Jellal's P.O.V.

"Erza?" I called quietly as I began to tremble.

She still wasn't breathing.

"ERZA!" I screamed, finally allowing the tears to roll down my face.

I reached for her shoulders and shook her, "Come on, Erza, Come on!" I couldn't stop my voice from cracking. I couldn't stop my hands from trembling. "WAKE UP!"

"Jellal," Gajeel's voice came from behind me as he firmly gripped me. 

It was clear he wanted me to stop. To calm down.

"NO!" I shouted at him, my voice deranged, "I CAN'T LOOSE HER! I- I-"

I found myself at a loss for words.

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think straight.

All I could think about was her. Her hair, her skin, her voice, her attitude, the way she smiles, everything about her. All the moments we shared, laughing over stupid things or getting caught up in hotel rooms. The way she protected everyone she cared about, never once thinking about herself.

All the moments I wasted in that tower, 
I should've been protecting her.

When she went out that morning without me, she wasn't thinking about herself. She was thinking about me. She ended up here because she was trying to do something for me. She went missing because I couldn't get myself out of bed.

She's not breathing because of me.

How could I have let this happen? How could I have let it go this far?

'I'm supposed to marry you! We're supposed to start a family and grow old together!'

Those words rang back in fourth in my head. The same words Erza had heard me say the night we first kissed. The night she took in a mess like me and turned me into someone who had one task and one task only.

Protecting Erza Scarlet.

She forced me to believe that I could be happy, that I could be something more than the failure I'd always been. She healed me in ways I can't begin to describe. And now...

Now she's here. 

Motionless. Pale. Empty.

She's gone.

Erza Scarlet is... Gone.

"This is all my fault..." I mumbled, bowing my head on her stomach, "All of this... Is because of me. If only I'd woken up sooner then..."

Then you wouldn't be dead.

I clenched my fist so hard I could feel my nails creating little half moons on my flesh. Tears kept burning their way through my bloodshot eyes, never failing to meet my misery. 

In the past, I lost my mind. I lost myself while possessed by my own demons, my hatred fueling my existence. A good man was lost in the name of my insanity. After I was set free from Zeref's curse, I was lost the rest of my life looking for a reason to live. I fought evil, no matter the cost, until I lost Ultear. I lost myself once again, working every hour of the day until I found her. I'd been lost for so long, all these years I'd been astray.

Recently, I found her. And she found her own way into my heart. Because of her, I found a way to live with myself and carry on. I found a reason to live through her. I began seeing the world not in shades of black and white- but in bursting colors that splattered in every random direction imaginable. The outside world became buzzing with life- sights became soothing, sounds became symphonies. Life was worth living.

But now I've lost her. And I can't help but think that with every passing second that she's not here, I'm loosing myself as well. I'm drifting downwards; like a pebble thrown into an ocean, I teeter back and fourth as I become submerged. 

The weight of it all is crushing, and yet my heart still troubles itself to beat onward.

I don't belong in this world, where everything around me is destined to end. Everyone around me is made of porcelain glass, one touch or wrong look has the power to chip and break.

I reject this world for all that it is. 

I reject it's unforgiving greed to take what's most important to other people, and I reject the false hope it presents as an apology for wearing down it's residents. 

"I promised you I'd never leave you alone..." I whispered faintly into Erza's ear as I brushed aside a strand of her scarlet hair for the very last time. I kissed her gentle ivory skin with the contrast of my troublesome lips, "... I'm not going to break that promise."

I stood up and stared down at her tranquility. She rested peacefully until the bitter end, at least.

"J-Jellal?" Levy was crying frantically, while she clung onto Gajeel's shirt, "W-Where are you g-going?"

I looked around the room, seeing so many tears and cries of despair decorating the room. Wendy was by herself, shaking bitterly in the corner of the room, "I- I- I could've done m-more s-she's... I-If only I wasn't s-so w-we-weak..." She was murmuring. 

Natsu was on the other side of Erza, refusing to take his eyes off her as tears streamed down his face, "Come'on, Erza... You gotta wake up.. Y-You gotta wake up and hit me and tell me I'm an idiot for worrying about you..." His voice cracked sharply as he managed to get the last words out of his throat, "Y-you have to, Erza."

I watched over Erza one last time- Her brightly colored hair, her gentle features, and her withered, petite body. 

I grabbed my coat off the chair and took my leave.

"JELLAL!" I heard Gajeel shout after me. It only made me walk faster. In a matter of seconds, I'd managed to make my way out of the hotel. Once I had made it outside, I began running. I couldn't keep Erza waiting. 

I kept my eyes on the rocky cliffs that hung around this town in the mountains, and the sharp edges that laid below them. I'd fall again like I'd fallen through life so many times before. Only this time, there was no coming back. I'd be with Erza, and she would never have to be alone again.

I ran harder, not allowing myself to doubt my actions in the slightest. 

If Erza were here, she'd no doubt tell me to stop. She'd tell me to keep moving forward and live on the best I could. She'd tell me that I could find happiness elsewhere, and that this isn't the end.

But I can't listen to something as relieving as that. No, I would never dishonor Erza by allowing the pain of loosing her to fade. I would never love someone else.

While I know she would want me to live, I also know that she would want me to be happy most of all. And my happiness only comes from one thing.

Her.

I was nearing the end of town, the foot of the mountain range coming into view. I always knew I would be with Erza in the end, even if it killed me.

Natsu's P.O.V.

She couldn't be dead, could she? No, Erza could never...

I swallowed hard, the pain in my throat singeing my skin like a blade.

She had to wake up, no way in hell would Erza just give up like this. She had to...

She'd always been there for our guild... for me...

And here she was, not breathing, accepting death. I can't let her go... I can't let her go through with this. But... What good am I? I can't heal her, I can't fix her. I can't do anything but...

Accept that she's gone.

No.

I can't.

Erza doesn't get to cut out like she wasn't a part of our team- She doesn't get to leave Fairy Tail! SHE DOESN'T GET TO LEAVE HER FRIENDS BEHIND!

"ERZA!" I shouted at her, fire seeping through my body, "YOU BETTER WAKE UP OR ELSE!"

"Natsu!" Levy left Gajeel to grab my arm, "N-Natsu, I know Erza w-was special to us all, b-but... She's..."

I shoved Levy off of me, "NO! SHE CAN'T BE! I WON'T LET HER! YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!"

"NATSU JUST SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!" Gajeel shouted back at me.

I ignored him and turned back to Erza, "IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU AND THE OTHERS AT FAIRY TAIL I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY!" I grabbed the fabric of her clothing and tugged her up roughly, "WHICH IS WHY YOU DON'T GET TO LEAVE, YOU GOT THAT?"

Gajeel ripped me apart from Erza, landing a punch on the side of my face. I landed on the floor of the room with a loud thud, "JUST KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY!"

I slowly crawled onto my knees on the floor, feeling the pain behind his punch burning my jaw, "NO!" I shouted back at him, "ERZA," I slammed my left foot down, "ISN'T," I stomped the other on the floor, managing to stand on my own once again, "DEAD!" I scolded as I threw a punch as hard as I could back at Gajeel. 

He fell backwards at it, before gritting his teeth and pulling himself together to land another hit. The punch was hard, and caused me to slam against the wall of the room with a loud bang. I winced at the punch, before forcing my eyes open once again and allowing flames to burn brightly all over my body.

"YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN, ERZA!" I growled at her, making my way back to Gajeel.

What started out as a few steps towards him, became a confident run that allowed me to sail a punch directly into his gut. I poured my energy into the blow, landing on top of him as we fell to the floor. 

He quickly pulled himself away from me and began pummeling me. My body no longer felt weak at his hands, but instead, it numbed the pain.

The belief I had in Erza burned brighter and stronger than any of the flames I could create.

"WILL YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH FOR ONCE, KID? HOW DO YOU THINK LEVY AND WENDY FEEL? HOW DO YOU THINK THE REST OF THE GUILD IS GONNA FEEL? THEY DON'T NEED YOU TO SAY CRAP LIKE THAT TO MAKE THEM FEEL WORSE!"

"I DON'T CARE! I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP ON HER, I'M NOT GONNA LET HER GO! AND ILL BEAT UP YOU OR WHO EVER ELSE TELLS ME SHE'S GONE!" He pinned me to the floor to prevent me from fighting against him anymore, "LET GO OF ME!" I kicked and struggled underneath him, "ERZA!"

Levy covered her ears as her knees fell to the ground. She sat on the floor, her face twisted in pain, "P-Please stop, Natsu! This is already h-hard enough!"

"ERZA!" I shouted again, trying as hard as I could to escape Gajeel's hold on me, "ERZA WAKE UP!"

I breathed heavily once I stopped fighting against Gajeel. I laid on the floor, not taking my eyes off Erza as she laid completely still in her bed.

I couldn't stop the tears from sliding down my face. I couldn't stop Gajeel from holding me back. I couldn't stop Erza from getting hurt.

I couldn't stop anything.

I panted from the energy boiling inside of me, but chose to stay down, "Erza..." I whispered, feeling my heart beat loudly against my chest, "She's really...."

I closed my eyes, allowing the despair to finally hit me.

It was... Unimaginable. The pain I felt was the most intense it had even been. It was more difficult than any fight I'd ever been in.

She's not coming back.

She's really not coming back.

I allowed the sadness to consume me, and my body went limp.

What was I going to do without her? Without Erza around to tell me when I was being an idiot?

I... Don't know what to do now. I don't know what to do later, either.

How was I going to tell the master? How was I going to tell the guild that Erza wasn't coming back?

How was I going to tell Lucy? Could I muster up the strength to force that much pain on everyone?

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Wendy screamed from the corner of the room as she got to her feet.

"Wendy, what are you doing? You already used up all your magic energy helping me! If you try to bring her back, it could be you instead of her that doesn't wake up!" Levy cried fiercely as she reached for Wendy's arm. 

Just like I had, Wendy pulled it away from her, "That's my decision to make!" She yelled at Levy as she aimed a spell circle at Erza.

I stared at her, my eyes full of awe. Gajeel stared as well, causing him to loosen his hold on me. She began her incantation, the words pouring out of her mouth quickly and accurately.

"WENDY, NO!" I shouted as I stumbled to my feet, "WE CAN'T LOOSE YOU EITHER!"

Gajeel shot to his feet just as I did, but he was bigger than me. We tripped over one another with a grunt and landed at Wendy's feet as she continued her spell with out fail.

"YOU DAMN IDIOT!" Gajeel scolded me,

"YOU IRON-HEADED MORON!" I yelled right back.

"I'M TRYNA STOP WENDY, DO YOU MIND?"

"NO, I'M TRYING TO STOP WENDY!" I fired back.

"Wait-" We spoke in unison, "WENDY!"

It was too late. She mumbled the last line of the spell before her body gave out under her. She fell backwards, aiming to hit the ground before I jumped under her and caught her, "Wendy,"

My attention was stolen as Erza jumped upwards in bed with a gasp. She had her hand on her heart, and her eyes were wide as she took in heavy gulps of air, "J-Jellal!" She frantically looked around and saw all of us staring at her with the same dazed expressions.

"Natsu!" She smiled wildly before jumping out of bed to land on top of me. Luckily, Gajeel had seen what was happening and pulled Wendy away from me before she got body slammed.

Erza hugged me tightly into her, and I couldn't help but hug her back, "Er...Erza?"

The emotions slowly started flowing into me, until they completely bursted inside of me- "ERZA!" I grinned ear to ear, "You're okay!"

She was giggling as we hugged, "Of course I am. Natsu," She called my attention, pulling me out of the hug, "I heard you. Even when I was barely hanging on, I heard you. Thank you. For everything."

"Hey!" I narrowed my eyes at her angrily, "You broke a promise, alright? Don't think I'll forget about it."

"I wouldn't ask you to. What can I do to make it up to you?" Her voice was as gentle and noble as ever. Just the way it should be.

I tilted my head and rubbed my chin, thinking of anything she could possibly do for me. Oh right!

"You could, I don't know, pay for all the ridiculously expensive food I ate from your fridge?" I laughed and ran my hand along the back of my neck nervously. It was weird asking Erza for anything without getting punched.

"Very well," She replied with a smile.

"And one more thing," I added, watching her carefully, "Swear  to me you'll never make me worry like that about you again. Because a swear is even stronger than a promise."

She took a moment to answer, meeting my eyes with the kindness of her own. The same kindness I thought I'd never see again.

"I swear on my life, Natsu."

"Good," Was all I replied before crossing my arms and smiling at her. 

"Thank you, everyone," She said looking around the room of smiling tear-stained faces.

Levy was still crying. Although, this time I think she's crying tears of joy.

"Wendy's alright," Gajeel responded, still holding her carefully.

"She'll need a couple days to recover, though," Levy added on. 

"That's great news," I told them, my smile still present. I couldn't help but smile.

Erza's safe. 

Speaking of which, Erza was looking around the room, looking kind of... lost.

"Where's Jellal?" She asked curiously.

"Oh crap," Gajeel spat under his breath, "This isn't over yet, Jellal ran out of here awhile ago after mumbling something about a promise he made to you- about never leaving you alone."

"If he thought I was dead and he brought up the promise he made me..." Erza thought for a moment, before her eyes widened in fear, "No!"

She tried to jump to her feet, but it looked clumsy and weak, "Wait, Erza, what's going on?" I asked her before she shakily clutched onto a chair for support.

"JELLAL!" She screamed as she trudged towards the door, tears forming in her eyes.

"What is it Erz!?" Levy questioned, running to her side.

"He's going to try something stupid, we need to get to him fast- please!" She cried, turning back to us. I saw the pain in her face, the weakness in her eyes. She was in no state to be running around, so I'd have to help her out.

I got up quickly, and pulled her onto my back confidently, "I'm right here, Erza. Just show me the way."

"Me too," Gajeel stated as we rushed towards the door.

"I'll stay here and watch over Wendy- You three go find Jellal!" Levy called, waving us out.

"Thank you all... So much," Erza whispered into my shoulder, "I just hope we're not too late."

"Come'on, Erza, don't think like that" I told her as we made our way out of the hotel.

Jellal's P.O.V.

I was here... Finally.

I stood at the very tip of the cliff, staring down at the ground awaiting me below. It was so far down... It almost made me dizzy.

The tears never stopped forming. My eyes felt like they were bleeding rather than crying at this point. I looked out at dark night sky, the stars blinking at me from above. The night sky will never be as beautiful as it was when I was looking at it with Erza.

My mind went back to the nights I had spent with Erza. Whether it had been at a hotel or at my family's lake house, she'd always point out how lovely she thought the sky was. I looked back at where I was standing, just a step away from the edge. I missed Erza more than ever before.

"I'm s-sorry we couldn't tie the knot in this life," I spoke towards the sky, wondering if Erza could hear me, "But hopefully we can in the n-next, Erza Scarlet."

I closed my eyes, imagining her smiling face and beautiful brown eyes. But it was the color of her hair, after all, that had always intrigued me. Even as a child.

I peacefully took a deep breath and extended my arms, embracing the ending that was to come.

Erza Scarlet was the only thing on my mind as I took a step forward and finally released myself from my fear of falling.