AN: Hiro Mashima is the one who decides the adventures of Fairy Tail.

Ok, ok! XD Well, it's Thursday so I have another chapter for you! ^_^

Ice and Thunder, cool! XD I learned German O:) Started in the fifth year of primary school until the end of the fifth year of high school XD I like languages but the only other one they offered was French in third year for two years, and French is beyond me...it took me years to learn to count to ten! :P But now I can say I can count to ten in four languages XD Thanks! XD Yeah, I read the stories for the stories and basically go 'oh right, there's a lemon', read through it and forget it happened (or remember the story specifically to embarrass my friend by reading it out loud to him 3;) ). I'm not really in the habit of writing them, but it seemed appropriate so I gave it a go O:) Hope you enjoy this next chapter, and I hope you enjoy the Bixanna one-shot this weekend! XD And if you're not reading 'Christmas at the Dreyar's', then Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year! I'll be back in the New Year with GaLe to start! ^_^ I may start having 3 posting days, but the days will be changing – Thursday won't work next year :P

Shizuka23,hehe thank you! XD Ice and Thunder's message is not an example of what's coming! XD Thank you so much! That's actually really helpful! I've never tried to read fanficion on my phone, so I hadn't thought about it...thank you! I type it up on Word and it looks 'normal', and I sometimes found that it gets really spread out when I actually uploaded it, but it hadn't occurred to me it would look different on a phone too! So thank you! XD I hope this chapter is more readable! And thank you...you have no idea how many times a chapter gets reread to check for any of my stupid mistakes! O:)

'Guest', yeah...I felt bad writing that bit, but I did like Gajeel's note! XD Hope you like this next chapter and it meets your expectations! ^_^

This Sunday will be a Bixanna one-shot! XD And next week will be the start of posting 'Christmas at the Dreyar's', the sequel to 'Redeeming Lucy' that takes place after the first part of the last chapter, so basically it's the first Christmas dinner after their eventful few months ^_^ It's about Laxus and Gajeel setting things in their family right, spurred on by the presence of their new family members! ^_^ If you're not reading either and you don't read my One Piece fanfics, Merry Christmas and have a happy New Year! I'll be back in the New Year with a GaLe one-shot and a new GaLe story called 'Conceit and Crudity' ^_^

Here's the final chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

(Look up 'Gajeel and Levy seven years later' by 'nanakosenpai', you'll understand when you read on! It provided a little inspiration considering they're going to change at least a little as they get older O:) )

Chapter Four – Drinking Wine Together

It would be fairly safe to say that that was the moment I started hating him. I'd shown Lucy the note the second she arrived and I told her everything; more angry now than upset. As always, I had been the easy target. He'd stolen my food in high school because I was an easy target. He'd made fun of me at the cafe because I'd been an easy target. He'd picked me up in the club and had sex with me in my own bed...because I'd been an easy target. I think poor Lucy felt responsible for what had happened, but I guess I'd just always never really been able to say 'no' to him.

I'd attempted to in the cafe and that had just resulted in him teasing me more. And even if I was his 'easy target', can I just say that, no, I'm not about to come out with "and then I found out I was pregnant and we lived happily ever after, after I got past my hatred of him". No, I wasn't pregnant, and at least this time I really wouldn't see him again...at least not for another couple of years. I'd been glad the next morning when it had been snowing outside. He'd covered my body in bruises and I'd had to cover as much of myself as possible before heading to university the next morning.

It was just after I'd bought my house on the nice side of town, amongst the adorable young families, that I met him again. I was twenty-eight and a successful language tutor. In fact, it was from one of my clients that I bought my new house. I actually tutored some of the adults and their kids in the local area. I'd been in my new house for about three months when my neighbour told me that they'd hired a "Mr. Redfox" to come do a loft conversion for them. They needed the extra space as an office since their eldest child now needed a room to herself, which meant turning the office into a small bedroom and the loft into an office. I didn't think anymore of it until I went around to theirs to invite them for dinner. I had thought it would be a good idea, since there was work being done in their house.

I walked in the door and was met with a huge smile as one of my students ran off to fetch his mother. A tall man walked in through the door behind me and passed me with a large bundle of new floorboards, blocking off the upper half of his body and head from sight. What caught my eye were the four silver studs running up his forearm. I shook my head to rid myself of the idea that had crossed my mind, noticing the large tattoo on his upper arm and shortish black hair as he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs that he had just effortlessly walked up. Gajeel didn't have any tattoos. Well, none that I had noticed and I definitely would have noticed one on his arm...but it had been nine years since I had last seen him – knowing him, he'd certainly have more piercings by now!

We were sitting around my dining table eating my homemade lasagne when the builder was next mentioned.

"Our builder is such a lovely man! He looks a little rough on the outside but my husband knows him from the gym. He's got a great sense of humour too! I was almost tempted to bring him round for dinner with us! I left him a plate of macaroni cheese left from last night – he wouldn't eat if I didn't leave him anything! How he got to be so big and strong I'll never know! He probably won't even leave until eight! He's up in that loft from eight am when I get the kids off to school until eight o'clock at night when I put them to bed! He's such a hard worker! You know, I bet he could fix that hole in your living room wall from when your bookcase fell over! You really do have too many books, Levy!" Mrs Olivia Williams ranted away to me while I smiled as I tried to decide if I should ask about his name.

"I know, but I do love my books! Remind me later to get you Lucy's trilogy that I promised to lend you! I have to ask, what do you mean by 'looks a little rough'? Sorry, I just have to know!" I tried to force enthusiasm while a horrible sense of dread built up in me.

By this point, nine years later, I wasn't upset like I had been when I'd realised Gajeel had just left me alone and naked on top of my bed. I wasn't angry like I had been when I'd read his note, even though his little laugh still echoed through my head as I heard his voice as if he'd read it to me. I didn't feel humiliated like I had when all my friends had found out what had happened – Juvia hadn't seemed all that surprised which had led me to feel slightly confused as well as humiliated. Now though, after nine years, I was just embarrassed. I was twenty-eight years old and I was embarrassed at the fact I'd gotten drunk enough to let someone, so much older than me, take advantage of me.

Since then, the closest I got to drinking was a glass or two of red wine with the girls – although that happened less and less as they got married and started having families. Lucy was the latest to get married. She'd gotten married last year and was currently carrying her and Natsu's first child. Twenty-eight years old, single and only one unmarried friend...and even she had a long term boyfriend; he just wasn't interested in getting married 'yet'. Sadly, I was yet to keep one for anything more than a few months. Apparently I prefer books to people too much.

"Oh, he really is lovely though! You really can't judge a book by its cover, but I guess you already know that! His face is covered in piercings! He has three above each eye, looks like eyebrows! Oh, and then there's the three down his nose and he even has his bottom lip pierced! Two little silver balls! Then of course there's his piercings on his forearms! He's got eight! In fact, I think I seen one on his tongue as well!" The sense of dread was building in me...it had to be Gajeel...he'd just added three new piercings to his nose and a tattoo to his arm. "He also has a tattoo, it kind of looks like a stylised bird, I guess? Maybe a wasp? I don't know! He also has these amazingly bright red eyes!-"

"-What did you say his name was again?" I couldn't hold back any longer.

"Oh, Mr. Redfox! He lets my husband and I just call him Gajeel though!" She smiled at me and I felt sick. I had to move. I had to move house before he saw me. Would he recognise me? How much have I changed?! I can't face him, not after what happened!

"Lev, are you ok? You've gone a little pale...?" Mr. Lucas Williams asked.

"Em, yeah, I'm fine...he just sounds like someone I knew from high school. My sixth year buddy, to be precise. It's nothing – it's probably just a coincidence!" I smiled back and the subject was instantly dropped.

Their loft conversion was finished in no time at all and I had managed to avoid him completely. I couldn't even be sure that it was him – I didn't know his last name, hell, he hadn't even told me his first name at any point! I'd learned that from the Music teacher on my first day of high school! Really, I didn't even know anything about him. He hadn't exactly made an effort to tell me about himself...he'd just focused all the attention on me. It was time to phone Juvia. Something had been bugging me since that day in fourth year when she'd been the one to answer my silent question by telling me his age. She must know him somehow!

So, here we were. We were sitting in a cafe across from a park in the middle of town. Juvia was planning to take her two kids to the park after their lunch together, little Luke and baby Adam sat in the seats next to us. Juvia was sitting feeding Adam his mushy orange baby food when I decided to start my attack – we'd been sitting having a general, animated catch up for the last hour and now it was a case of 'now or never'.

"Juvia, do you remember...Gajeel? You know, the guy that was my sixth year buddy?" I didn't add 'the guy that I got drunk and had sex with'.

"Of course! Juvia knew Gajeel at primary school before Juvia changed schools! Gajeel actually left for high school the same year as Juvia left for Fairy Tail Primary! Juvia still feels bad for getting Gajeel expelled though...Gajeel still talks to Juvia though! Gajeel is Adam's godfather!" My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what she was telling me! She'd not only known him this whole time, but had actually made him her youngest son's godfather? And what did she mean by 'getting him expelled'?!

"Juvia! What happened?!" I watched as her eyes turned away, a sad look in them.

"Juvia was getting bullied, and Gajeel found Juvia while the other kids were still there. Juvia had told Gajeel a few days before about the other kids...Gajeel beat the other kids up for Juvia...the other kids never bullied Juvia again but Gajeel got expelled..." I could see a look of guilt in her beautiful blue eyes and I felt bad for asking...especially considering where I was planning on leading this conversation...

"Juvia, why didn't you tell any of us? How did we never see the other kids? We were with you all the time, weren't we?" She looked back at me, clearly slightly confused.

"Only Juvia went to swimming club after school, everyone else went home. Juvia didn't want to worry everyone, so Juvia told Gajeel...Gajeel still looks out for Juvia when Juvia needs him, but Juvia has Gray now. Gajeel is all alone," if I felt guilty before, I felt worse now. She hadn't wanted to worry us so she had relied on the guy I'd spent the last nine years wishing to avoid.

"So, em, Gajeel...he's actually a nice guy?" I wanted to bury my head in shame...but he had taken advantage of me when I'd been drunk and then just left me...but he had said in the note that he hoped to meet me again...

Juvia was staring at me as if I'd gone crazy. All I'd done was ask if he was actually a nice guy! Then again, she had just told me that he got kicked out of high school for her...and that she'd made him the godfather of her child. Of course she was looking at me as if I was crazy! Although, nothing could have prepared me for what she had said next.

"But Levy, Juvia doesn't understand why Levy has to ask that? Gajeel has been looking out for Levy too, Juvia thought Levy knew! Gajeel stopped Sting from making fun of Levy, and then Gajeel scared away the creepy man that was staring at Levy and Lucy in the cafe! Then Gajeel took Levy home to get Levy away from the man that had been watching Levy all night at the club. Gajeel had glared at the man and made out with Levy to make the guy think Levy was with Gajeel. Gajeel even managed to scare himself though with what happened when Gajeel had gotten Levy home...Gajeel told Juvia that Gajeel hadn't meant it to go that far, and that Gajeel certainly wouldn't have if Gajeel had known Levy was a virgin. Juvia thought Levy had known the whole time, but Juvia didn't know if Juvia should tell Levy or not about how terrible Gajeel felt about that night...Gajeel had been very upset with himself!" I stared at her, jaw more than likely hitting the floor, not even thinking about being embarrassed by the 'virgin' bit.

Had he told Juvia those things, knowing that I'd eventually ask? I could always ask Sting if he'd been warned about not bullying me...he had bullied me a little considering I was small and a bookworm, but it could have been a lot worse and he certainly hadn't in those first couple of weeks. There was no way of knowing if he had been telling the truth about the man in the cafe...but I guess to an onlooker, seeing my flustered reaction to Gajeel, and hearing Lucy's frantic questions, they'd probably thought I was into older 'bad boys'. There had been plenty of creepy guys in the club that night, so I guess that was as likely as any other story. I apologised to Juvia, explaining I hadn't known anything and asked for his number to call him, telling her it was so that I could thank him.

That was how he ended up sitting at my breakfast bar on the Saturday morning, only a week after I'd spoken to Juvia. There is, however, something which I guess may need answered; how many piercings did he add in the space of nine years? Well, including the ones on his nose, I'll tell you ten, plus his tattoo of a stylised fierce fairy on his arm, but I'll not tell you where the other piercings are – I'll let your imagination work that one out. I asked him so he showed me, I'll tell you that much!

I'm sad to say that, no, I didn't invite him around for breakfast, I invited him for dinner. We had blueberry muffins for pudding, which, as much as he enjoyed his two, made him feel even more awkward about what happened considering the fact that it reminded him that I'd been a first year when we'd first met, and he'd been the big scary sixth year with the long black hair, pierced lip and red eyes.

I got a bottle of red wine out of the cupboard and poured him a glass. I reminded him that he was just a thirty-four year old man sitting across from a twenty-eight year old woman. I didn't quite know at the time why I'd went through the effort of pointing that out to him, but he relaxed again after that and we chatted away, slowly getting closer to each other until we decided to sit on the sofa with our wine to watch a film. I somehow ended up curled into him halfway through the film and one thing led to another, and here we are sitting around my breakfast bar – no note left beside my clock, but a happily grinning guy ready to kiss me at the slightest whim.

Lucas and Olivia were very pleased with their new neighbour, and I was pleased with my adorable new cat. Gajeel surprised me when I asked him if he wanted to move in with me – a year later by the way – and he warned me that he had a cat called Pantherlily. Like I said, I was pleased with my adorable new cat. My boyfriend as well, but the cat takes less looking after!

So here we are again. I have a strange, pierced and tattooed man standing beside me, holding my hand as I push as hard as I can while I scream at him. We've been married for two years and I am lying in a hospital bed having his baby. Who'd have thought I'd end up marrying my sixth year buddy? My name is Levy Redfox, and I'm thirty-three years old. Standing beside me is the most caring man I have ever met, and neither of us even care that he's thirty-nine. Age is just a number, and today, a more important thing was happening than anything a silly little number could put between us, something even words struggled to sum up.

We were having a baby; our first child.

Yonde kurete arigatō, min'na!