Signs - a Jerza fanfic

CHAPTER IX

Silence filled the room, and all that could be heard was the crackling fire. It popped and Jellal continued.

"It scares me to see you like this. You were so brave, so strong. Isn't that why people called you Titania? After that mission, and especially after you fled, I was scared. Scared to leave you alone. I didn't want you to throw yourself away!" His shoulders shuddered and he looked up.

His face was a bawling mess. His words had been strained through the tears he now shed.

Jellal let out a sob, wiped his face once, and continued, "Erza... out of everyone... it hurts me to see you depressed. Its not you..."

"J-jellal..."

Shouting, he yelled at me, "Snap out of it! Give me back the Erza that survived Heaven's Tower! The one they call Titania! The one that people looked up to... the Erza that people relied on... the Erza that I love..."

A blush formed on my face and I rushed to him, hugging him.

Half sobbing and half yelling, I replied, "She's still here! I'm trying to find her myself...."

He hugged me back tightly, his face buried in my shoulder and neck.

"I.... I'm not sure I meant for that last part to come out..."

"Well," I whispered, tired from all of the emotions inside me, "its a first, thats for sure. Its hard to tell what you think, you know... you don't give me any 'signs.'"

We laughed at my small joke and we sat on the rug in front of the fire. Jellal and I talked. Not about Natsu, Makarov, or how we felt. He and I talked about normal, simple things, and it was a relief. I felt almost weightless, like a burden had just been taken off of me. I felt stronger.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

We figured I wasn't ready to quite go back to the guild. I was remembering myself, and if I really wanted to restore the guild's true faith in me (not just Natsu) then I would have to be ready.

We trained, and took missions. I regained my fighting strength and durability. I also remembered how to laugh and really enjoy being a mage.

I hadn't wanted something this bad in a while. Nothing seemed better than getting on good terms with the guild again and regaining lost time with Jellal.

I also felt sorry. Sorry that I had caused Jellal pain once again after Heaven's Tower. I was frustrated that I had been so dense to not notice or even begin to think about his feelings towards me and towards the situation.

"The Erza that I love." It was strange to think about. But I used that to keep me going.