looong and detailed review, thank you so so much! I appreciate it a lot! I'm really glad you liked the chapter. And of course, it's a great idea to have a parent (Alzack) talk to Jellal regarding the topic we're all rooting for (yeah, me included) :D I'll see what I can do!

Mikasa-Chan, you're welcome for the Gruvia - it is I who thanketh thee for the lovely review! Makes me happy every time I read it again!

Somnolent Sushi Roll, woah that was long! Thaaank you! So much fanrigliiiing thank youuu! Haha, I loved the comparison to Juvia xD Yeah I don't think anyone was awake really until Lucy started to scream, but oh well, they don't do it as PDA but just for themselves (I'm not sure, smug or just happy smiley? Something inbetween :D) Hahaha your 'cliffhanger' and then continuation, love it! Thank you so much for so much lovely reviewing!

Mitzy123, thank you so muuch! And no worries, there will be time for more kissing etc. Especially etc ;) Thank you so much for such kind words!

Guest, thank you so much for such a wonderful review! You're always so smooth and so very incredibly nice to me with all those complements - if I were an anime/mange character, I'd blush at every of your reviews! And I'm glad you like to get inspired by his baking ideas; coming up with them sometimes is very easy and sometimes very hard :D So many details in your review, I appreciate is so much!

Frangellica, thank you so much for your review! Hehe, shy cookie, that sounds so sweet, I feel like I wanna use that nickname now...

Alrightly, without further ado, I hope you'll have fun with this one. I certainly did...

Erza entered the study of her Master, closing the door behind her. It intrigued her to know where the sudden interest of Laxus in Jellal and Meredy originated in but she was sure to be finding out soon. She only hoped not to be needed in case Jellal's traumas had to be protected from mocking. Or if everything went out of hand and they would have to dig up the remains of Magnolia the next day.

"Don't worry, I'm not keeping you for too long," Makarov's voice scratched up his throat.

"It's no bother," Erza quickly said. She did not want to seem impatient.

"I have," he wheeled over to his desk, "prepared these to be sent to the Council," he informed. A bony finger pointed to two laid-out sheets of paper. Erza neared to glance over them. "I made one for Meredy, too – for the official registers of the guild,"

"Of course," Erza nodded. She smiled warmly upon seeing Meredy's last name on the official document. "Thank you, Master,"

"I waited for them to be sent because I didn't know what the Council had told you," he turned around. He was implying the letter, she knew.

Nodding again, Erza explained.

"It was nothing to be concerned about. It appeared as if they did not even know about the trial – at least they didn't mention it," she retold. Her hand ran over the edge of the wooden desk, her gaze following. "They are offering him a job," she glanced up to meet with surprise widening eyes. "And a high position from what Jellal can tell,"

"A job?" Makarov asked unbelievingly. Before she could confirm, he broke out into a hearty laughter. "Those airheads – always bowing to the wind,"

"It was approved by the Council members themselves,"

"So I would have guessed," Makarov shook his head, a broad grin on his face. "They see an opportunity and take it,"

"How so?" Erza tilted her head. She stepped away from the desk, restraining from leaning against the shelf in her back, keeping it straight.

"They must have been impressed with his work for us – not that it was not splendid by itself, but they simply cannot have anyone of his calibre who is on their opposing side,"

"Are they afraid of him?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not," the Master shrugged. He met her eyes, sinking into his backrest. "What did he say?" He asked, waiting calmly. Erza sighed.

"He doesn't know yet," she crossed her arms in front of her chest, holding on to her elbows. "He would like it, I'm sure; he's excellent with words,"

"So we've seen,"

"But of course, he cannot be in a guild while working for the Council,"

"Says who?" Makarov asked. A wildly fluttering spark of hope spread in her stomach, building up to make her heart race. She tried to still it, not standing to be disappointed right away. The Master noticed, giving her a smile. "It is written nowhere – it is only Jellal's logical conclusion, I would presume," he reasoned and she nodded, restraining from being too eager. "Not that he is wrong – if I were in the Council, I would never admit someone who is a member of a guild in an important position, but they might think differently. I have never heard of the Council calling out to someone to be employed, so the chance might be that they would allow it.

"Of course, the chance is extremely thin and unlikely,"

"They did not appear to know of the trial or its outcome,"

"So they might be shocked to receive these letters," Makarov's eyes flashed to the desk again. She followed the gaze, sighing deeply. He watched her for another few moments of pensive silence. She curled her toes inside her boots, suddenly feeling vulnerable without her armour, but the wounds still stung a little and it was freezing outside so a padded coat was in order.

"You would like him to go there, don't you?" She nearly winced at the words, caught. Not that she was sure, herself. Only it was such an opportunity for him and with his social fears of the guild… her opinions were constantly battling inside her head, finding that he deserved the Fairy Tail family and that with all the progress he had made, it would be a perfect fit in time.

"I think… I think it would do him good,"

"Did you tell him that?" He asked and she nodded, not looking up.

"We will go there so that he can have a notion of what to expect – see if he'd like it," she went on, anticipating the next question.

"Then perhaps it would be wise to take these with you," Makarov patted his desk, the paper flapping against the wooden surface. "In case you only want to hand in one," he found her gaze and she nodded once more, if sadly. Maybe he could at least go on his first – and then only – mission with Meredy as Fairy Tail Wizards. And maybe he would not like it after all, remaining to be her guildmate and sharing their work around the world.

Upon being asked, Erza shared with her father figure how life was treating her. It made her realise how she was really not too often in the guild anymore. Time flew by as she went on about little nothings that just pooled out of her. She told him about the house they had moved in together, but Makarov was apparently already informed. When reporting on Crime Sorcière, he reacted in a similar manner.

"Meredy received messages and calls from Crime Sorcière all week," he illuminated. Erza had to smile. "Even from Sabertooth where one of the members has gone to,"

"Sorano,"

"Yes, her. She is such a lively young woman and she is well cared for – even if she is not in the same guild as her former companions anymore. She will do very well here,"

"She will," Erza agreed. It brought her thoughts back to Jellal. Where there was joy and confidence for Meredy, there was a hole for Jellal. Insecurity and pity and sleepless nights of whether and how and for how long and if at all. He had been in a guild before, partially even leading them, but when it came to feeling accepted amongst carefree rowdies, the past started to catch up with him.

"You've changed, Erza," Makarov pulled her back into reality. Blinking, she focused on his warm smile.

"Master?" She gave a puzzled frown. He chuckled lightly.

"I'm positive that it took a lot of effort from you to get this far; to persuade him to join,"

"Actually, you did that…" Erza rolled her lips inwards.

"I can see that he is changing you, too," he said. She blinked, astonished. "He's softening you," Makarov added, and he said it with so much love in his gaze, she found herself smile tentatively. "It's good to see you both embracing change as it is, even if it makes you grow up right under my nose," he gave a sniffle but she knew it was only for emphasis. She directed her smile at him.

"I wouldn't worry about me ever growing out of your care, Master,"

"I certainly hope you will!" He scolded. "I won't be here forever, you know! You're on the right path, now go, go party with everyone or you'll miss it!" He outstretched his hand towards the door to motion her to leave. He sniffled again and even though it was overdone, she knew that was to hide a real one. Chuckling, Erza obeyed, though she had to return to the desk to receive the letters.

Tucking them away neatly, she sadly smiled to herself. Of course, he did not mean it, but that did not make it any less true. The only thing she could do was protect her Master and the guild and not wreck too many things on missions. Or in general. And grandchildren, perhaps – she would definitely give that another thought.

"Won't you join us?" She reached for the door knob but Makarov shook his head.

"I can hear the tables flying – I'll be sitting this one out. You go and enjoy yourself," he jerked his chin in the direction of the exit and she complied. She froze upon swinging the door open.

It was pure chaos. Tables were indeed flying. Knocked over, chopped in half, stacked, upside down, hanging from the balconies. Chairs alike.

Natsu and Gray were at it again. Pulling on each other's hair and clothes – at least on Natsu's clothes – they called each other names, sloppily thrusting their fists into one another's face. Juvia cried for her darling, clinging to what she was most likely identifying as Gray's leg. Lucy whined and groaned with her ankle captured by the Water Mage, down on her front, Wendy splayed across her back, doing tiny waving with her arms and imitating what could be her drunk idea of fish sounds.

Elfman roared above the commotion, lifting a huge barrel above his head, shouting his manly catchphrase. He noticed too late that Cana was currently hanging on to the barrel, flying with a shriek across the hall and landing behind the bar where she stopped her screaming immediately, having spotted the alcohol racks. Next, Elfman picked up a bench but it fell onto his head when he turned to stone. Evergreen laughed like a lunatic, accidentally flinging her shoe into the nearest guildmate when pretending to kick her not-too-secret crush over. She toppled over instead.

Most members kept on drinking rather than roughhousing, but it was only a matter of time until one got involved into the next fight.

"They're still at the bar," Levy made Erza wince. Turning, the Queen of the Fairies returned the kindly uncomfortable gaze of her friend with an equally sheepish one. Levy stretched out her finger while Erza shut the door behind her. "They moved to the corner when everything went out of hand; I don't think they're any better though," she grinned and Erza pulled a face. Of course, Jellal could not hold his liquor but that he had actually been talked into drinking…

"Why haven't you joined them?" Erza tilted her head and Levy grinned anew.

"Can't, remember?" She lightly patted her stomach. Erza blinked at it with wonder, able to detect the tiniest of bulges beneath the dotted fabric of her friend's dress.

"Right," she nodded. She could not help but smile at her. Levy returned the gesture, warmly, then suddenly chocked in shock. Erza hit the wall when a broom hit her head. Clenching her jaw, she shook her head, planting her feet into the ground. Alright… She cracked her neck both ways.

First whoever threw the broom. Then Jellal.

It was already nearing midnight when Erza had finally knocked out half the guild. Most were pretty much down for the count by alcohol, still partying but not threatening to toss any more furniture. She stalked past the clusters of singing and swaying wizards, having to step over another few until she had finally pushed her way to the end of the bar.

And there they were. Just… not at the bar anymore.

"Women…"

"Right?" Laxus slurred. He lifted his shot glass over his head, clinking it with Jellal's. They chugged it down in one, or at least they would have, would they have been sitting. Well, strictly speaking they were sitting, only both chairs were lying on the ground, alongside them, hair nearly touching. The sake landed somewhere to the side or partly on their shirts. Both of which had several of those wet spots already.

"Hey," Laxus nudged the fallen over stool next to him. Surprisingly, Jellal reacted, even if he was neither in reach nor sane.

"Huh?"

"Does that beam seem crooked to you?" Laxus huskily asked. His arm came up, somewhat pointing at the roof's beam above them – being perfectly straight.

"Huh…" Jellal repeated. He tilted his head by ninety degrees. "Women…"

"Right?!" Laxus nodded a couple of times, then grunted, lifting another shot of sake from an abandoned tray on the floor to his side. Jellal agreed with something unintelligible that sounded like 'cabbage' to anyone sober, but Laxus nodded more heftily, this time drippling the alcohol onto his face. They continued to hypnotise the beam at the ceiling.

Erza put her hands on her hips. She gave a deep sigh, watching the scene unfold with a frown. At least he seemed to have had sort of an amusing time.

Deciding it was well over time for him to go, she bent down to slide her hands beneath his shoulders.

"Erza!" Jellal's eyes widened and he gave her a big, toothy smile. "You're here!" He called, getting too excited with his discovery that he dropped right out of her grasp again. She kept from rolling her eyes, bending down once more.

"No!" Laxus commanded. His enormous fist gripped her wrist but she wound out easily with him in his current state.

"We're leaving," she announced, "come on," she pulled Jellal to his feet and it took him another moment to stand on his own. With most of his weight on her shoulder. He reeked of alcohol, the lingering sweetness telling her that cocktails had been involved as well.

"You can't," Laxus rolled over alongside his chair, unintentionally trapping himself behind it. It confused him, so she used the chance to get her beloved's drifting wit back to her and their aim of going home. "I'm not," Laxus smashed the chair into the bar, "letting you," he rose to his full height, towering the couple, "take the only other tattooed guy away!" He balled his hands together, striking them down as a magic-less Lightning Dragon's Jaw. "I found him first!" He hollered.

Erza dodged easily, but Jellal slipped, causing her to fall alongside him. She puffed a strand of hair out of her face. This was going to take longer than imagined.

Rising to her feet, raking on Jellal's arm to help him up again, she gave Laxus a look. The S-Class Mage glared, though puzzlement ruled over his annoyance, and she guessed him to already have forgotten about their dispute's topic. Or the entire dispute. He stabilised himself on the bar, eyes wandering from one to the other. Until he spotted the mark again.

Erza jumped when Jellal suddenly struck first. His elbow rammed into a stunned Laxus' ribs. Laxus gasped, staggering into the bar, stumbling backwards over a barstool which he broke in half when crashing down on it. The floor splintered, also where Jellal thrust his feet into the wood.

"Don't you dare hurt Erza," he growled threateningly. "No one can keep me away from her!" He exclaimed. He did not look as if he had the fraction of an idea of what was going on but his eyes – if not having a clear target – were wild with dedication.

"Oh yeah?" Laxus countered rather lamely. His punch, however, packed more than double the power the Heavenly Body Mage had summoned, blasting him into the nearest pile of tables. Erza winced, rage bubbling over in her. Without thinking, two swords appeared in her hands and she attacked with a merciless vehemence.

Laxus flew straight through the closest pillar. He ended up cracking the wall opposite of his original position. Erza sweated hectically, looking around for a way to fix the damage that could cause the ceiling to collapse. At least the balcony.

Thinking fast – not thoroughly – she shoved her blade into the gap to make up for the missing wood. It fit tightly enough, at least to keep the building from breaking down. She exhaled in relief. Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she saw that Laxus was now occupied with Freed, who gladly offered to bandage any wounds, keeping his focus on the Dragon Slayer and away from Gajeel, whom Levy had only just succeeded in coaxing into going home.

Now, back to her own hopelessly groggy beloved.

Erza – her hands on her hips again – found his impact spot to be empty. It was not a hard search, though. It was a matter of turning around, because once he had reunited with her, he was always keen on staying by her side, no matter his condition. Currently, his hand clasped the hem of her skirt as not to lose her, all the while his other fingers tapped the unmoving stopgap of a repair.

"Wow, that's handy…" he babbled, touching the sword, "handy-dandy… shlandy, hehe," he hickuped, pressing his tongue between his lips, looking as if he had three. Erza frowned, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. Shaking her head, she linked her arm with his to pull him along.

"Come now, we're going home," she led the way to the opened double doors. Of course, he gasped upon seeing her, excitedly calling her name and she shushed him. The wind was freezing and when narrowing her eyes, she thought to see snow falling in the black of the night.

"Waiiiit," Jellal slurred. He moved so heftily, he landed right back on his behind, Erza following suit. She propped herself up, tangled in his legs, hardly able to get her face out of his. He did not seem to mind, merely talking against her forehead. "Meredy," he reminded, pointing in a random direction. She followed the instruction, not seeing her anywhere.

Somehow winding her way out, Erza brushed down her skirt as she stood. It was rather easy to catch sight of the waves of pink hair and she estimated her beloved to be fine where he was, collecting his partner first. When she returned, he was luckily still as unharmed as before, now poking his fingers together, animating her to do the same in order to see a little sausage between them when blurring her eyes.

Declining, Erza hauled each of her guildmate's arms over her shoulders, towing them back to the house.

Naturally, it had not been pretty, fluffy snow, no, it had to be the slushy, wet kind of snow-rain. Drenched and shivering, Erza finally sighed in exhaustion upon arriving at home. She unlocked the door and both drunken idiots obediently took off their boots.

She threw a towel at each of them, wanting to start on helping a clueless Jellal on his hair, when Meredy grabbed her own towel, spinning it over her head and running down the hall in a mad set of giggles. Groaning, Erza followed her, having to wind her arms around the wiggling girl's waist and tow her back into the bathroom. Jellal had gotten nowhere in the meantime. And fortunately gone nowhere either.

Erza aided both of them in drying off, then herself, throwing every soaked piece of clothing into the washing machine. Meredy was of great help when it came to undressing, reminding Erza of herself when overeagerly bouncing and shouting around, practically ripping the wet fabric off herself. Way too motivated, she went all out on it, as far as stripping to her underwear and beyond, so Erza summoned a fresh set of clothes that the pink haired Mage changed into in an equally active pace.

Jellal was quite the opposite of the now dancing Meredy. He was stuck as usual. Erza had lost count of how many times she had groaned already, but she leaned over anyway, gently tugging on his shirt. He awoke, blinking repeatedly while she was already handing him dry clothes.

"Erza!" He happily called. He had twice on the way back, now reaching out for her, trying to hug her, turning into a smothering captivity. He stumbled towards her, and she nearly fell when he crashed into her. He slid, his arms holding on tightly around her waist, his face pressed into her stomach and his body hanging in a curve until his shins touched the ground about a metre away from her. She watched with a raised brow.

"You're gorgeous…" he mumbled into her, not even being able to see her. She put her hands beneath his arms, heaving him back up, being squished in the next hug.

"Let me go, you dork," she grumbled, struggling until freeing herself enough to sit him down on the chair below the window, somehow detaching his arms from around her. And he sat. That was about all he did for an entire minute of anticipation.

Suppressing the next sigh, she continued with pulling his shirt over his head. Once more, he was surprised to see her after she shortly disappeared from his vision with the fabric in the way. She rolled her eyes and evaded him this time. Meredy bumped into her, giving a sour face when her imaginary performance was interrupted.

"Hey, I was rocking my encore!" She complained. She went on regardless, singing into Erza's toothbrush, now changing either into a foreign language or utter nonsense. Slamming into the wall, she gave a muffled shriek when her 'microphone' thrust into her mouth. She blinked at it, and for a second, Erza thought Meredy was about to smash it to pieces.

The pink-haired mage slowly decided differently, starting to repeat the accident and brushing her teeth with the hairbrush. She lightly spit out the red hair now stuck in her mouth.

Erza shook her head, ducking beneath Jellal's arms, crawling over to the sink to retrieve all of their toothbrushes. She tugged on Meredy, holding out the proper utensil. She did not dare put toothpaste on it, fearing for her usually clean bathroom.

"Hello!" Meredy yelled. Erza gave her a look.

"You're drunk,"

"Drunk?" Meredy stared at her back. "Me? I'm scone told scober!" She defended herself, trading the offered toothbrush for the hairbrush.

Jellal aimed for his mouth manifold, striking in all the wrong places and not one of them even came as close as to be within reach of his teeth. Or mouth. Erza puckered her lips around her own toothbrush in annoyance, leaning down to help him once more. He dreamily fluttered his eyelids at her, nearly drifting off.

Meredy on the other hand had successfully chomped through her toothbrush, the bristles bent and all over her tongue, while the green paint on the wood had chipped, also all over her tongue.

It was worse than being responsible for infants, Erza thought.

"Psssst, Jellal," Meredy loudly whispered. He returned to reality with a ton of blinking. "Don't look, but Erza's right there," she hinted the obvious. Erza looked up and through the mirror's reflection to see both of them staring at her with huge eyes. "And she's not even wearing shoes,"

"Shhh, not so loud," he practically yelled. "She never wears shoes, she has a very sublime fashion sense," he shoved his guildmate away by the face. She licked his hand in defence and he shuddered away, complaining. They started bickering like two schoolgirls fighting over the cutest lip gloss.

"Alright, that's enough, time for bed," Erza clapped her hands together to gain their attention. They stopped at once, staring at her again as if she had just developed a second head.

"Now would be a good time for, you know," Meredy nudged him with her elbow, striking the shower's curtain instead. She toppled over, into the bathtub, momentarily perplexed at the sudden change of scenery. "I don't know where she went but you should go after her," she now shouted as if he was kilometres away, "Jellal?" Meredy fumbled with the curtain, fascinated. "Go do the things. The things from your mind – heh," she hiccupped and he responded with one of his own.

Erza raised both brows, giving him a look. How much alcohol did it take to actually get him to spill whatever those fantasies of his were?

"Jellal," she said, and she waited for another few heartbeats, just in case he would confide anything. He was completely drowning in her eyes again, so she let it go, putting a hand on his head, scratching it lightly. She would just have to ask someday. "Come on, bed," she said. He purred. Erza halted her actions, seeing the corners of his mouth drop pitifully. She resumed the caresses and he smiled broadly, beaming at her with his eyes closed and his throat rumbling softly.

She shook her head for what felt like the hundredth time, this time with a smile.

"G'night y'all," Meredy slurred from where she had grabbed the curtain, turning over in her new 'bed'. The curtain's bar creaked, breaking off in the middle with the force the girl tried to tuck herself in. Erza grimaced, deciding that Meredy was priority once more.

After what seemed like an eternity, Erza had finally gotten both of them to bed. She stood up again, however, fearing the still to a fictive audience bowing Maguilty Sense Mage could seriously hurt herself by tumbling down the ladder. Huffing and panting, Erza took her along and let her flop down on their own bed, finally collapsing for the last time that night, nearly morning.

Sleep was hard to find, though, with both of her new guildmates clinging to her from either side. Meredy muttered and wept and giggled most hours of the early morning while Jellal sometime whispered Erza's name when not completely asleep, searching for her, pressing his lips to whatever part of her he could find, ending up with his face squished into her cleavage that he warmly breathed into.

With darkening rims beneath her eyes and the still occasionally angrily pulsing vein on her forehead, Erza took more than one deep inhale. Even without sleep, she calmed, accepting the night without rest and smiling despite the exhaustion. Because she laid between two now official members of Fairy Tail.