Gajeel's POV

I'm in Veronica looking for the blondie's friend. For some reason the shrimp wanted to come with me. So me and her are in the sewers trying to find someway under the city to get to the castle.

"From where we are, the castle should be northwest of here." Shrimp informs. I look and I see a shadow and knifes aim at Shrimp.

"Get out of the way!" She looks at me and ducks. The knifes shoot into my mouth and I see one of the guys at the bar I saw come out of the shadow I think his name was Chase or something. I bite down on the knifes and start eating them. "Aww come on, ya gotta have something that tastes better than that." I complain. Chase goes back into the wall and makes multiple shadows.

"I am one with the shadows. Everywhere and nowhere. Fear the sins of man." He chants. The shadows keep on moving and I try to pinpoint which one this guy is. I turn and I aim an iron dragon club at a shadow, but he climbs down the club and somehow gets into my body. I then feel swords and spikes coming from inside my body come out.

"Gajeel!" Shrimp yells.

"Stay back!" I yell. I slowly turn and I see his head pop out of my back. "Damn you." I curse. Then he fires three more spears into my mouth. He finally gets off me.

"Child's play." Chases states. I bite down on the spears and eat them.

"NOO!" Shrimp yells.

"They don't call me 'Black Steel Gajeel' fer nothin' pal. Even my guts are stronger than iron." I inform. I break the rest of the swords and spears and they fall to the ground. I look over at Shrimp and she's on her knees.

"Thank god..." She whispers. Chases merges with the wall again. He makes more shadows again and they start to move.

"I don't know which shadow you're hiding behind. So I guess I'll have to tear up every single one of 'em!" I yell. I use my iron dragon sword to cut the walls so I can find Chase. But I go in a complete circle and he's not there.

"How foolish." I look over and I see Shrimp struggling to get out of his grasp.

"Let her go." I demand. I see a knife come out of his hand and he aims it at her neck. I freeze up. I want to move, but my legs won't listen to me.

"Gajeel. Run." Shrimp manages to spit out. The knife gets closer to her neck.

"Not a chance in hell." I reply. I take one step forward and the knife pokes her neck and I can see a small bit of blood trickle down her neck.

"Just let her go." I plead. "This is between me and you. Don't go dragging her into it." I feel like I was about to break down. I can't stand to see the Shrimp so defenseless. I feel tears stream down my face.

"Gajeel, don't cry. Please. I'll be fine. Just kick his ass for me." Shrimp stated. With that said, I charge in at Chase and I grab him by his scrawny little neck.

"You don't mess with a dragon slayer's girl. Ya got that." I whisper. I slam his head into the brick and he's knocked out. I turn around and I face Shrimp. I smile and she charges at me.

"You idiot!" Shrimp yelled as she cried into my jacket. "Why didn't you leave?!"

"I couldn't leave you alone with that psycho!" I yell back as I look down at her. At the end of that, I feel something slide out of my mouth. I touch it and I see blood on my finger. Shrimp looks up and see's the blood coming out of my mouth.

"You're hurt." Shrimp let's go of me and digs through her bag. "Where is it?" She questions herself. She eventually sits on the ground and dumps everything out. "Found it!" She picks up a towel and she rubs it against my face. I push it away.

"Come on knock it off. You treat me like I'm 5." I pout. She puts the towel back on my face and continues to wipe off the blood.

"Well that's because you get in some much trouble." Shrimp explains. She lifts the towel away from my face. "There, now let's get the rest of you cleaned up." Shrimp goes through the rest of her bag and grabs a role of bandages.

"I'm fine." I state with my arms crossed.

"Really now?" Shrimp questions. She comes up closer and punches me in the gut.

"Damn it that hurt!" I yell.

"Exactly. Now take off your shirt." Shrimp insisted. I guess I couldn't take no for an answer. So I strip off my shirt and I see small marks from where I was stabbed with the spears and swords. I turn my back to Shrimp so that she can clean my back. Instead of feeling the towel, I feel a stinging liquid run down my back.

"That hurts!" I yell.

"Well I'm sorry!" Shrimp yells back at me. I turn back around and I let her continue to clean me up. It takes her about half an hour to get me cleaned up. "There I'm finally done. I'm just glad that the injuries weren't that serious..." Shrimp starts to spin a tiny bit and she passes out.

"Shrimp!" I catch her before she falls onto the brick. "What just happened?" I look at her neck and I see blood flowing out of the wound. "Oh no." I grab the towel and start to wipe the blood off of her neck. I bandage her neck and I lie her sitting up against the brick wall. I sit next to her. I look down at her. Why the hell did I bring her with me? I knew this was going to be dangerous. I could barely protect her this time, but what if I'm not there to help her. Damn it!

"Gajeel?" I look and I see Shrimp awake. "What happened to me? I feel dizzy." Levy's holding her head.

"You lost a lot of blood." I answer. Shrimp's hand slides down to her neck and notices the bandages. I sit there just staring at her. I don't know what comes over me, but I wrap my arms around her and pull her in closes to me.

"W-what are you doing?" Shrimp is shaking like a leaf.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. It's all my fault that you're hurt." I whisper. I hear Shrimp begin to cry.

"I was so scarred that you were going to get hurt. I thought you were gonna die." Shrimp whispers.

"Levy...I will always protect you. Just don't leave my side." I plead.

"I already made that promise. But I'll make it a hundred more time just to be with you. I don't want you to die. I want you to live." Levy states. "I love you." I let her go and I press my lips to hers.