"Are you sure you're okay?"

Erza glanced at Lucy, a bit shaky when she handed her another book. Another. She closed her eyes, frustrated and exhausted. The first bit of research had dug up a little, but much of it had only served to make her angry. Siegrain. He had been able to be identified as a Fernandes because of the distinctive tattoo over and under his eye which was tradition for boys in the family. DNA had gone on to prove that, and, though it was unclear what happened to his and Jellal's parents, Siegrain went on to be adopted and raised by an incredibly wealthy family. He learnt magic from family tutors after being discovered to have a proclivity for it. Erza tried not to grit her teeth at the thought. In every sense of the word, just about, Siegrain seemed to have it so easy. So much as she resented it, too, every day, she found herself growing closer to demanding he help her, too. It's the least you can do. You're still a member of the Magic Council, and are one of the more respected members because you saved us. But you're still nothing like us. You will never be like us. You live in a bubble, and a damn nice one at that. She flinched when Lucy sat down beside her. When she finally opened her eyes again, she found Lucy was waiting for her, worried. She took another cursory look at the books and the two maps of Fiore on the table in front of them. Never before had she been more relieved to be with Lucy, and in her apartment rather than the guild hall or library.

"Erza?" Lucy lightly pressed again. "We can stop for now if you need to."

"And if we do?" She shook her head. "We can't afford to lose momentum, either."

"Well…" Lucy hesitated. "Have you talked to your friends about it? Your friends from the Tower, that is."

Erza raised an eyebrow. "I hadn't thought of that," She admitted, struggling to hide the embarrassment in her voice. "But I don't want to force them to relive that hell, either. We all suffered there, and they all suffered specifically because of Jellal. I doubt they would want to help me find him. They would see right through me."

"You really don't think they'll want to have everything looked at?" Lucy reached for another book. "That they're sure Jellal did all of that of his own free will?"

"I don't know what they would think specifically," Erza said, her hands briefly tightening around her swords. "But," She said, forcing herself to release the tension. "As I said, they now see all of those years very differently, and, in their place, I would want Jellal imprisoned, too."

Lucy eyed her in confusion. "I thought we're trying to find him to help prove he's innocent."

"We are, at least, in part," Erza hesitated. "But how many people are going to believe that, no matter what we find? Because, unless Ultear is found first and put on trial, it's unlikely anyone would believe a word about Jellal's potential innocence."

Lucy shivered at the thought. "Ultear frightens me. Everything that we had to hear during that inquest –"

"Ultear should frighten you," Erza darkly agreed. "She's dangerous. Have you seen any of her wanted posters? Whatever the authorities have on her, they clearly think she's guilty of more than just multiple counts of attempted murder."

"I mean, we kind of proved that…" Lucy grimaced. "I hated having to talk about all of that. I'm just glad no one was really interested in it beyond people who directly knew us."

"Hard to care about issues in the magical community when Parliament can barely function half the time apart from yelling at each other," Erza snorted. "But I agree. I wouldn't have wanted a lot of people to be particularly interested in it, either. The best thing to come out of it were the theories about why it happened. I...I can't believe it took listening to potential explanations to realise Jellal may very well have been possessed, and with the Tower's purpose, it..."

"Do you think…" Lucy paused in thought. "I know you've said you don't like the idea of putting yourself in a situation where he will think you owe him something, but do you think Siegrain could help?"

Erza sighed. "Truth be told, I've come a little closer every day to going to Era to demand he help myself for all of the shit he put me through. And the rest of you, of course, but I'm not ready to let him forget that, without us, he would likely be in a great deal of trouble."

Lucy snickered. "For as bad as it's all been, maybe it's a good thing. It could have knocked his ego down a few pegs."

Erza managed a smile. "One would hope."

Lucy stood up suddenly and came around the table to hug her from behind, all but latching onto her. Though she couldn't release the tension she held in her shoulders, Erza closed her eyes and relaxed, just a little. She sighed. It was all exhausting. All around them, there were books, maps, and even Plue around the apartment. Plue was the most relaxed, happily jumping up and around the apartment. He had been dancing around the kitchen sink, playing on the faucet for a little. Watching that little guy use a small plate as a surfboard in the sink was too cute. If only we could be as content as him. She startled when Lucy released her, only to flinch again when a window was almost kicked in. Lucy screamed, and, turning around so quickly she almost fell over, Erza drew her swords only for the two of them to find Natsu and Gray angrily wrestling each other through the partially open window. Even Plue stopped playing, and hopped over to Lucy's side, climbing up to sit on her shoulder as Happy flew into the apartment. Irritated, Erza dropped her swords with an ear splitting crash to get their attention before harshly pulling them in, prying them off each other, and shutting and locking the window.

"Do the two of you not know how to use a door? Or did you decide to scale the side of an apartment building as exercise?"

"It's not scaling!" Natsu said, sending her a dark look as he stood up. "And we wouldn't do that for exercising. We lift weights like normal people!"

"He's right," Gray said, scowling at Natsu. "We used the fire escape."

"That's still breaking and entering!" Lucy stared at the two of them in disbelief. "And you're half naked! How aren't you cold?"

"I'm an ice wizard," Gray rolled his eyes. "Besides, Lucy, it's only late September. Leaves have only just started falling, and Magnolia doesn't usually get snow until at least December if not January."

"That's still not a good reason to come into someone's apartment half naked!" She said, completely exasperated. "Were you even house broken?"

Gray started laughing. "If you're going to say that about me, you better be saying it about Natsu too."

"Hey!" Natsu protested. "I have a cleaner apartment than you!"

"That's because you and Happy eat just about anything that could make it messy!" Gray shot back. "I swear, you –"

"What are you looking at?" Happy suddenly said, flying over to the table. "Natsu said you guys were planning for a job and he wanted to help."

"And I told him to stay out of it," Gray muttered. "So he dragged me into it."

Erza eyed the two of them strangely before gently picking the blue, winged cat up and setting him down off the table. "Happy," She said, gently scratching the cat behind his ears. "So much as I appreciate the concern, none of you want anything to do with this."

"She's right," Lucy agreed. "We're not even sure it's a good idea."

"Well, now you have to tell us," Gray said, sauntering over to look over one of the maps. "Why are you looking around the city of Ka-Elm? That's in an entirely different country, so –"

"Jellal?" Natsu suggested, his face darkening when Erza shortly nodded. "What's he done now? He better not –"

"Lucy and I want to find him," Erza snapped, taking a second to breathe when she realised her voice was much sharper than she had intended. "Because…"

"Because we don't think he was acting of his own free will," Lucy finished. "But," She reached over to awkwardly pat Erza's shoulder. "We need help. And I don't think it'll have to come from just you guys."

Erza frowned but nodded. "Regrettably, I ought to talk to Siegrain…" Her voice darkened and, then, she shook her head. "Damn it. It's unavoidable, now."

"Are you going to tell him?" Meredy said quietly, lingering outside the closed door to Jellal's bedroom in the cramped apartment. "I mean, about everything?"

"Nobody needs to know," Ultear said shortly, reaching over to gently set her hands the Meredy's increasingly tense shoulders. "I only told you because we've been travelling together since I took you in when you were a toddler. I trust you, Meredy. And you're practically a daughter to me."

Meredy smiled. "Thanks," She said, her voice almost inaudibly quiet. "You're just about the only mother I've ever had."

The former member of the Magic Council jumped when the teenager, suddenly, tightly embraced her. She tried not to think about everything she had seen around in recent weeks. The wanted poster stood out in her mind, one for her, and one for Jellal. It made her shake, and the only relief she had found was that Wendy, somehow, was sure she could heal Jellal. He had been conscious relatively consistently for about two weeks. But he was still in pretty bad shape. His body was weak, he didn't have much capacity to use his magic. His inability to use magic, for now, is a good thing. It's too distinctive, the heavenly body magic especially. Her eyes narrowed at the thought. So similar to your twin, at least with raw magic ability. For now, we need to keep that under wraps. Siegrain will be a thorn in our sides if he finds out about even a smidge of this. Wendy. She tried to refocus on her. Wendy was trying to heal Jellal, day by day. She still couldn't quite believe how the little girl had responded when she had mentioned Jellal. She had exclaimed he had been so kind to her. What did that mean? When had she ever crossed paths with Jellal? How?

"Ultear?" Meredy let her go, feeling her growing more shaky. "Is this about what you saw the other day?"

"Partially?" She hesitated. "Well, I suppose at least a little."

The wanted poster, all over the news, and in government offices. There were even, possibly, some in guild halls with the rewards.

WARRANT FOR ON SIGHT ARREST

Ultear Jannette Milkovich, 28

Date Of Birth: March the 15th, X758

Caucasian female with fair skin, 5'7", brown eyes, high cheekbones, dark brown hair dyed dark purple.

Milkovich is wanted for arson, six counts of attempted murder, immense property damage of the Ishgar Magic Council building in Era, Fiore, and is a highly dangerous individual who poses an imminent threat to anyone whom she deems bothersome.

DO NOT ENGAGE

Hot-Line, State Department AND Federal Bureau Of Investigations, Kingdom Of Fiore, 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX AND 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX

Ultear sighed. I suppose it doesn't matter I can't recall the numbers. She barely felt herself falling backwards into the wall, but found herself stopped by Meredy and, then, surprisingly, Wendy. Wendy stared up at her, eyes wide in concern. She and Meredy shared a look, the two of them taken aback. Wendy swallowed hard, her mind running wild. Ultear has been so worried about all of us, and Jellal. Is she going to be okay? Is something wrong? She can't go out without being completely disguised because people are coming after her and Jellal for lies, that's what Meredy told me. I wish people knew how kind Ultear is. And Jellal. They're both so kind… Meredy reached over with one hand to squeeze the little girl's hand. Wendy, you're so much like I was at your age. We're going to keep you safe, no matter what. After a moment, the two of them helped Ultear into the living room, though they were both much shorter than her. She was fainter than she had felt in a long time, especially without leaving her body; it took too much, was too horrible. Thought projection. Physically disembodying her spirit. Being in a place completely apart from where she would hide, ensure her own safety before doing something so dangerous. Dangerous. What was everything –

"Ultear, you need to take a break," Meredy said gently, her and Wendy helping the woman sit down on the couch. "You've been pushing yourself nonstop for weeks. You're going to make yourself sick if you don't take care of yourself."

"We need to step up a bit," Wendy added. "I'll take care of Jellal tonight. I want to get him back on his feet as soon as possible."

"Don't have him do magic," Ultear barely got out. "Please. We've been barely able to keep him conscious for more than a few hours a day since the day Meredy and I rescued him. I don't want anything to happen to him."

"We don't either," Wendy hugged her tightly. "I'll go check on him."

"And I'll go get you some water and a snack," Meredy reassuringly squeezed Ultear's shoulders. "It'll be okay, Ultear. We're here for you."

"Thank you," She said, her voice weaker than she would ever have ordinarily allowed. "I ought to take more notice. I'm sorry, Meredy, I –"

"Don't worry," Meredy said, walking over into the kitchen to fill up a glass of water. "You've done so much over the years, Ultear, for not only me but a lot of people. Sometimes, it will take a toll on you."

"I suppose," Ultear said, glancing at the corridor down which Wendy had disappeared. "I can't get the wanted poster for him out of my head. It's bizarre. I have no issue with my own, other than that they could have chosen a better photograph of me. But, when I think about…"

WARRANT FOR ON SIGHT ARREST

Jellal Victor Fernandes, 23

Date Of Birth: September the 3rd, X763

Caucasian male with fair skin. 5'11", blue eyes, dark blue-black hair, distinctive red tattoo above and under his right eye which is the same as that of Siegrain Alastor Fernandes, member of the Ishgar Magic Council and the twin brother of Jellal Victor Fernandes.

Fernandes is wanted in conjunction with Ultear Jannette Milkovich as her accessory to arson, a conspirator to six counts of attempted murder, and seditious conspiracy. Fernandes is suspected to be an incredibly unstable individual. Approaching him is unadvised.

DO NOT ENGAGE

Hot-Line, State Department AND Federal Investigations Bureau, Kingdom Of Fiore, 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX AND 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX

"It's understandable," Meredy's gentle voice cut into Ultear's increasingly swimming thoughts. "You were in love with his brother, and you, now, don't want your family harmed. You have created a family with us, by bringing us all together and caring for us. That is admirable, Ultear. And, perhaps, you are also afraid of some of the others wanted, such as the Oración Seis and Ivan Dreyar."

Ultear snorted. "Ivan Dreyar is close to innocent of everything people have accused him of. If he doesn't get acquitted when and if he's found, I may turn myself in for the sake of making a point."

Meredy nodded. "The world is so dark, and confusing," She sat down beside her, handing her the glass of water. "I'm glad we have you to help protect and guide us through it."