Together Through the Music (A NaLu Fanfic)

Chapter 15

Jerza

Jellal was sitting in the café, holding his cup of coffee, gazing out of the window. Erza had called him the night before, wanting to catch up so she told him to meet her the coffee shop. He's now sitting in. He was lost in his own thoughts when suddenly a hand rested gently on his shoulder, pulling him out of is own head.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Erza said.

"Oh, hey!" Jellal said with a relieved smile. Erza sat down and as she opened her mouth to speak a waiter came up to take her order.

"I'll just have a chocolate mocha with whipped cream please and a slice of strawberry cake, please." She said with a smile.

"I'm so sorry. We were given a bad batch of strawberries on our last delivery so unfortunately we don't have any at the moment but we do have red velvet cake." The waiter suggested.

"Red velvet sounds lovely." She replied.

"Make that two, please." Jellal said.

"Right away." The waitier informed them. Erza returned her attention to Jellal.

"So," she started, "how have you been?" she said hesitantly.

"Can't complain. I have a job working for Natsu's company-"

"Natsu's company? What do you mean? I thought his parents owned it or did he start his own business?" Erza interrupted. Jellal had a sad look on his face.

"A year after we graduated college, the Dragneels were in a car accident. They didn't make it. Natsu had to step up real quick. He didn't even really get a chance to properly mourn. It's been a few years and with the exception of a few moments here and there where his playfulness shows, he's been all work and no play, just burying himself in work. Until last weekend."Jellal finished with a smirk.

"Oh, I can imagine." Erza said with a chuckle. There food and drink had arrived and she was took a bite of her cake. "Lucy told us all about that one. I think she really likes him."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure Natsu's the same way. He normally he doesn't give two shits about females and has no qualms about telling us about his exploits but with this girl, he didn't tell us dick. I guess that's an improvement for him though. After he came back from being with Lucy at the club, he was a lot more childish and really opened up and acted like his old self. I'm happy for him. I'll have to thank Lucy for that." Jellal said.

"I'll keep that in mind for Lucy. So, sorry for getting off topic. So, you work for Natsu?" Erza said.

"Yeah, well you know even when we were younger I had a thing for numbers. I have a job as one of the Junior Logistics and Statistics Specialists for the company and they keep telling me I have a lot of potential to rise up. Natsu was insistent on putting me up there with him but I refused and said I'd rather work my way up and everyone's respect so he conceded, although not happily." Jellal chuckled at the memory.

"So what did you do after you left?" Erza asked, sipping on her sweet drink. Jellal took a deep breath. He knew this topic would come up.

"After my parents sent me away, I shut myself away from everyone. I was like a robot. Taken from everything I knew, my friends, my love, my life. I woke up, went to school, barely ate, showered maybe once a week. Just enough to survive. I actually came back to Fiore after high school for college. I felt even worse coming back thinking here I am back in my true home and everyone is gone. I figured all my friends would have went away to college. I'd be alone in familiar territory. I can't tell you how much that feeling sucks. Well one night, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I walked to the bridge that crosses the river. I stood on the edge, fighting with myself. I didn't want to die but I had nothing to live for anymore. I just felt empty. Right before I was about to jump, some guys yanked me backwards, back to the ground. They started kinda yelling at me, telling me I was stupid, which they were right. Then they said my name. I opened my eyes and I couldn't believe it. Natsu, Gray and Gajeel and one of their friends was with them. I started crying right there. I found my friends. My best friends from school that I thought I would never see again. For the first time in years, I felt happy. They all hugged me and helped me get through the darkest time of my life. I learned the friend's name was Bixlow and we've all been stuck at the hip together ever since. It's been a good last few years." Jellal said with a smile.

Erza sat with her head bowed, shoulders hunched slightly that Jellal noticed them shaking.

"Erza?"

"You idiot." She said softly, Jellal could barely hear her.

"What was that?" he asked.

"YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK LIKE THAT?" She shouted. She lifted her head up and Jellal could see the tears pouring down her face. She got up and threw her arms around his neck in a hug. She pulled away slightly and looked in his eyes. "But I'm glad you're here, safe and sound. Guess I'll have to thank Natsu for that." She said with a sad smile, mimicking his words from earlier. Jellal gave her a reassuring smile, pulled her face close to his and kissed her lips. God he missed this woman. They pulled away and Erza rested her head on his shoulder, sighing in content while Jellal just held her and rested his own head against hers.

"I'm glad you're home." Erza said. "Me too." He replied. Erza returned to her seat and took another bite of her cake to help calm her nerves.

"So, what have you been up to?" Jellal asked.

"Well, I got a degree in Business Management and I own my own gym. I haven't been able to train there myself in quite some time. I tend to do a lot of traveling for my own training. I won a few Martial Arts championships and made quite a few contacts. So I temporarily study under other masters to learn new skills and sometimes I'm called upon to instruct specialized Women's Self-Defense classes. The women are very eager to learn and are delighted when they can take down there male comrades in kata. It's very amusing." Erza finished, chuckling.

"That's amazing, Erza! You've done so much already and you're still so young! I'm proud of you!" He said with a grin. Erza blushed at this.

"Thank you." She said, slightly bashful. The two talked for a few more hours about everything they could. When at last they stood to leave, Jellal held her hand and walked her to her car. She leaned her back against the window of her car while Jellal gently pinned her to it with his body weight. Their foreheads touched as she spoke.

"Jellal? What are we?" she asked him quietly.

"Can we start over? Be my girlfriend again?" he asked pleadingly.

"How about we just pick up where we left off?" she answered with a smile. Jellal can't remember ever being so happy in his life. She was the only one who could make him feel this way. He grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply, passionately.

"I still love you." He whispered. Erza's heart pounded in her chest.

"I still love you, too." She replied. He kissed her once more then opened her car door and helped in.

"I'll call you later." She said to him.

"I'll be waiting." He replied. She closed her door, started the car, and drove away. Jellal stood and watched until she rounded a corner, out of sight.

"Always." He whispered.