The night was more then advanced when Erza was pulled out of bed by the two newcomers, Elfman and Evergreen. She clenched her teeth. The DFA found them. It was only a matter of time, she knew it, but knowing her friends in danger made her blood bowl. The young woman may not have a ring herself, she felt responsible for the group of escapees she considered as her family. It was in fact that protective feeling got her implied with them.

The scarlet haired young woman thought of the day she left her boring and meaningless life. That day, she came back from a training with an old man specialized in sword fighting, master Rob. Even if it was against the law to practice with any kind of weapon for commoners, that man saw strong potential in her and started to share with him his knowledge in secret. She never showed her blade in public, keeping it hidden in a bag as she circulated in town. However, that day, logic didn't win against her rage. The DFA was against a little girl! At that time, Wendy was only ten and they were already trying to enroll her in the army. Were they this insensitive? After waiting for them to be a little further, Erza had drawn her sword and ran away with the girl she now considered has her younger sister. After a few weeks in the forest, she crossed other people, also runaways from the corrupted organization's oppression, learning about the true nature of the fallens. These people, no matter how much they could seem mindless sometimes, soon became a family to her and, being the eldest of the group of rebels, her feeling of responsibility was only enhanced.

So, in this night where they were attacked, Erza stayed at the campsite despite the danger, making sure they were all awake and evacuated. Then she decided to walk a little in the forest, making sure no one was in a bad position. That's when she heard steps, way too noisy and synchronized to belong to one of her friends. Crouching to stay hidden, she saw before her eyes a group of soldiers. None of them had on a fallen form, probably because most soldiers still didn't know for what evil they were working. However, Erza wasn't blind to the one who was leading the march, his shirt ripped just before his heart, blood all over it. No human could survive such a wound and the young woman was sure he was a fallen. Then her heart tightened as she saw the heavily wounded man they carried with them: Laxus. Erza had to use all her willpower not to ambush the group in a vain attempt. Erza knew very well she would only get herself killed by trying to get Laxus back with such an amount of enemies, the latter not able to help in his condition.

Then the blond young man opened his eyes, looking around him until his eyes locked on hers. How did he... then she understood feeling her heart pounding in her chest: he used his unnatural hearing to detect her pulse.

He seemed sad, even worried. Erza may not have spent much time in his company, she never imagined seeing this expression on his face Then his lips moved without producing any sound. What was he saying? She focussed a little more before understanding: Mira. Where was she? Seeing she understood, he raised a finger, pointing behind him. His gesture was discrete enough so only someone paying attention could understand. She nodded. She could do nothing to help Laxus, not at the moment anyway, but if Mira was in danger, she'd bring her safe and sound to the others. Giving him a last look to give him some courage, she waited for him to be far enough to stay unseen and ran in the indicated direction.

She looked everywhere until she spotted a ravine. She was about to head to another direction when a glimpse of silver caught her eyes. 'Mira!' she thought before getting at the bottom of the hill as fast as she could without falling. Once at the bottom, she saw how much she was dangerously still.

"Mira!" Exclaimed Erza, lifting her head, noticing horrible wounds.

"La...Laxus?" She mumbled without opening her eyes.

"It's Erza" corrected the young woman. "I'll take you back to safety, you'll be fine".

"Where's Laxus? She said, her eyes now wide open. "You have to help him! He took him, he..."

"Laxus is the one who led me to you" she stopped her in a soft, yet sorry, voice.

Not able to bear the vain light of hope in Mira's eyes, she added.

"I'm sorry Mira. He was taken by the soldiers".

"So why are you here and not with him!" She burst out, tears running down her cheeks. You have to help him! He needs..."

"There was too many of them, I couldn't do a thing" stopped her Erza heavy hearted in front of the obvious distress Mira was bearing.

"But he...he can't, he... it's all my fault.

"Shush" intervened Erza. "Whatever you think you did, Laxus doesn't hold it against you. I'm positive the thing that matters most to him right now is you being fine".

To Mira's silence, she added.

"We'll get him back. But you need to get proper treatment for your wounds and making sure they don't get infected.

Adding nothing, Mira let Erza make a bandage out of shreds of her cape. She still wasn't agreeing on not helping Laxus right away but she couldn't do a thing right now. And judging but Erza's determination, she would never convince the read head to leave her there.

"Hang on to me" she heard Erza say as she pulled her on her back.

So she sorrowly placed her arms around her neck as she climbed the best she could the abrupt hill. The scarlet haired young woman was in sweat and panting a lot but never gave up. After a moment, Mira could see many shapes: the meeting point she thought.

"Wendy!" We need you here!" She called out once she got there.

"I'm coming!" Said the girl with dark circles under her eyes indicating le lack of sleep.

She lifted her shirt up to under her breasts to look at the situation. Long red gash where showing signs of inflammation. The sigh of relief Wendy however did was encouraging.

"The fallen who attacked you was probably hoping for the blood loss and the infection to kill you eventually" concluded the young healer. Now that they are sterilized and bandaged, you should soon be on your feet if you rest well.

"That horrible person probably doesn't have your knowledge in medicine" said Erza.

"That monster is not a person" said Mira in a low voice, hatred in her voice.

If she already hated the organization for what they did to Laxus and her, the ambiance around the campsite didn't help her mood. A large weight seemed to crush every single escapee. Within the worst, she could see Levy, unstoppable tears on her face as Lucy cradled her in her arms. Her heart tightened as she noticed Gajeel was nowhere to be found, him missing being probably the cause of her desperation. Then, if it was even possible, a wave of distress even bigger hit her seeing Evergreen also in tears. Where was her brother? She hadn't been blind to the obvious attraction between the two of them, despite their efforts to hide it, and the fact that Elfman wasn't next to her filled her with panic. Understanding that Mira finally caught up to the situation, Wendy explained what happened in a sad voice.

Letting her barely finish her bandage, she got to her feet, not without pain, and limping to Evergreen. When the latter locked her brown eyes with hers, she only could see pain and regret. Her own regrets violently came back to surface. She promised the young woman she would bring Laxus back, but all she managed to do was...

With her trembling voice, she let out: "I'm sorry".

Much to her surprise, the brunette had said the same words at the same time.

"Elfman" Started Evergreen, "he stayed back to protect us, he..."

She was cut off by Mira, circling her arms around her. She understood. She understood so much! Learning her brother was taken by the DFA while a person important to her was taken away protecting her... she had the same weight on her shoulders.

"We'll get them back" said Mira, her determination higher than ever. "The day I'll stop will be the day I die".

Those last words almost burnt her, realizing how much that day could be close. But for some reason, she didn't really mind. What did she have to lose? She certainly wasn't about to stay put as those persons she loved were with those monsters! Her heart pounded a little faster at her choice of word: love. She always knew she loved her brother in an unconditional way, but she had also discovered a new kind of love she didn't quite understand yet with Laxus. The fact that she realized that only once she lost him, probably forever, only gave her another reason to be angry.

Without saying another word, she got up, her fist clenched.

"Erza!" Called the one who had in her eyes that spark which earned her the nick name she-devil. "I'm going to get them. Are you coming with me?"

"No" she firmly said.

The anger stocked in Mira's heard threatened to get all out on Erza, but the later placed her hand on her shoulder.

"We're all coming with you. Is that right everyone?" She added loud enough for the whole Fairy Tail group to hear. "Are you ready to get those we hold dear back home?"

"YES!" Exclaimed the combined voices of all these people willing to set their fears aside rather than leave a member of the group to die.

"Does that mean we can finally attack that lot of fallen?" Asked Natsu, confused.

"That is exactly what it means" confirmed Erza.

"Perfect then!" The reckless young man. "Don't worry everyone, we'll find our friends! I'm already fired up!"

A wave of hope seemed to hit the group.

"Make sure to rest a few hours" added Erza. "We're leaving at dawn".

She then turned to Mira.

"Same goes for you. Your wounds may not be fatal, they could very well become it if you keep exerting yourself. You are still not well enough to fight".

"There is no way I'm staying behind while...

"I know" said Erza with a resigned smile. "That is why you have to at least take those few hours left to the night to sleep".

Mira returned her smile and laid down, tiredness taking over her as soon as she touched the ground, reminding her just how much she was exhausted. Hold on, Elfman, Laxus... we're coming for you.

So a little hope in this chapter... about time ;) Hope you liked it!

Lily xxx