Betaed by WhatAreAllTheseTears

They're so much like their father.

Levy can't help but notice the similarities. After raising them by herself she had been too afraid to let them join the guild. For a long time she believed that it would hurt less to have them not fight with the guild at all as opposed to fighting and… losing. She used to believe that that was the right thing to do, but she watches them fight now and she knows that she was wrong. They have the vigor and the determination of their father (which was a problem when they were in their terrible twos). They stand amongst their generation of Fairy Tail, their magic brimming around their hands threateningly as they decide the correct course of action against the guild's villain. They're the forerunners on power in this generation (at least they are when they work together). So much magic energy that the air is almost explosive.

They smile at each other, that toothy smile that is almost Gajeel incarnate. The twinkle in their eyes, the small fanged smirk, the way they flexed their muscles before they plunged into a battle. They definitely got it from their father. Levy tries to crawl towards them, to rise to her feet to help, she and the rest of her peers try. But they're worn out, their magic energy has been depleted, the new generation is fighting this battle, and by god they will win.

One of the twins pushes up her bandana; it had been one of her father's. The other twin cracks his knuckles, his piercings glinting in the sun. "Bet I can take down more of them than you." He challenges his sister. The two of them are always as competitive as their father and Uncle Natsu were. Maybe it came with the magic of being a Dragon Slayer.

"You're on!"

They're so much like their mother.

"Hey, where are we?" The young woman asks. Gajeel can't believe it, he's been watching them as they grew. Did she really come out of him? Did he really create something that beautiful, that gorgeous, that powerful? Her blue tresses, her small smile, the pale skin, the curling hair; she is clearly Levy's child. And he is hers too, very obviously. For one, he is kind of short. Shrimpy like his perfect mother.

The boy shrugs. "Why are you asking me?"

She narrows her eyes at him, the same color as their mother's. Then she opens her mouth and the most vile, foul, vulgar, and definitely inherited from him string of curse words escapes her mouth. Gajeel can't help but beam with pride.

"I'm telling Mom!"

She sticks her tongue out at her brother in response.

Then the thought occurs to him, why are they here? "Oi!" He begins running towards them, "What're yeh doin' here?"

The twins jump and turn around, arms up in a defensive position. Gajeel skids to a stop when he notices that they're hurt. "Are yeh two okay?" He asks nervously. The girl—but she's not really a girl anymore, she's a woman now—has a broken arm. The boy has a gash on his forehead. They both have healing cuts and bruises.

"Yeah, we're fine. We were just in the middle of a battle and well… what's wrong Mister?"

Tears burn rivets down Gajeel's cheeks. He's not sure if they're happy tears or sad. He's crushing them in a hug and he's crying because they're here but Levy isn't but at the same time that means that Levy is alive and they aren't.

"Hey Mister-"

"My name isn't mister, my name's Gajeel. Gajeel Redfox."

The girl turns to her brother as she struggles out of her father's embrace. "I think I know where we are." She whispers.

Levy blinks her eyes open. Lucy and Natsu are gone. Juvia and Gray are gone. Jet and Droy are gone. Pantherlily is gone. She's in a field, and the weather is just perfect. Her hair has long since faded from blue to white, her smooth porcelain skin is now wrinkled. She looks down at the dress they buried her in, running her hands down the soft white material. She stands. Automatically she tries to make a Solid Script Walker but she doesn't need it here and magic doesn't work anyway.

She scrunches her toes in the grass, it prickles her feet. She hasn't felt this young in years… The sweet tranquility of this place almost disperses her sadness for once, but only almost. It's been a long time since she's been happy. She tried, don't get her wrong, but after the love of your life dies to protect you, and after your children, all you have left of him, die protecting you too, happiness takes a back seat.

She wonders where she is.

"M-Mom?"

Levy gasps. She hasn't heard that voice since-since-

"Mom!"

The twins barrel towards her and she opens her arms. They look just like they did when she last saw them: when they had turned towards her, her eyes wide and searing with tears, they had smiled at her, they whispered goodbyes, and then they were gone. They hit her like trains, pushing her onto her rear until they are a tangle of limbs in utter bliss. The twins cry their hellos and Levy actually cries. She's here. They're here. Her babies, her and Gajeel's babies are here and they're finally together again. She never wants to let go.

Levy knows where she is.

When they finally let go she cries out against it, she never wants to leave them, to have them leave her. They laugh, oh that beautiful laugh of theirs, and they smile that fanged smile of theirs and everything is alright again. Things can't possibly get better.

Or so she thinks.

"Oi! Move over! I want to say hello to her too!"

Levy isn't usually wrong, but now she is. And she is totally okay with that. "Gajeel?"

His fanged smile. His long messy black hair. His slit crimson eyes. The love of her life. "Hey, Shrimp. I missed yeh." He stumbles back as she buries herself into his chest.

"I missed you too." She mumbles as she breathes in his scent. Stupid Gajeel.