Dear Miss Panda, I indulged in your most recent review! It's unfortunately not very recent anymore, and I thank you so much for your patience, as well as everyone's patience when it comes to the coming updates.

I have no idea when I will be continuing to write this story, but I know with certainty that it will be continued. I have an outline to follow and finish :D

Thank you everyone for your support.

Hope you'll enjoy some cheesiness, mixed with the usual Fairy Tail mania!

"Oh, Erza, I was just thinking about you," her voice greeted him almost immediately. "How are you? Is everything alright? You're not calling because there's an emergency, right? Not that I mind; I'm actually in the area…" she left a hint as subtle as Erza would.

Jellal had to smile. "Sorry to disappoint," he revealed himself, finally given the chance. There was a brief pause at the sound of his voice instead of his wife's.

"Did something happen? Is everything alright?" Minerva asked. Jellal's smile softened. What caring friends Erza had. It was reassuring – not to mention the fact that she could apparently turn her most violent, cruel enemies into such dear friends that worried about her wellbeing. However in the world did she do it?

"Everything's fine, but," Jellal glanced down the balcony of the Guild Hall to make sure Erza was still busy, "I think a certain skill of yours would make things even better. You said you were in the area?"

"Yes?" He could hear the narrowing of her eyes.

"I have a favour to ask."

"Jellal?" Erza shut the front door behind her.

"I'm in the bathroom." His voice echoed off the tiles. Perfect, Erza thought, sneaking into the bedroom.

Rosemary was in her crib, as if waiting for Erza's plan to unfold. Throwing a glance over her shoulder, making sure that Jellal was still in the bathroom, Erza requipped. Dark green, a low V-shaped cleavage and a ribbon to outline her waist. Nothing hugely fancy, but she knew he would love it – she had pinned up her hair for him to take apart later.

For now, she gathered a sleepy Rosemary in her arms. Jellal's steps were coming.

"Don't you look beautiful." Of course, he noticed immediately. So did she.

"Likewise." She admired his slicked-back hair, not asking herself why he had styled it, neither why he was wearing his good trousers. Another thing she didn't remember was the whole guessing game she had had prepared, instead only holding out Rosemary as if presenting him with a bouquet of flowers. "Happy anniversary, my love."

He laughed at her gift, taking Rosemary only to hand her right back. "Happy anniversary." And what a lovely gift they had made for one another. "You told me." Jellal twinkled. How often had he begged to be told the official date?

"You don't seem too surprised." She watched his grin with suspicion. Nobody could have betrayed her fun; she had threatened each and every one of her guildmembers not to say a word. "In any case, I booked us a restaurant for tonight," Erza boasted, "the best table they had. Meredy should be here soon." She patted Rosemary's back for emphasis. The latter was almost asleep again, eyes heavy from having watched Makarov's shenanigans to gain her attention all day.

"She didn't look as if she would be coming by anytime soon. Maybe we should stop by and drop Rosebud off instead," Jellal mused when Erza glanced at the time on her lacrima with slight haste. "She has a key; she can let herself in later."

"You're right," Erza agreed. In the entrance, she requipped into a pair of black heels, watching Jellal's reaction with delight from the corner of her eyes. They were effective without fail. "I can't believe it's been a year," she said as they went out into the warm evening, Rosemary strapped to his neatly ironed shirt. How convenient that he always wore such proper clothing, Erza thought to herself, again not putting two and two together. Her steps were lithe though hurried. "Sometimes, it's still surreal – you here… staying."

"It's my fault you think that way." Jellal took Erza's hand for an apologetic squeeze. She used it as an excuse to keep on holding his hand.

"Clever, wasn't it?" Erza bit down the sting of bitterness in her tone. Jellal frowned at her sudden change of mood. But he wasn't been the only one to blame for their hardships, certainly not the most recent ones. "The way I bound you to me by having a baby." She managed a grin then, banning all guilt at herself.

He offered a soft smile. "I wasn't going anywhere anymore."

"I know." She brought up his hand, kissing his knuckles.

A more comfortable silence settled, almost making Erza forget about their reservation. Nothing could ruin a moment of tender words with her husband – her husband with whom she had been together for an entire year now. Really together, not longing for from a distance, unable to tell where in the world he was, whether he was alive at all.

"But you are clever – sometimes," Jellal interrupted her train of thoughts. She slapped his arm playfully. He snickered, infecting her easily. When he wouldn't stop, winding his hand out of hers to cover his face, Erza halted. He was glowing with a bright pink blush. "We…" Jellal's laughter sounded dry for a moment, "we weren't together for even three months when you got pregnant?" He peeked at her from between his fingers.

Erza hugged him fast from the side, her giggle returning lightly, bubbly. She had never even thought of it that way. Right now least of all. He was there, in her arms, in the middle of the street after all those years of running, and after their weeks and months of hiding their relationship.

As if to strengthen that last realisation, Jellal wound his arm around her, savouring their moment.

"Well, it took you a while to kiss me," she could not help a tease, "and we technically moved in together before."

"You didn't leave my house."

"You gave me a key, what did you expect?" She grinned when he laughed, his chest vibrating against her own. Rosemary didn't seem to mind, neither when Erza reached over her to grab Jellal's collar, pulling him down for a kiss.

"I'm so glad you did what you did." He took her hand again as they continued towards the guild.

"I'm so glad you don't regret it."

"Never." He paused again, sending her stomach into a fuzzy spiral when kissing her lips. She noticed with a smile how his other hand then wandered to Rosemary, gently stroking down her cheek to make his point. "Three months…" he muttered. "Also wasn't that like the second time we'd ever…?"

"The third." Erza remembered it vividly now. Not least thanks to his diary he had given her on their wedding day. He had of course not expounded on them making love, but reading what they had gone through at the time was reminder enough for her.

"And you got pregnant…"

"Well, to be fair, we were still getting the hang of things." She grinned. He grumbled sheepishly, denyingly. "We should really hurry though," Erza reminded as they passed the cathedral with its giant bell at the top. She had ordered a special cake for dessert that she was keen on trying. What a glorious occasion to be spending money on an extravagant evening. A treat for both, even if Jellal wouldn't eat half as much cake as her. "Maybe Meredy went home and we'll catch her at Fairy Hills. Did she say why she wasn't coming?"

"I'm pretty sure she's still at the guild," Jellal vaguely soothed. He did so two more times on the way, and she only became aware of the smile in his tone when standing in front of the guild. Everything was as usual, except…

Well, the Guild Hall was as usual. Mira was behind the counter of the bar to the right, Natsu and Gray were sitting at their usual tables – apart and with Lucy and Juvia respectively. Laxus was back after bailing out of the 24-hours race. It was slightly dusky, but then again, evening was approaching. Erza felt herself stiffen slightly.

Everyone was watching her. Them. She glanced at Mira's friendly, unrevealing smile, then at Jellal. He didn't look half as uncomfortable as he should have. Uncomfortable, yes, but not overly so. She narrowed her eyes.

"Why is—"

"Erza," a new voice greeted her from somewhere above. Out of instinct, Erza widened her stance. Mira's hand darted to the light switch on the wall. Erza opened her mouth, when the floor under her heels suddenly flickered then vanished, replaced with darkness. She summoned a sword.

"Relax." Jellal's hand on her shoulder spooked her. Luckily not enough to swing her blade at him, but she winced, breath stuttering for a second. She was out of form, she berated herself.

Something had changed. She had, maybe. The floor felt less… solid than before, even tough she hadn't moved a muscle.

Jellal's quiet laughter called her back to the present, shrouded in darkness right behind her. "Here," he slid the sword out of her hand, then covered her eyes, "just…"

Something clicked, a light flashing through his fingers. Slowly, he removed them.

Fairy lights. Strung from the ceiling beams of the second floor of the Guild Hall, winding down the pillars and railing, they bathed the balcony in warm light. The tables were arranged along the walls, each covered in a white tablecloth apart from one. In the very middle, having been given enough space all around, a three-armed candle stick and a faintly purple tablecloth, stood a table with two chairs. Their table.

The balcony… When had they gone up…?

"May I present to you," the voice was back, introducing herself with pride and confidence as she strode to the table. In a dress with a slit up to her hip but buttons vaguely reminding of a professional chef, Minerva set down two plates covered with silver cloches. "Your dinner." She threw a wickedly delighted smirk at Erza. The latter had yet to stop staring with bulging eyes.

Territory, it dawned on her. Minerva's teleportation magic.

"And afterwards," Erza spooked when what she had mistaken for a giant wardrobe spoke, "there will be tea," Richard announced with a fond smile.

"The restaurant regretted to have their special cake order cancelled, so I told them to bring it over." Jellal shrugged. Erza turned her head very slowly, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene, yet drawn to him. His nonchalance, his courage.

He had asked a favour. It didn't matter to her if he had offered something in return, but he had asked for something he wanted. Called her friends. Accepted help; schemed with the guild and beyond.

Erza blinked rapidly when her left eye itched, momentarily blurring her vision. It brought Jellal's chuckle back, a mellow, fond rumble in his throat as he ran his thumb over her cheek. She captured his hand, leaning her face into his touch.

"How did you know?"

"I knew all along," he said. "Only it was so much fun to you to tease me about it that I didn't have the heart to tell you."

"Liar!" Erza drummed her fist on his chest. They slackened in time with her giggle subsiding. "I can't tell you how much this means to me," she croaked, a whisper being all her voice had to offer. She was so proud of him, so moved by the lengths he went to; the comfort zones he left for her, it stole her words.

"Then let's seize the moment before I chicken out again."

"And I thought you were done chickening."

She didn't move a centimetre, eyes shining lovingly at the way he took his time planting a kiss on each of her wrists. She didn't even notice that he had given Rosemary to Meredy who had appeared to serve them their grape juice and sparkling water.

Jellal pulled out Erza's chair for her to sit down. "Then you haven't been paying much attention this past year." He sat down too, leaning back when Minerva and Kagura – also seemingly having materialised out of the half-dark of the guild – uncovered their meals.

"I beg to differ," Erza raised her glass, "and would go as far as claiming that I might just know you better than you do yourself."

"Is that a threat?" Jellal laughed, clinking his glass to hers.

"You've had it worse with me."

"I certainly have," he lamented and she kicked him under the table.

The food was divine, every course a surprisingly delicious twist on a taste they had thought to know. Minerva was thriving in the kitchen, blooming in the attention of all of Fairy Tail as more and more members moved their now extended dinner upstairs. Rosemary joined them for the cake, then had her own dessert from Erza before being returned to a more than keen Makarov to fall asleep in his arm.

After dessert and Richard's original tea creations, the guild popped open the first barrels of beer, bottles of wine and cocktails at the bar. Time flew by. With their conversation drowned out for anyone but them to hear, Erza and Jellal felt oddly undisturbed in the midst of their rioting, partying guildmates. He held her hand in his on the table, words hushed, gentle and at ease.

It was well past midnight when they became actively aware of the commotion all around, not least because Minerva staggered over to them.

She pulled on Erza's chair until there was enough space for her to flop down on her lap. "So what are we celebrating?" She maniacally blinked from one to the other as if having stared straight into the sun. Erza could smell the saké in her breath. Jellal's brows rose, clearly questioning whether this was behaviour the formidable sorceress would show when sober too around his wife. "You got another bun in the oven?" Minerva nudged Erza.

"Our anniversary." Erza ignored the second and third poke, a smile of amusement playing on her lips. She had never seen Minerva cavalierly, wondering if anyone in Sabertooth had.

"Anniversary, huh?" Minerva nodded. "You know, between the two of us – and don't get me wrong, she's cute an' all, but you're…" she drawled, stalling. "I mean the whole baby story, that's kinda his thing." She jerked her head towards Jellal. It made her lose her balance, so Erza caught her by her back, sitting her back up. Minerva squinted across the table. "He's the father, right?"

"Yes."

"Oh, yeah, he's got her nose."

"The eyes," Erza corrected, not bothering to do so with the general knowledge of who inherited from whom.

"Eyes, yes," Minerva agreed drunkenly, "two of them. Nice. But anyway," she patted Erza's arm, then reconsidered and held on instead, her head spinning, "it'll make you flabby, Erza, honey. You can't be flabby, you're… Erza. I know!" she exclaimed as if having thought of it only that instant when it was painfully obvious how hard she was trying to stick to her nonchalant buildup to drop the idea. Jellal already pulled a face. "You should come train with me. I train."

Jellal wanted to facepalm himself on Minerva's behalf.

"That's not a bad idea actually," Erza agreed. She gave Jellal a gently strict look when he raised his brows at her.

"Then come, come, Sabertooth has guestrooms. Ah, wait, you're still," Minerva looked around, seeing the declination coming despite her current lack of wit, "celebrating," she growled as if despising what she had so over-eagerly been taking part in a minute ago. "What are we celebrating?"

"Our anniversary," Erza repeated, lips curling into a smile. Rosemary and Jellal had made her more patient, so it seemed.

"We've been dating for that long?" Minerva's eyes widened. This time, there was no glance Erza could have allayed Jellal with, so she kept her focus on Minerva instead, shaking her head.

"Jellal and me. My husband?" She carefully turned Minerva's head towards him. "You were at our wedding, remember?"

"Sure, but that wasn't so long ago." Minerva protested almost smartly. "What, are you one of these couples who celebrates every month?"

"We were together before we got married, silly." Erza had to ruck Minerva up slightly when the latter let herself slacken backwards. "It's been exactly one year since our first kiss."

"I kissed her first, you know." Kagura came out of nowhere.

Unlike Minerva's stumbling, she all but slammed into Jellal's chair. Her speech was just as slurred. She slung her arm around his shoulders. Erza snorted to herself, then even more at how bashful Jellal looked. Laxus must have seen and heard, because he suddenly hollered with laughter, pointing at Jellal, cradling his sixth drink in his other hand.

"Remind me why I cancelled that restaurant…" Jellal muttered. Erza's smile broadened into a smirk.

"Yeah, why did you?" Gray turned around in his chair where he sat at the table in Jellal's back. Also barging in like a Fairy Tail wizard naturally did. "These guys are completely insane and it was already madness here with only Fairy Tail to deal with," he said between his teeth, glancing at Minerva and Kagura.

Juvia gasped from where she sat at his table, tipsy and therefore offended, but when he cupped her hand on her knees, she squealed and promptly passed out in a blushing, literally liquifying mess. It made Lucy lift her plate to save her dessert from getting soaked.

"They're family too," Erza reprimanded mildly.

"Speaking of which," Kagura chimed in, looking at Gray. "If you're Ul's kid—"

"Apprentice."

"And Ultear is Ul's kid and Meredy is Ultear's kid," she went on, not being met with any protests this time, least of all from Meredy herself, "doesn't that make Meredy your niece?"

"But isn't Jellal kinda like her older brother?" Minerva piped up from where she had almost nodded off against Erza's shoulder. "Doesn't that make him your nephew?" she asked Gray.

"And Erza's your sister 'cause you're both Makarov's kids, so is Jellal your brother‑in‑law or your nephew?"

Minerva waved off before Gray could so much as fathom their drunken nonsense. "Nah, nah, we're talking about the biological family here. If Pinkie's his niece, Jellal's the nephew."

"Makes him really old, hey?" Droy slurred from where he had overheard.

"Grandkid an' all," Jet concurred, gesturing in the general direction of where he might have thought Master's office to be and with that Rosemary.

"No, he's the great‑uncle, not the grandfather," Minerva protested. "That's Makarov."

"Hold on," Kagura gripped the tabletop to stop swaying, "if Makarov is Fairy Tail's father, does that make literally every guy here Jellal's brother‑in‑law or his bother?"

"And aren't Jellal and Erza both kids of Makarov?"

"And Gray and Juvia? Gajeel and Levy?"

"So confusing…"

"Anyway," Kagura pushed herself off to pat Gray on the back, "congrats on your great‑niece. And niece. And brother."

"Yeah, congrats on being part of the Scarlet family, sorta. Not that I'm jealous." Minerva's voice retreated into a pouty mumble. Erza ran a hand over her head pityingly, surprised when it triggered a purr.

"Hey, I thought you'd kissed ages ago," Gray tried to hide his genuine curiosity behind wanting to escape the previous topic, "before the Grand Magic Games. Happy mentioned something."

"Did he now?" Erza's eyes sparked up dangerously. Jellal's gaze disappeared beneath the table. "In any case, I think your ride home is here." She tried to prompt Minerva to get up, only being hugged tighter.

"Nooo," Minerva whined, then again when Sorano and Yukino spotted her.

Sorano put a hand on her hip. "Wow, you look awful. And I thought this was a party," she said as if oblivious to the dancing, drinking and whooping all around.

"Careful, sister," Yukino nudged her warningly until she realised that the fearsome, if terribly drunk Minerva, wasn't meant at all.

"So then she still keeps you up at night if you're tired at this hour already?" Sorano teased Jellal.

"Bold of you to assume that I'm not tired at every other hour of the day." Jellal rose to his feet. Erza smiled at the glances the two exchanged, knowing they equalled what more physical people would have exchanged in a greeting hug.

"Congrats on having had balls for a year now. Keep it up," Sorano cackled, then waved her goodbye, helping Yukino tear Minerva off Erza's lap.

With neither Kagura not Minerva trapping them anymore, Jellal and Erza went to pick up Rosemary. Erza knocked carefully. When there was no reply after a while, she stole a peek into the Master's office.

Chin dropped to his chest, a snore rumbling in his throat, Makarov was fast asleep in his chair. He held Rosemary dearly, securely. His arm twitched protectively when Erza tried to take her baby back.

She chuckled quietly. "Like father like son."

"How can you say that after what we heard just now about relations in Fairy Tail?" Jellal's grimace was back. Erza gave him a sly look.

"I think I was rather hung up on a certain second bun Minerva mentioned…" She trailed two fingers down his chest.

"She's seven weeks old," Jellal hissed.

"And I'm sure she would love a younger brother."

"Erza," Jellal groused. He took her fingers, snuck his own between them. "Are you serious? If we had another one this soon again, I could never keep my job; I will be there for you and the children – do you want me to quit? I could—"

"No," she quickly backtracked, "no, of course not." Then she paused. She lowered her voice, unsure why. "Do you want to quit?"

"No, I really like my job." Jellal leant against the desk, crossing his arms. Her heart swelled when he continued without needing encouragement. "I feel redeemed there; useful and productive. I like sitting in the office instead of in a tent—"

"We can book inns on missions!"

"Let me finish," he chuckled, raising a single brow and she nodded guiltily.

Neither Makarov nor Rosemary stirred at the brief rising of voices.

Jellal spoke softly, "I don't mind camping and I enjoy going on missions with you. Only after having lived in hiding in the wilderness for so many years, I prefer the life I have now – an office job instead of earning money by going on missions all the time. I don't shun quests, but it's not something I would want to be doing all the time."

"Right." Erza fumbled with the fabric of her dress. Rosemary sleepily blinked at her parents.

Jellal pushed off the desk, holding Erza by her arms. "Do you want me to quit my job? Do you feel as if I won't have enough time for you?"

"No, no," her gaze snapped up, "please keep it. As you said, it makes you happy and it makes me so very happy to know you're not in danger." She shook her head, more to herself. "I think… I think I just feel as if I've been pregnant for so long, I almost miss it now that it's over…"

"And what a lovely memory with all the nausea, mood swings and swollen ankles," Jellal teased. She pouted. "Aren't you glad that you can move about as you like? You could even take up Minerva on her offer – if it stays at friendly training," he emphasised. When Erza didn't reply, he sighed under his breath. "Is it pregnancy you miss or being fussed over?"

She winced away slightly. "Maybe… we could train too. Just the two of us." Erza ventured a glimpse up at his calm, understanding eyes. There was no mocking, no scold or sneer. Not even annoyance – something she knew he was entitled to after having refused to have a baby for precisely that reason of lack of attention. "Or take a request or I could stalk you in your office."

"Anything you want." Jellal pressed a long kiss to her forehead. "Although we might have to postpone that last thing." She looked at him with puzzlement. "The Council made it quite clear that I am to come alone and judging from the thirteen calls I got this morning, I think that for now, I'll have my hands full with whatever crisis they're having."

"And afterwards, do you want to go on a mission with me? A little adventure," Erza bargained almost shyly.

Jellal smiled warmly. "How about this: when we're in Era, you take your time with picking out a request with maximum the-two-of-us time." He made her eyes shine ambitiously. "And you can think of all the things that I can spoil you with on the weekend minus any morning sickness."

"Deal."