AN: *Gasp* Two chapters in one day. You lucky reviewers talked me into it. Actually, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to update tomorrow, so here's tomorrow's chapter in case I can't. If I can then yay you guys will get an extra chapter.

Yes Gajeel is a bum pain, but a sweet one. Don't hate me too much for this chapter guys!

Levy paused half-way between Gajeel's house and the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. She started the walk full of fire, determined to talk to Gajeel, maybe even ask him out, but as she walked and thought about what she was doing she had slowed. Now she was standing completely still in the park, wondering what could have ever made her decide that she could ask him on a date. She flushed, embarrassed and surprised by her boldness. This wasn't like her, she knew.

What am I doing? She thought to herself, looking around. This isn't me at all. I don't ask guys out. I don't even really notice guys.

That was true. Levy could count on one hand the number of guys who had asked her out - not counting Jet and Droy of course. It took even less fingers to count the number of times she had accepted. Not that she didn't like guys, because she did. She just didn't have the time or inclination to go on dates with any of them. Not until she had noticed Gajeel, that is.

She wasn't even sure when she started to care for him. Definitely not when they first met, because being crucified to a tree does not say sexy at all. In fact, when he had first join Fairy Tail, after her guild mates had destroyed Phantom Lord, she had been terrified. She had been certain that the Master had his reasons for allowing Gajeel and Juvia to join, but she was still scared.

Then he had saved her from Laxus. That was when she had forgiven him. He had hurt himself to keep her alive and someone doesn't do that unless they've changed.

Levy sat down on a bench, still pondering what she was doing and why. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the group that was starting to surround her until it was too late.

Jet and Droy had taken a different route toward the Guild, or maybe they would have noticed their teammate's distress and maybe they could have helped her. However, Fate was not kind to them that day and they reached the hall being none the wiser of Levy's predicament.

"Levy!" They called, throwing open the doors, fully expecting to see their favorite female still sitting at the bar.

"She left you guys," Lucy called from where she was watching another argument between Gray and Natsu.

They looked at each other in surprise. Normally Levy spent a few hours at the guild, catching up with everyone, before going home or to the library. They hadn't been gone that long.

"Where did she go?" Jet asked as Droy helped himself to the first of many plates of food.

Lucy shrugged, "She just said that she had something she needed to take care."

There was no way Lucy was going to tell those two where Levy had gone. Sure, they cared for Levy, were her best friends in all reality, but Lucy knew that if she told them she had gone to ask Gajeel on a date they would be racing after her to stop her. Lucy was not going to let that happen, Levy deserved a little happiness after all. Lucy would wish later that she had told the boys the truth.

Gajeel was walking back toward the guild, trying to clear his head and convince himself that he wasn't going back to see Levy, when he heard her voice. For a moment he didn't think anything of it. After all, he was near the park and knew that she often spent nicer days there. Then her voice wafted toward him.

"I said leave me alone!"

He started moving in her direction as his eyes scanned the park for the head of blue curls he knew so well. Gajeel knew that Levy could handle herself, but she was so small that he always felt the need to protect her anyway. Though he wouldn't admit it, he had felt like that since he'd hung her from that tree all that time ago. She's seemed so small then and it had bothered him that he was hurting someone so seemingly defenseless. Like hurting a child or puppy almost. When Makarov had taken him into Fairy Tail he had silently vowed to protect the small woman.

Gajeel was moving at a steady pace, not overly worried, but still concerned. Then he heard her scream. Gajeel broke into a full run at that, arriving just in time to watch a small figure fall to the ground. He couldn't tell whether it was from pain or exhaustion and didn't care. A growl erupted from him as he turned on the men surrounding her, glaring threateningly, his aura turning black as anger burned through him.

The crowd quickly dispersed, trying to get away from the dangerous man as he stared at the woman of his affections crumpled on the ground. The man closest to him was not fortune however as Gajeel grabbed him by his collar and, without looking at him, demanded to know who hired them to hurt Levy.

"N-Nobody," The man stammered. "She was small and alone and we thought she would be good for a little fun is all."

Gajeel growled angrily, "Wrong answer."

The man quickly saw black after that as Gajeel punched him as hard as he could before turning back to the small bluenette.

"Levy," He said, gruffly, crouching at her side. "Please, get up."

One beautiful hazel eye opened, looking at him sadly.

"Gajeel?" She asked, before passing out.

"Hang in there Shrimp," Gajeel said softly as he scooped her up in his arms and broke out into a run for the guild, her head cradled against his shoulder.