After talking with Gray the people of Fiore were living in great fear of what Lucy was planning. For many the thought of being parted from those they loved most and trapped in some terrible place was the most terrifying thing in the world. That was certainly the case for Erza and Jellal. Fate had always been cruel to them but they never thought that it would be this cruel. To have some curse tear them apart just when they had finally been married and there was nothing they could do about it.

"I've had all my royal scholars do research on everything about this curse." Jellal said as he talked with his wife and loyal knight. "They haven't found anything on this. It's like the information on it is completely lost."

"Do you think the fairies might know something?" Natsu asked.

"A large number of the fairies have been wiped out." Erza said. "There's only so few of them who remain and fairies don't really know a lot about dark magic."

"What about Makarov? He might be able to stop her." Jellal said. "He is the most powerful sorcerer in the entire land."

"No good. I've had all my men search the kingdom and ask around, he's completely disappeared." Natsu said.

"What a time for him to go missing. He was our last hope."

"No he's not." Erza said. "The two children that Gray spoke of, they're our last hope or rather they're our only hope."

"But we don't even know who these children are. We don't even know if they exist. What if Gray lied to us?"

"He doesn't lie. He's a master at word play and trickery but he's never lied. At least not when a deal is involved." Natsu said.

"So everything he told us is going to happen like it or not." Erza sighed while looking so greatly saddened. "She's going to take you away from me and just when we finally have started our lives together."

 Jellal sat next to his wife and gently grasped her hand.

"If you really believe that then you must believe what he said about us being reunited one day." The prince said. "He said that the curse wouldn't last forever. That we would be together again. We must have faith."

She put her free hand over his and gazed upon his face with all the love she had. He always had a way of giving her hope when things looked so bleak. He was right, if she could believe that this curse was coming and that it couldn't be stopped then she could most certainly believe that the curse would one day break and they would be together. 

"I do have faith." She assured him. "But I'm so afraid. I can't bear to be apart from you."

"Neither can I." He said.

"This is all my fault." Natsu said. "It's really me she wants to hurt. She shouldn't be taking her revenge out on you and everyone else."

"You're not to blame for this Natsu." Erza said. "All three of us did something to stir up her wrath."

"Yes but she was already dark when you two took her kingdom from her. What I did turned her to the darkness in the first place."

"You know it occurs to me that in all the years we've known you, we don't know exactly what you did to her." Jellal said.

"Really? She never told you what I did?"

"No. All she ever said was that what you did to her was unforgivable and that it was most evil act that anyone could ever commit." Erza said. "But we know that's not true. It can't be true. You'd never do something like that."

"You wouldn't think I would but I did."

"What was it then? What did you do to her?"

Natsu gripped his hands into a fists as he thought back to that day which still haunted his nightmares. The day that Lucy officially became the Princess of Darkness. The events that had caused it didn't happen in the way Lucy thought but It did happen because of him. Because he had been too weak.

"It's complicated." He said. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

Then at that exact moment they heard the sound thunder clapping even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Looking out the window of the castle they saw darkness coming from all around the kingdom. As if it was instinctual, they all knew exactly what it meant. It meant that Lucy had enacted the dark curse. 

"Oh God it's here." Erza whispered in horror.

"Alright let's not panic." Jellal said. "We must remain calm."

"What are we going to do?" Erza asked.

"I'll gather all the knights together." Natsu said. "We'll fight it off for as long as we can. You two stay here and keep the doors locked. Don't open them no matter what you hear."

"I should go with you." Jellal said. "As the ruler of this kingdom I must defend my people."

"No your highness. Stay here with your wife and spend as much time with her as you can. I will protect you both with my last breath."

"Good luck to you my friend."

"Same to you."

Natsu drew out his sword and left the room. Jellal closed the doors and locked them though he had a good feeling that no amount of locked doors could keep out the evil that was coming for them. He sat in that room with his princess and they both held each other close, hoping that by some miracle the curse could be stopped. The hope of that happening decreased each time they heard the horrible noise of vicious creatures attacking whatever was in their path followed by the sound of their men screaming and shouting in agony as the curse claimed them. All too soon they had to accept that end was near.

"Jellal." Erza said looking at him with tear filled eyes. 

"Yes?" He said while doing everything he could not to look broken in front of her.

"I love you. I will always love you and nothing will ever change that."

"I love you too Erza and I promise that the love I have for you will be eternal."

They embraced each other and shared one last kiss of true love. God only knew when it would be the next time they would be able to hold and kiss each other like this again. In fact they both agreed not to let go of each other until they were forced to. 

The doors to the room burst open and something was thrown at their feet. It was Natsu with his body beaten and broken to such terrible degree. He looked up at them with weak eyes. 

"Forgive me." He breathed. "I failed you."

"You most certainly did." Said the smug voice of Lucy as she waltzed into the room. 

"What did you do to him?" Erza asked.

"Technically I didn't do this. My pets did." Lucy answered. "They always did like to rough house. But don't worry he'll live. I want him alive. I want you all alive for this."

For the first time in both of their lives, Jellal and Erza felt completely helpless. That there really was nothing they could do other than to accept their horrible fate.

"Don't look too scared and sad." Lucy told them. "In a few moments you won't remember you knew each other. Let alone loved each other."

"Why did you do this?" Erza asked.

"Because this is my happy ending."

"This won't make you happy Lucy." Natsu said while trying to keep himself from losing consciousness. "Please don't do this. They don't deserve this. Fiore doesn't deserve this. Just kill me and spare them."

"Your offer might have tempted me years ago but now your death is not enough for me." She said in a voice laced with pure venom toward the knight. "And if you're so willing to die for all these people why didn't you make this offer sooner? When in the beginning all I wanted was your death!"

"Because there was something I had to do. I still need to do it but now it looks like I'll never be able to complete my mission."

"Yes it does doesn't it? And very soon you and everyone else in this land will feel just like how I felt that night when you ruined my life!"

"Lucy it's not how it all seemed. There are some things you don't know about what happened that night and I'm scared that once you learn the truth it'll be too late for you to turn back."

"Shut up!" She screeched. "I know the truth about what happened that night! And I will never forgive you for what you did! For what you took from me! Nothing you can say or do will ever make me forgive you for that!"

She spoke with such a great rage but in her brown eyes she held a sadness and hurt that was unlike any that had ever been known throughout the entire land.

"It doesn't matter what he did to you." Erza spoke. "Nothing justifies this and in the end you will lose. The curse is going to be broken one day and you'll finally realize that all this hate was for nothing."

"We'll see about that." Lucy said regaining her smug composure. 

She raised her arms up and before any of them could blink, the darkness was everywhere. Erza and Jellal held on to each other tighter while whispering promises of their undying love. Natsu's eyes were completely fixed on Lucy and Lucy alone. He would look at nothing else but her and with his final moments of conscious thought, he tried to picture her as who she was before she was ruined. Then the curse claimed them and took them to their new lives.

...

Nasha was not a morning person. She would much rather spend her mornings sleeping in but she had school today and Elkis was determined that she and Gregie get to school on time.

"Come on Nasha." Elkis said turning on the lights in her room. "No sleeping late today. You have school."

"Ugh just let me skip." Nasha said before putting her pillow over her head.

"Sorry but you know my rules. While you're staying here with me you have to do good in school and skipping is not doing good in school."

She fixed them breakfast, made sure that Nasha had proper clothes to wear, and combed Greige's hair. After that she went to drop Nasha off at the local middle school.

"Now do you want me to walk you to class?" Elkis asked Nasha. "I know how scary it can be being the new kid."

"No thanks." She said. "I'm used to being the new kid."

"Do you know which classes you have to go to? Do you have a schedule?" 

"Yes. The social worker gave me my schedule yesterday."

"Alright then. I'll pick you up at three okay?"

"Whatever."

"Wait just outside of the school. Don't go anywhere else."

"Fine."

She got out of the car and walked toward the school building. When that was done she took Greige to the local elementary school.

"Are you excited about starting a new school?" Elkis asked him.

"No."

"Well I guess considering how boring and difficult school work can be I can't really blame you." 

"I don't mind doing school work. It's just that I'm not really good with making friends with the other kids."

"Don't worry you'll make friends here. The kids around here are very friendly."

"No offense but isn't that what everybody says about kids?"

"True but I always mean what I say."

"Do you know what the teachers are like?"

"They're typically like most teachers. Strict but helpful. Lucky for you though your teacher happens to be the nicest lady in town."

"Really?"

"Yes. She's a very good friend of mine. She adores children and she always helps her students. She'll love you I'm sure."

When they arrived at the school they saw a large group of children heading for a classroom. Inside of it there stood a young woman with mid length blue hair who at the moment was smelling a rose before placing it in a vase that was on her desk. When all her students were seated she had them do some warm up work sheets while she introduced herself to Greige.

"So you're my newest student." She said when she saw him. "It's very nice to meet you Greige. I'm Miss Lockser."

She gave Greige a warm and loving smile. All of a sudden the boy felt a strange sense of familiarity. Like he had seen that exact smile before. Once a long time ago. But he couldn't figure out when and where.

"There's no need to be shy." She said when he didn't respond to what she said. "I promise we'll all be very welcoming toward you and you'll make lots of friends here. Just be yourself."

"Okay."

Miss Lockser gently led Greige into the classroom and to his desk then proceeded to start class.