Author's note: Mmmm... yeah... another Gajeel x Levy fan fic... I'm a sucker for romance between these two... Had a sketch of this one for a while now, but I had no time to continue it. One more month to go till my degree exams... And one more month till Sailor Moon aires! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAAAAAAA I've been waiting 17 freaking years for this! (ever since the anime oficially ended witht he 200th episode... I cried buckets...) And, for the record, just so you won't be too confused about my age, I'm 26. Yes, still an otaku, even though I'm married and I have a 3 year old todler ^_^ (whom I'm teaching English, Japanese and Spanish. And letting him watch Fairy Tail and Inuyasha with me)

Anyhooooooow, this one's gonna be short, 2, maybe 3 chappies at most.

Thank you for taking the time to read and review! Love y'all!

CHAPTER 1: WORRY

"Hey, have you heard? Those two idiots really did it this time." Natsu was entertaining a huge meal after one of his missions.

"What idiots? What happened?" Lucy turned her head from Mirajane to look at her nakama.

"Jet and Droy. Shadow Gear went on a mission a couple of days ago." Happy continued as Natsu filled his mouth with a piece of meat. At this point, Gajeel was listening intently.

"Oh, yeah, I received a pigeon a couple of hours ago. They should be home any minute now. That reminds me, I have to prep the Infirmary." The white haired girl scurried off, leaving Blondie alone with the two mages.

"The Infirmary? Why?"

"Levy got hurt pretty badly this time because those two couldn't handle themselves when a couple of bandits attacked them." A screech from the further most corner of the guild made the whole pub turn their heads Gajeel's way. He stomped his way to Natsu's table, yanked him by the shirt and brought him to his face.

"Where are they now?" He growled menacingly, flashing his teeth.

"Hey! Let go, Metal Brain! What the hell?" Natsu flamed his hands and yanked on Gajeel's fists.

"Tell me where they are, or so help me..."

"Gajeel, calm down. He doesn't know." Mirajane came behind Natsu and placed a hand over Gajeel's fists, making him look up from Salamander's face. "They should be home any moment now, I received a call on lacrima about 20 minutes ago from the chief of police. He wanted to call for a magical ambulance, but I declined his offer..."

"What? Why?" Gajeel dropped Natsu and faced Mira. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I need to see her first and assess her condition. Levy can handle herself just fine in any situation. She's a lot stronger than you give her credit for." Gajeel growled, showing his teeth. She's not getting the picture. "Oh, but I am." Mirajane answered Gajeel's inner remark. "And, instead of fighting with everyone in the guild for something they don't know, why don't you go get them?" Gajeel turned on his heels and stomped out of the guild. "They'll be coming on the main road!" Mira shouted after him, smiling warmly.

Gajeel stomped his way to the train station fuming. They were gonna get it this time. He had enough seeing Levy hurt in any way, especially when she went with those two idiots she called friends and family. He was so caught in his thoughts Gajeel didn't realize he was 50 yards from the three Shadow Gear members until he heard the two men arguing loudly.

"I'm carrying her!" Droy stopped mid track and shoved his forehead in Jet's face.

"You can barely carry yourself, fatty! I'm carrying her!" Gajeel was close enough to see Levy sprawled on a poufy white FLOAT word, her face contorted in pain. He could see her right foot lying in an unnatural way and she held her right hand. Broken foot and collarbone, probably some broken ribs, too. Bruised and battered. Gajeel was livid now, after assessing Levy's condition. A couple more steps and he pushed between the two quarrelling men hard enough to make them land on their behinds before scooping Levy gingerly up from her disintegrating magic.

"Hey!" Droy complained.

"What the fuck, man?" Jet got up in a flash, ready to strike, but Gajeel turned without a word and started walking (more like running) to the guild. "Hey! Where the fuck are you going, you ass? "Come back here!" Jet heaved Droy up and flashed in front of Gajeel, who stopped before he could bump Levy into him.

"Move." Gajeel spat, glaring menacingly at him.

"No." Jet crossed his arms, holding his ground.

"I WILL make you move." Gajeel growled, Jet not moving. "Do you see what condition you two fucking IDIOTS brought her?" The Dragon Slayer couldn't keep his anger in check anymore. "I will gladly take you on once she's in the fucking hospital. THANKS TO YOU TWO! AGAIN!" Gajeel was trembling with rage. "How many times does she have to come home bruised and battered because of you two, huh?"

"Gajeel... " Levy tried weakly, but Gajeel's voice stopped her.

"NO, Levy! I'm fucking sick and tired to see you like this every fucking time you go on a mission with these two incompetent bastards!"

"You're crossing the line, Gajeel!" Jet started.

"No, YOU crossed the line when you let her get like THIS!" Jet looked shocked at him, a lump forming in his throat.

"I fell off a carriage, it's no big deal... But Jet caught me before I fell off the cliff..." Gajeel bulged his eyes in horror, snapping his head Jet's way.

"You. Almost. Got. Her. KILLED?" The Dragon Slayer released his magic, letting himself and Levy get covered in a dark purple mist. "That's it. I'm talking to Master to disband Shadow Gear." He started walking back to the guild, not waiting to see the shocked looks on Droy and Jet's faces.

"You can't!" Jet yanked on his arm desperately, but Gajeel didn't budge, holding onto Levy for dear life.

"Watch me!"

"Gajeel, enough is enough!" Jet tried again to stop him, with no luck.

"Yes, enough is enough. You two are too fucking weak. So weak you need her to save and protect your sorry asses every fucking time! You have no pride as a mage or as men! Two mages can't fucking protect one shrimp of a girl!" Gajeel looked ahead of him, every gasp and wince making him wanna punch the two men hard. The two Shadow Gear fell behind in shame, each word stabbing them in the gut. "Seven fucking years and you didn't improve at all!"

"Enough!" Jet bellowed in anger and shame.

"Truth's a bitch, ain't it?" Everyone fell silent, Shadow Gear not knowing what to say. Gajeel was right about everything, and it hurt.

"We'll train harder! Just don't take Levy from us!" Droy pleaded, a couple of tears escaping down his cheeks.

"You're pathetic! And I'm taking her away from you two before you get her home in a fucking casket!" Jet stopped and punched a tree, trembling. After a couple of minutes of walking in silence, Gajeel opened his mouth. "Tomorrow morning, 9 A.M. Fairy gym. If you don't wanna lose her, I suggest you be there! Or so help me, I WILL disband you three for good!" He stopped abruptly and rummaged through his pocket. "Does it hurt?" Gajeel whispered, not looking at the bluenette in his arms.

"Yeah…" Levy's weak voice made something squirm uncomfortably inside him.

"Mirajane gave me this in case you…" He wriggled a small bottle inside her hand, Levy looking at it confused. "It will ease your pain." Levy smiled weakly, opening the bottle and downing it.

"Thanks… I'm… getting sleepy…" Levy placed her head on Gajeel's chest (making him blush), sighing contently. "G' nigh'…"

"Yeah..." Gajeel pulled her closer to his neck so Levy could be more comfortable, smiling slightly when she sighed heavily and nuzzled him just under his ear.

The three men walked in silence all the way to the guild, Mira smiling fondly when he saw Gajeel carry Levy in his arms. Lucy stopped from her chatter with Natsu and blushed a hot shade of red, making Happy and Salamander turn to see what she was staring at.

"He liiiiiikes her." Happy smiled behind his paw while Natsu gapped.

"What the hell, Metal Breath? I never took you for the one who takes advantage of a helpless girl."

"Fuck off, Flame Brain! Mirajane gave me an anesthetic potion for her. She took it herself!"

"Hohoo, big words for a Scrap Metal. Oh yeah, then why are you groping her ass, idiot?" Natsu pointed at his left hand, resting calmly on her right buttock. Gajeel gasped and looked at his hand, his face exploding once he realized Natsu was right. He stumbled incoherently for a moment before pulling his hand from Levy's ass, stomping to the Infirmary, cursing under his breath while Natsu laughed from seeing Gajeel get embarrassed.

"Natsu!" Lucy slapped him on the head, scowling.

"Hey! What the hell, Lucy?"

"Consider his feelings for a change! Levy is badly hurt! Did you see his face? He really cares about her!" Natsu stared a moment at Lucy before he fully understood what she meant.

"Oh..." He looked away in shame, realizing what he did. "He found his mate..." He whispered under his breath.

"What?" Lucy looked his way, not understanding.

"Nothing..."

Back in the Infirmary, Gajeel placed Levy gently on a bed, Mira having prepared her potions to cure the bluenette.

"Gajeel, she'll be fine. You can go."

"I have nothing better to do..." Gajeel took a seat next to Levy's bed, looking intently at her sleeping form. With Gajeel's help, Mira managed to put Levy's collarbone back in place and applied a mending potion before securing it with a cast. A couple of hours later and half of Levy's body was secured in the white, hard bandage. Her right leg was covered all the way to her hip and her hand was secured under her chest in a cast that covered her whole torso. Once she did the final touches and mended the cuts, Mirajane ushered Gajeel out of the Medical Room so Levy could rest. He grunted his disappointment, but he obliged, going straight to his place just outside Magnolia.

TBC

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