*UPDATED VERSION* Hey, Kat here! This is my first Fairy Tail fic and I hope you fall in love with it like I have! This is going to follow the general storyline of Fairy Tail while focusing specifically on Gajeel and Levy's interactions, so expect spoilers in the future possibly. This starts right when Gajeel joins the guild at the beginning of the Battle of Fairy Tail Arc, and will have some flashbacks that I wasn't quite sure on timing so I just made my best guess. The italics are Levy's direct thoughts! I referred back to the anime/manga a lot while writing so some diction/scenes are straight from the anime/manga as well. Most scenes will be more recognizable from the anime since that's little easier to interpret. Enjoy!

She was terrified. Levy was smaller than most people, but around him she felt like an ant. His hard eyes bore straight into her soul, and she knew he could hear every heartbeat and every shaky breath she took. The time she spent this morning to prepare herself was left outside the guild's front doors as soon as she stepped inside.

*Earlier this morning*

"Levy-chan!" Levy sat straight up in bed. What was that? Someone knocking? What time is it? The clock on the bedside table read 7:45 am. Her blue hair flew into her face as she fell back down into her pillow and sighed. This was my first night to really rest after rebuilding the guild hall and of course Jet and Droy are here to cut my sleep short. She had been waking up early and getting to bed late to help rebuild and refurnish the new guild hall even though her body was still a little sore from the incident with Phantom. The ground was inches away from her feet that swung over the edge of the bed as she painfully scooted out of the warmth. I'll have to get my side double-checked if it doesn't quit hurting so bad soon. She wrapped her arms her body as she lightly padded to the door.

"Jet, Droy, is that you?" Her voice still seemed like it wasn't coming out of her own mouth, and the time of morning didn't help either. She opened the door, knowing that her two partners wouldn't be surprised by her unkempt hair and pajamas. "Why are you here so damn ear-"

One look at their faces was all she needed to know that something was terribly wrong.

"Levy, you're not gonna like this and we wanted to give you a heads up before you got there." Droy seemed nervous. Jet broke the news.

"We don't like it either. But... It's Gajeel. He's joining Fairy Tail." Jet stared straight into her eyes, dead serious. Her breath caught in her throat. She suddenly felt sick.

"I'll meet you at the usual spot in 30 minutes." Levy's voice was barely a whisper. The door closed as she fell to the ground, petrified. This can't be happening. Surely Master must have a reason. He would never do anything that would harm us. She curled her knees to her chest and rested her head there, breathing heavily and shaking, trying to think of every reason that Makarov would think of for letting such a man in the guild. Her body began heating up and she could feel herself losing control over her mind. The tank top and shorts she had on suddenly seemed like too many clothes, and she couldn't stop the thoughts from taking over. She was reliving that night all over again.

*About one month ago*

The guild was encouraged to stay in groups since it had been attacked. Lucy had offered her home to Levy but in all honesty she had just planned on heading home early before dark with the books she had just picked up at the library. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy for her to avoid the other two members of Shadow Gear, and next thing she knew she would be housing with them for the time being. Levy had to pick up some things at her own home and by the time they were almost back to the boys house, it was dark. Jet and Droy complained that she shouldn't have to be rooming with two boys (even though they were the ones insisting in the first place), but she didn't mind. They had been on plenty of jobs together and she trusted them. Levy laughed, reassuring her friends once again that there was no problem at all and it would just be for a day or two. It all happened so fast she didn't even notice. She turned to to poke fun at Jet but it wasn't Jet that she caught of glimpse of. The first thing she felt was pain. Next, her vision suddenly went black and she felt herself falling.

The stars and street lights were blinding when she groggily opened her eyes. Where am I? And why does my body feel like one big bruise? She suddenly remembered what had just happened and blinked fast, unsure of how to approach the situation. A face was obstructing half of her view of the night sky, and her small body was wrapped in two large, muscular arms. She could feel the warmth of her abductor's body against her side. To be honest, the warmth wasn't all that bad and she so badly wanted to just fall back to sleep. She noticed Jet and Droy's bodies draped across the attacker's shoulders and snapped her drooping eyes open once more, remembering the situation she was in. They were all still together although her partners were unconscious. I better not move for now, it seems like he's slowing down.

"You better not try anything Fairy Trash. These two put up quite a fight for you and wouldn't you just hate for them to see me rough you up a little more?" A deep, mocking growl vibrated her eardrums. This was an attack. The guild hall was just the beginning, or maybe Phantom just didn't get what they wanted from the guild attack. She sucked in a painful breath as the man placed her on the ground. Her knees hit the grass hard after she realized her shaking legs were unable to hold her. The man continued walking to the tree in Magnolia Southgate Park with Jet and Droy, and threw them harshly on the ground at the base of the tree.

Levy looked took in the sight before her. His black clothing made him blend into the shadows, almost as if he were one. He was at least a foot taller that her, and made her look like a stick. His eyes were blood red. The way his skin shone in the moonlight could only bring one name to her swimming mind. Black Steel Gajeel. She couldn't move. She didn't even think she was breathing anymore. He turned towards her. It was the face of a man who didn't care about anything and had nothing to lose. The face of a man with no remorse. The face of a monster. She couldn't hold back the tears as he lifted her partners and pinned them against the tree with his metal.

"Why are you doing this?" She was talking to herself more than the man in front of her. Why does he have to do this after already destroying our guild? What does Phantom want from us?

"A job's a job. I'm here because my guild told me to come. My job is to rile you guys up and I ain't gonna let my name get tarnished by some Fairy wimps." His voice had changed from just a minute ago. She had hit a nerve without meaning to.

"A job is not just a job. You hurt my family. Don't you have a family? Nakama? Someone you care about?" Levy pleaded with the Phantom member, though she had already come to the conclusion that all he cared about was himself. He walked over to her and she looked straight into his eyes. Her body tensed as she prepared for another blow that never came.

"The only thing I ever cared about left me for dead. Tch, don't know why I'm still talking to a weakling like you anyways. Stand up." Levy's tears kept flowing as she attempted to stand. Her knees shook and she fell back to the ground after attempting one step. A painful scream escaped her mouth as he grabbed one of her arms and she was thrown harshly over the shoulder of her abductor. Her head was pounding and her vision was blurry. He began to place her in between the other two Shadow Gear members, her arm twisting painfully against the cold metal.

"I hope you find it one day. The thing you cared about." She forced a small smile through her tears as she fell unconscious once more.

*End flashback*

This is sort of a teaser chapter. I know it's kinda short(?) but I'm also testing out lengths right now! I like to start and end chapters at the beginning and ending of events so that's kind of how I choose chapter lengths. If you have any questions feel free to PM me or leave a comment and I'll address it as soon as I can! Thanks for reading and please review!