One More Chance

Chapter 6

The day passed like a blur and Erza was far from peaceful. It had only been the second day since his return and she was ready to raise her hand against him.

Erza began to hate herself with passion for raising her hand, but she was not wrong in being disappointed with his decisions.

She had to make sure that he knew he too, was in the wrong. Jellal and the children were supposed to be playing outside and it had been quite some time.

Erza went out in search of them and watched in horror as her husband had a massive sword against their son's throat while Azure was standing on the other side with a fearful expression.

"Think. What will you do in this case?", he asked his daughter while Cerulean was busy emptying a pudding container. It was only at that moment did Erza notice that Azure too, was holding a sharp stick to Jellal's copy's neck. Did he bring Siegrain out?

"I...I will stab him", she whimpered.

"Do you think i would care? I would betray him and kill your brother, or he would sacrifice himself to help me do the same. What will you do then?", he pressurised her and Azure burst into tears. Erza was ready to step in before Jellal erased his clone and bent down to Azure's level.

"Do you want to know the answer?", he asked and Azure launched herself onto his chest. Jellal's hand instinctively moved to cup the back of her head, but his hand stopped less than an inch away, and Erza saw his face crumple in disappointment. Azure nodded her head against his chest.

"Try to be as independent as possible. You'd never know when someone will turn out to be a liability. Learn it from someone with experience. Your mother will speak high and mighty about the importance of friendship, but when was the last time you saw her depending on someone in a fight? She knows it too, but refuses to admit it. Take it from someone who used to think the same way, and unless your life depends on it, don't bother trusting your back to someone else because in the end, the words 'I have got your back' applies only when that person is safe. To protect himself, he won't think twice to push you down", he explained and Cerulean stepped forward to thrust the half emptied pudding container to Azure's face.

"Pudding!", he squealed innocently and Azure instantly smiled on seeing him before turning her attention back towards Jellal.

"Lean will have my back, won't he?"

"That is up to the two of you to find out when you grow up", he smirked and got up. Cerulean started to pester Azure about some slug he saw on a tree and the girl followed her little brother.

When the two of them were at a good distance, Erza approached her husband who had his back facing her.

"Jellal, we need to talk", she stated and prepared herself for a fight, but Jellal faced her and sighed.

"Do you want me to leave and stay away from the children?", he asked her with a straight face. This time, Erza could not hold herself back. She stepped forward and slapped him with all of her might. Jellal staggered back and Erza saw the imprint of her hand on his left cheek with a big cut on his bottom lip.

"Satisfied?"

"LISTEN TO ME!", she roared.

"Why do I have to?", he snapped back as he rubbed the blood away.