**DISCLAIMER** I don't own Fairy Tail. Mashima does. **DISCLAIMER**

For anyone 'checking this out' this is your fair warning. This is a sequel to 24 hours. This is not a horror story, but there are very dark elements as characters struggle with the events of the prior story.

You don't have to read 24 hours to read this, but it might help understand a lot of what's happening, especially early on.

So that's your fair warning. Read at your own risk.

"She's back."

"Hey look, it's the 'fairy queen'."

"Shh… It's not nice to remind her that she's a failure."

Erza headed straight for Makarov's office, outwardly ignoring the barbs that were spoken as she walked through the guild. It was almost 2 weeks since their nightmare ended, but for her the nightmare had soon continued.

Within days, many in Fairy Tail had changed from their momentary jubilation at finally overcoming their enemy to the stark reality of those they'd lost. And they didn't handle it well. Many of them had developed sour attitudes toward the ones who were previously known as the protectors of Fairy Tail.

Entering Makarov's office without knocking, she closed the door on the eyes that she felt were boring into her back. Dead silence reigned behind that door once it was closed. The atmosphere thick and heavy.

"Here to report another success, Erza?" Even the guild master's smile looked strained. She knew it wasn't for the same reason as the others. His situation resembled hers. She knew he felt a tremendous amount of guilt at being unable to be there when his 'children' were in the most danger. Beyond that, the guild had changed so much since the events it seemed it could never become the place it once had been.

"The mission was a success, master. The guild's share of the job is here." She gave him a pouch containing a half million jewels. This was, of course, a little more than the guild's actual take. But only a couple hundred thousand. It wasn't like she needed the money.

Apparently money wasn't the only thing Makarov was concerned about though. "You keep taking these difficult requests Erza. Are you ok?"

No. She really wasn't. Every time she saw a SS or higher request she took it, a small part of her secretly hoping she never returned. She didn't want to come back to the guild. The family that suddenly hated her.

But she wasn't going to tell him that, so she just nodded her head. "I'm fine master. Somebody needs to keep the money coming in."

Makarov searched her eyes for a few moments before sighing. "We'll talk more about this later, Erza. You may go."

Erza nodded, heading back out into the guild. Everybody was gathered around silent tables. Heads hung, faces drawn. A few faces not numbered among the dead were missing as well. Most notably Mirajane, who had been to the guild twice since the events that took her sister from her again. Gajeel and Levy were also missing, but they were probably out on a request. Many of the stronger wizards were forced to step up and take more requests in order to keep the guild active and successful.

She turned to see Nab staring at the job board. That was one thing that hadn't changed in all these years. Would he ever pick a job?

"Pick a job already Nab," she said, letting a little pent-up frustration out with the words. Sure, it sounded a little harsh, but the guild was going through difficult times. Anyone who could needed to step up and bring in some jewels.

"Oh lay off him." Macao's words were a little slurred, but that wasn't surprising. The older man had done nothing but consume alcohol for the last two weeks. He started drinking the moment the bar opened and didn't stop till he had to be carried home.

"You should stop drinking so much," she retorted. "It's disgraceful, and sets a bad example."

"Who are you to lecture us?" He slurred, seeming unintimidated. "You let my Romeo die. I'll do whatever the fuck I want, and you don't have any place to talk about it."

"That's not fair…" The words came out muttered, barely audible, as she choked back tears. There was nothing she could've done about those deaths! It was only circumstances beyond her control that allowed her to overcome their enemy at all.

"It's not fair that Asuka's gone either!" This came from Bisca, who had also reverted to drinking heavily since the events. She was pulled back by Alzack, but Erza could see in his eyes that he didn't disagree with her assessment.

"Gray-sama is gone too…" Juvia said quietly from her table. There was no accusation in her words, but the few people in the guild who still talked to Erza said that the rain intensified when she was back from her job requests. It seemed pretty clear that the rain woman blamed Erza, even if she didn't explicitly say it.

"Stop it!"

Erza looked up at the sudden interruption, but little relief came from the interruption. Natsu stood in the back of the guild, the area where his eyes used to be covered by a black cloth to hide the gruesome holes that remained.

"If you all want to blame somebody, blame me." His voice shook a little as he spoke. "I waited too long to take action. It's my fault the people you love are dead. Leave Erza alone. It's only because of her that the rest of you are still alive."

There was no response. Even those who had been drinking too much weren't about to rip into the dragon slayer, especially with the visual reminders of what he suffered recently. However, as she made her way toward Natsu she did hear Bisca mutter, "Maybe it would be better if we weren't…"

"Natsu," she whispered, reaching a hand out to touch his. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," he replied with a gentle smile, grasping her hand for an instant before letting it go. "Now I'll see you later tonight. I have to brief gramps on the request, and then I have to see Porly to see about getting something to see with again."

"You shouldn't be taking requests," she said quietly. "Not in your condition."

"I can still fight better than most of the guild," Natsu responded with a little bit of a smirk. "I'll be fine Erza. I can handle myself."

She nodded, not having the energy to argue the point anyway. The truth was she was afraid. Ever since the events of two weeks ago she was afraid she would lose him next. "I'll see you later then," was all she said. "Will you be back at the guild?"

"No. Come to my house," he said. "I'll be back there by 6."

She nodded. "I'm going home then." If Natsu wasn't going to be there, there was no reason for her to stay at the guild. It would just be one long reminder of everyone she failed to protect.

~~~~~~Around 6:00 P.M.~~~~~~

Erza felt a faint smile on her lips as she approached Natsu's little hut in the woods. He was one of the few people she could feel this way around recently. He made her feel like the person she used to be. The knight that everyone could count on. The one whose strength could overcome any obstacle. She didn't know how he did it, but just by being nearby he could make her forget that she was now the least popular person in the guild. That was why she looked forward to her time with him.

"Natsu," She froze, the smile leaving her face instantly when she heard a voice inside the hut. "Do you find me attractive?"

The voice belonged to Mirajane. Erza's heart stopped within her. Could Natsu be interested in Mirajane? Why else would she be here in Natsu's house alone at a time like this?

"Of course you're attractive," Natsu's voice. "Otherwise you wouldn't have been a model for Sorcerer."

"I'm asking if you find me attractive."

Erza decided not to proceed any further, wanting to see what was happening and how it played out. Obviously Mirajane was making a play for Natsu, but was it possible that Natsu could have feelings for the girl?

"Well, yes, I do find you attractive…" She couldn't read Natsu's voice. Was this just a statement of fact or was it an indication of more?

"Then why hold back? I've already told you my reasons for wanting this."

"And I've told you that I love someone else. I'm sorry Mira, but I can't change that."

"Please reconsider…" Erza winced, feeling sorry for the girl at the desperation evident in her tone. "I don't think I can live this way Natsu.."

She could hear the pain in Natsu's voice as well. "I can't, Mira. I don't care how much fun or how enjoyable it would be right now. There's someone else that I love already, and I want to be with her."

"It's Erza isn't it?" A few moments of silence. "I knew it. What does that red-headed bitch have that I don't?"

She heard Natsu sigh. "Mira, you're a great person and a beautiful woman. There's someone out there for you, if you just wait for them."

"What does it matter if every other man on Earthland is in love with me if the one person I want to be with isn't?!"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Then Mirajane's voice came again. "I'm sorry. I'll go now."

Still no response, but the door opened and closed suddenly. Erza quickly moved away from her hiding space and started walking, not wanting to attract attention to the fact that she'd been there for a while. Mira's face froze when she saw her, but she brushed past without saying a word.

Erza slipped quietly into the house, but not quietly enough to escape Natsu's senses. He greeted her before the door even closed behind her.

"'Sup Erza?"

Erza just made her way over to him wordlessly, collapsing next to him on the couch and laying her head against his shoulder. She didn't trust her voice at the moment. Her mind was too full of the events of the day. Of the stares people at the guild gave her. Of the self-doubt that flooded her every time she looked at the black cloth that covered what used to be Natsu's eyes.

"Sounds like you could use some time off," Natsu said. Erza closed her eyes as she felt his arm snake around her, his hand resting gently on her waist.

"I can't take time off. Who would go out and earn money for the guild?"

"Are you kidding? That's all Gajeel and Levy do these days. I don't think they've spent more than a few minutes back at the guild between jobs. And let's not forget that Laxus and the Raijinshuu have been racking up the jewels too."

Erza sighed. Some days she still wasn't sure if Natsu was really dense or if he pretended to be so she couldn't be mad about him tearing through her excuses. "Well, doing requests helps me feel better."

"So you don't like being here with me?"

"No! That's not it at all!" That much was true. She wished she could bring Natsu with her on requests, but if he couldn't see the people they were fighting how was he supposed to fight? "I just… don't want to be at the guild," she admitted softly.

"Hmm… I thought that might be it," Natsu said quietly. "They'll get over it Erza. You've just got to give them some time."

"I hope you're right…" Erza looked up, then froze. Natsu's head was turned toward her, his lips only inches away. She leaned slowly toward him, her eyes closing as their lips touched.

"Now take a big chunk out of it." Her head snapped back away from the contact, her eyes opening again to shake the image from them. In an instant her heart was pounding as she tasted the bitter aftertaste of blood again on her lips. Small tears formed in the corners of her eyes, which squeezed shut again to deny them passage. Why? Why couldn't she enjoy a simple kiss with the man she came to love?

Warm fingers traced the tears from her cheeks, and hot lips pressed against her forehead softly. "It's ok Erza. Just give it time."

She wished she could believe that. But it had been two weeks already, and still she couldn't press her lips to his without images of their ordeal flashing through her mind. Cuddling, hugging, even laying in the same bed, were all fine. But anything that even touched on truly intimate… not so much.

"You need dinner?" Natsu asked. Erza nodded softly, her stomach reminding her that she had yet to eat at the mere mention of the word. She was then forced to sit up as Natsu rose and headed to the kitchen.

The rest of the evening went quickly. It wasn't that they did or said much of anything special. Just normal, quiet conversation. They were still cuddling on the couch when Erza drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~The Next Day, at the Guild~~~~~~

"We're going on a job together Erza!"

Erza was surprised at Natsu's insistence. First, he got up early and came to the guild with her. Once they arrived, he'd insisted on spending the first couple hours of the morning sipping hot coffee at the bar. Now, as people were finally starting to arrive, he was very insistent on the two of them doing a job request together.

"I can't take you on a request like that, Natsu… You'll just have to wait till Porlyusica can get you eye implants like mine."

"She said that'll be at least a few months," Natsu said with a shrug. "Something about the visual receptors being badly damaged…"

"What?! And I'm just hearing about this now?!" Erza screeched.

"Guess it slipped my mind yesterday," he replied, rubbing the back of his head ruefully.

"Didn't you just talk to Porlyusica yesterday?!" She was starting to get ticked now.

"Yeah. It's not that big a deal, Erza. I can still hear and smell better than ever, and I've been learning that you don't actually need to see to know where things are."

"Well, I still can't take you with me. These requests are far too dangerous for someone who's-" She stopped just before she said the word.

"Blind?" Natsu provided helpfully. "I just told you I'm getting better at figuring out where things are just from simple things like air currents. Haven't you noticed that I haven't needed any help today?"

Erza stopped for a moment, her retort caught on the tip of her tongue. It was true that he'd kept a pretty incredible pace without even stumbling once on the way to the guild. Even inside the place he moved around with relative ease. Still, that didn't translate to combat readiness.

But before she could tell him that, the doors were flung open, and Elfman came rushing in. He was carrying Mirajane, who he carefully laid down on the table as his eyes scanned the room, searching before settling on Natsu.

"You!" His voice seethed with anger as he made a beeline for the fire dragon slayer. "What did you say to her?!"

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked, holding his hands up in a gesture of confusion.

"She went to see you yesterday," Elfman's voice was at normal level, but barely. And it rose as he continued to speak. "She came back, and I thought she looked more at peace than ever before. But this morning I found her like this!" He motioned to the unmoving form on the table. Erza hesitantly made her way over to the girl, and looking down saw that all her major arteries had been carefully severed. No sign remained of the massive bleeding that must've occurred from that save trace amounts of red liquid around the edges of the cuts, and her skin was cold to the touch.

"I'm sorry…" Natsu said quietly, "I only told her that I didn't love her."

There were several surprised gasps at that statement, and Wakaba was heard to yell "are you crazy?!" from his corner.

"Was she not good enough for you?" Elfman raged, and Erza winced as a fist slammed into Natsu's chest hard. "You thought you could just play with her feelings and nothing would happen?" Another fist descended on Natsu's torso, just above his gut on his ribcage.

"I didn't play with her feelings." Natsu's words were sounding strained. "I told her from the start there was nothing there."

"Well now she's gone! And you were the last person she talked to!" Elfman was losing it now, his fists pummeling the dragon slayer who wasn't even attempting to put up a fight. "Dammit! First you let my baby sister die, and now this!"

At this point it was pretty clear that Natsu wasn't going to respond. His body slumped against the wall, held up only by the continued, unrelenting pounding of Elfman's fists. His head sagged, and Erza was sure that if he had eyes they would be closed right about now.

"STOP," she yelled, rushing in and blocking Elfman's next punch. She then caught Natsu before he slid all the way to the floor. "Are you trying to kill him?!"

Elfman didn't answer. He just stared at her for a moment, his eyes a mixture of pain, anger, and regret. Then he picked up Mirajane and headed out of the guild with her body.

A deathly quiet settled over the guild now. Even those that were having conversations stopped their talking. Erza felt tears come to her eyes as she ran her fingers over his torso, feeling a couple of cracked ribs. Why couldn't the idiot at least defend himself from the attacks? It wasn't his fault that Mirajane couldn't cope with his rejection of her feelings! Why did he have to suffer even more?

"I guess you're coming with me on this job, Natsu," she muttered. She then headed to the job board and picked up a special SS ranked job request that paid out 4 million jewels. Maybe this could be the job that would spell the end of them both.

That's chapter one of this story. I kind of envision it being 8 to 10 chapters, or somewhere in that range. I wasn't going to start this yet, but I had access to a computer and not to the work that was done on any of my other stories, so I started this instead... And don't worry too much. It'll get less dark further on.