Chapter 2: Getting the job done.
It had been a month since Levy started working at the haunted house and she was already used to the dizzying aisles of the Library being a bookworm it came easy to her to remember the blueprint of a library and just like in a real library each section is labeled by the reading difficulty in the Ghost Library each section she memorized was based off of the mini fright they had.
Levy didn't talk to Gajeel much as they were doing separate jobs in different parts of the library like he would be doing heavy duty work like fixing a fallen book shelf while she decorated and horrified scenes that needed to be fixed.
After the first day they had exchanged cell numbers and only kept in contact when needed, but late at night Levy wishes she could text him or call him and ask him if he wouldn't mind staying up with her while she tries to dry her swollen wet eyes.
Levy curled herself into a ball over her blue floral designed comforter, her hair was a mess her body felt heat running through her from tossing and turning and the chilly air of the house was cooling her off.
It became hard to dream and sleep was rare for her, medicines, teas, natural remedies they all didn't help.
She felt the fatigue coursing through her veins but her wet eyes and pesty thoughts of her EX was keeping her awake. The next morning Levy threw on a simple blue dress with black capris leggings and ankle high hipster shoes. She tied her hair up in a ponytail when her phone went off she looked at the caller ID and come to find it was her boss.
"Good Morning Levy"
"Good morning Master."
"Levy due to the upcoming thunderstorm I feel it would a safer Idea for everyone to stay at the house for the next week. So pack a suitcase if you please."
"Yes sir. Thank you sir"
"Your welcome my dear you have a good morning and I will see you later."
"Hmm goodbye master"
"Goodbye Levy, oh one more thing I forgot to tell Gajeel that his old partner is returning to us so when you see him will you let him know please?"
"Uh sure"
"Good girl I will talk to you later. Good bye"
With that the master hung up.
"Hmm his old partner? Oh I better start packing."
Levy packed a simple wheeled suitcase and made sure she had everything even another suitcase with a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a blanket.
She hoisted the sleep stuff suit case on her back and rolled the other, she made sure that she had her chargers to her laptop and cell then also had some reading material with her book light.
She locked her apartment door and headed to the bus stop, the clouds of the storm were rolling in when she went outside. She was about to go to the bus stop just outside of her complez when she heard a familiar voice.
"Oi, shrimp over here."
She looked around and saw him he was standing on a sidewalk waving at her.
'whats he doing here?' she thought to herself.
She ran over and all he said was; "you ready?"
She looked at him quizzically.
"Yes but what are you doing here Gajeel?"
"Master called me and said that you needed a ride but that you couldn't get a hold of me."
"I usually take the bus to work but I never said anything like that."
Gajeel glowered, "Well since I'm here might as well indulge."
He took the case she held on the ground and he tied it to the back of a motorcycle that was decorated with iron studs and a feather fan like design.
Her case was right on top of the same suitcase she saw in Base the first time she saw the room she walked over to the bike as he swung his leg over the front and started it up.
Then she remembered.
"Oh Gajeel the master told me to tell you that he couldn't get a hold of you but to tell you that your old partner was coming back."
Gajeel turned off his bike and looked at her with big eyes and a bit of a frown, but it quickly turned into a large smile and he said.
"YES, LILY HAS FINALLY COME BACK HOME"
Levy felt a pang in her chest and she felts the small buds of tears sting the side of her eyes. 'Lily huh?' she thought to herself.
Gajeel was to excited to notice Levy's change of mood, Levy went to the back of the bike she mounted and without thinking about it she snaked her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his back enjoying the warmth.
She didn't even care much when he wrapped his hands around her knees pulling her closer to him, which caused her whole body to spoon him.
Gajeel excitedly started up his bike once again as he zoomed out of Levy's apartment complex.
Levy watched the world pass her by thinking back to the name Lily, it was Lilies she had in her bouquet on their first date and on her wedding day it had become her favorite flower until it was a girl named Lilly she called her best friend for many years that had stolen him and his first child from her.
'Please let it be another Lily?' She silently prayed in hope.
Gajeel wanted to get to the house as fast as he could he missed his best friend.
When they finally arrived he undid the bags and raced in as Levy was still dismounting and straightening her dress and using her long sleeve to brush the tears from her face and eyes.
When she arrived at Base what she saw it put her mind at ease Gajeel was gently pushing and rough housing with a man the same height as him he wore green baggy pants stuffed into black combat boots, a black skin tight shirt with long sleeves that only went down the mid-forearm and a cut short sleeve open zipped camouflage/cargo shirt, black wrist bands and his army dog tags hanging around his neck.
His olive skin would make him invisible to see and easy person to scare unsuspecting customers, he had a still healing scar over his left eye and a mature, caring, and mocking smile on his face his black buzzed hair growing out with sideburns cascading down and thinned out before it hit his chin and a small gold earring hoop dangled from his left ear.
Levy walked and took off her other suitcase setting it by the others by the door.
The man looked right at Levy and smiled and she gave him a sweet smile back even though her insides were telling her that she didn't want to smile.
"Hi I'm Levy."
The man held out his big hand that looked the same size as Gajeels.
"Pantherlily, but everyone just calls me Lily or Lil''
"Nice to meet you"
"Same to you miss Levy I cant wait to work with you."
Levy, Lily and Gajeel all wen tout to the Library to work while they talked about themselves.
Levy learned that Gajeel and Lily have been best friends since they were small rebellious boys Gajeel was the rebel and Lily kept him in line.
They talked all day but it was always about them Levy only gave short answers and quickly retaliated with another question about them.
Finally at the end of the day it was almost 11 o'clock and the storm was starting to grow into a full on lightening storm so it would be easier to be at Base if the lights went out.
They all took turns in the bathroom changing and with determination she insisted to Lily that she would take the floor in between the couches.
Gajeel only wore a pair of black work out shorts that reached his knees, his hair glistening from the shower, Lily wore a baggy gray shirt and black work out shorts as well his skin was steaming from his shower.
Levy was last so that she could take her time just like a woman, the water and noise hiding her gentle sobs. After she was done she wore her orange and blue plaid PJ pants and a blue baggy shirt that had an orange cat on the front.
When she went out the guys were in their beds chatting about Lily's time in the war Levy just read her book while they spoke and after an hour they wished her good night and both went to sleep she also laid down and shut her eyes but after an hour she was still wide awake.
She looked over at the guys both had tossed in their beds obviously used to sleeping there, she slowly got up slipped on her warm fuzzy tan boots a white sweater, her computer and a flash light.
She turned the flashlight on low to find the button to the door and as soon as it was closed behind her she turned it up higher and followed her memory toward the dead end that was farthest from the base it was undecorated for now and it was the perfect place for her.
She set the flash light down on a bookshelf maneuvering it to where it would light up the end aisle she set up her computer to where its projector would hit the wall and then she started the slide show it was pictures of her and her best friend Lilly, then her and her EX an some pictures that were taken before the wedding and of her in her dress holding her bouquet of lillies.
She sat on the ground clutching her knees watching then finally landing on the card she got from Lilly 3 months ago it was them on an island her large belly growing a sonogram right next to it and below it was Lilly's handwriting saying "Wish you Were Here, Miss & Love you From Lilly"
Levy buried her head in her knees and roughly shut her laptop shutting off the slide show.
Then along with a quick flash of thunder and lightening she let out a loud sob camouflaged by the thunder.
She laid on the dirty floor her hand covering her eyes and the other holding her waist, "of all names it had to be Lily"
She hated herself for not liking his nickname but hated that life could be so cruel to her.
She stood up wiping off the dust and she spent all night in that corner banging on the bookshelves in slight anger she was too tired to stay awake, to sad to sleep.
Finally she swallowed her tears and let her eyes rest the heat subsided, the swelling went down and her face dried up. She gathered up her stuff and headed back to base, when she got the both of them had tossed in their sleep again since she has been gone.
She quietly slipped in put her things away and went back into her sleeping bag, she didn't fall asleep but she did rest for an hour until the alarm clock went off and it was time to get up for work.
The guys were zombies in the morning but after coffee, some stretches, and a bit of breakfast they were ready to go.
But ever since they both looked at her for the first time today she had her smile on and some water splashes on her face along with some concealer hid the tired sad bags under her eyes.
But what Levy didn't know was that the guys really were morning people.
Just before levy was about to go change after Lily he warned her.
"Hey you should wear shorts or pants today."
She looked at him in slight shock.
"What for Lil'?"
"You have your first flying practice today Halloween is in a month and you need to be ready and I wont take no or don't feel like it for an answer I wasn't captain of my platoon in the army for nothing."
Levy smiled and laughed even though she really didn't find it funny but her smart mind told her it might get her thoughts away from her future Godchild.
Levy wore an orange spaghetti strap with a blue short sleeve vest, white capris pants and blue ankle high hipster shoes.
When they got up to the take off point Lily worked on the rope as Gajeel helped her with her harness he held it open as she stepped in and pulled it up making sure each strap was where is was suppose to be and secured nice and tight careful not to hurt her.
"Your ghost costume has presewn holes through it so the harness will go under it"
Gajeel said.
"Thank you" Levy replied.
Lily came over then Gajeel and Lily hooked up her wires to her hips, Levy felt somewhat embarrassed she felt like she was in kinky bondage.
They started off with a simple test, pushing a blue button and a small remote control Levy was lifted four inches from the ground where they stood and they seemed to be sturdy.
Pressing the red button made her go down, so now they were gonna try a take off and land over the aisle to the next bookshelf, Levy took a stance one foot close to the edge and the other behind her on the toe ready to push off.
Then she took off soaring over the aisle and landed not so gracefully on the next aisle, Levy felt great she so free with her flying.
After a few more tests she was ready to try her routine entrance flight she would take off from where they were flying with holographic ghosts then when she came into view of the group of customers she would fly down and land in front of them.
Levy was a little nervous but also excited, she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her as she took off doing her best with the remote attached to her hand and felt awesome to soar forwards and land on the bright pink X on the floor.
She spent the day going over her flight patterns Lily was tough with his teachings of gracefulness and constant advice of how to do things better. Then during lunch she ate small amounts to stay light on her feet she doesn't usually eat much anyway but Lily was watching her to make sure she didn't eat a lot.
Actually she ate more then what she usually ate for lunch, but she continued to fly and got better each time.
After the long day it was finally 10 pm again, Lily removed the wires from her hips and hooked them back into safety on the wall, while Gajeel helped Levy with the harness, after each buckle he undid her fingernails grazed over the spot scratching them then she put her hands on Gajeels shoulders while she stepped out of the leg holes.
They all headed back to the base Gajeel and Lily were side-by-side chatting while Levy trailed behind her short legs not really able to keep up with their longs ones.
After dinner they all watched TV while taking their turns with the bathroom and after a while they all went to bed except for Levy she waited once again for an hour to make sure they were asleep before she put on her boots, sweater, gathered up her flashlight and a water bottle.
She slipped out quietly just like last night and went back into her corner far from the base so as not to wake up Gajeel or Lily, she set the flashlight pointing against the wall.
Today she didn't even need her computer her tears began to flow as soon as she released them she sat against a bookshelf her legs out in front of her one was bent and one was straight. Her right hand was on her right eye and her left hand was holding her head on the left side.
Her tear flowed all night and only stopped because she forced them to it was an hour before wake up and she needed to head back.
She was always a little glad to see the guys still fast asleep on the couches when she got back and as she laid in her sleeping bag with her eyes shut she thought to herself about how much she missed sleep.
