And here's the final chapter of the main story! Thank you guys for sticking with me so much! And I promise I won't forget you guys, you've really helped me through a rough period^^ You'll definitely be in my thoughts and prayers. And, as a bonus, I'm adding an entire omake chapter to this fic, just like I did last time, look forward to it!


It Falls Apart

Chapter 8: Wanted

It was the most horrifying thing Gajeel had ever seen. It went like circles around the father and daughter, spreading out like a wave that pulled everything around them into it. The guild, so tough and sturdy was being sucked in, walls starting to crumble, signs and poles shaking loose and falling to the ground. The earth beneath their feet shuddered with the release of magical power.

He had no choice. He jumped straight in, his arm turning into a metal pole and slamming hard into Aku's head. It shoved the nightmare mage to the ground, knocking him out, perhaps even killing him. It was hard to control his strength with all the nightmares trying to sneak into his head.

They stopped the moment Aku was unconscious and Gildartz' power halted, the older man gaining control rapidly. It was only Tanya who was still screaming. The power around her wasn't nearly as strong as her father's had been, but it was still enough to do far more damage than Gajeel felt like fixing. He let out a curse and used his dragon scale magic before racing in to grab her.

"Tanya!" he bellowed right in her face. "Get it together, you pain in the ass!"

It didn't seem to reach her. He shook her hard, wondering what in the hell she had seen that would make her react like this. "Come on, kid, get it together!" he bellowed. "You're not there anymore! Levy wants to see you!"

The screaming grew quieter and slowly the power stopped as her black eyes gained their focus. "Le-Levy?" she whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Yeah. You wanna see her, too, right?" Gajeel asked, calming down. It was astonishing how much power the tiny bookworm had. He would never tell her about it, of course, especially not that he was positive the same trick would work on him. "Levy's waiting for you. And all you're doin' is making a mess."

She nodded, looking around slowly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll clean it up, I promise."

"Sure you will," he agreed. "I'll make sure you do. Otherwise the Master will make me do it."

"I wanted to meet Gildartz," Tanya explained.

Gajeel turned, looking at the massive man who was examining the area around them. After a long moment he looked over at Tanya, frowning slightly. "I think..."

"Yeah," Gajeel said. "Meet your kid, Mary Sue-"

"My name is NOT Mary Sue!" Tanya bellowed. "Wait-kid?" She looked up at Gildartz. "What do you-"

"What's your name?" Gildartz asked.

"Ta-Tanya."

"Well Ta-Tanya-"

"We already got a Titanya, pick a different name," Gajeel told her.

"My name is Tanya! Not Titanya!"

"We need you to teach her," Gajeel said, shoving Tanya towards Gildartz. "Nobody else that we know of can."

"Yeah..." Gildartz said with a stunned expression. "Yeah, that makes sense."

This was where there was supposed to be a sudden rush of father daughter love, but the two just stood there, looking at each other hesitantly. Then again, Gajeel thought, it wasn't his business anymore. He looked down at Aku's unconscious body then looked up at the guild, eying the destruction thoughtfully. It hadn't gotten to where Levy was, and he wasn't worried about Lily, so he grabbed Aku, hauling him over his shoulder and walking away.

"Gajeel?" Tanya asked, sounding abandoned.

"Got a delivery to make," he said. "Go check on Levy!"

"Okay!" Tanya said, glancing at Gildartz one last time before rushing inside. Gildartz glanced over at Gajeel, looking strangely lost.

"Are you sure?"

"Nope," Gajeel said shrugging. "I try not to think of old guys having kids." He shuddered, his mind going right back to where he didn't ever want to go again.

"I've got a kid?" Gildartz said to himself as Gajeel left. "What do you do with a kid, anyway?"


"Um, Pantherlily?" Shagotte said quietly. The massive black wall of his chest was staring her right in the face. In fact, the Exceed's large form was blocking out all light entirely. "Do you think it's over yet?"

For a long moment he didn't move. She could hear his steady heartbeat, feel it, even, and it was a very disconcerting feeling. "Yeah," he said finally, poofing back into his smaller form. "My apologies, Queen. I should have warned you first."

"No, it's fine," she said, blushing slightly. "I didn't realize what was going on at first-you have a very exciting lifestyle in this guild, don't you? Does this happen often?"

"Not that I know of." He helped her to her feet, looking remarkably calm for what had just happened. "I'm thinking Gildartz got back, though. So you were going to ask me something?"

"I, oh, yes, I already asked your partner," she admitted. "He said it would be up to you. I was wondering, though, if you could look for-"

"For the children," he said. "I already have been. I cover a lot more ground than you do, and I figured that if I saw one I would send word to you. Unfortunately I have yet to find one."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "I only just thought to ask, yet you'd already thought of it. You are far more capable than I am."

"No, Queen. You've done an excellent job on the Earthland. I'm impressed. This is just a small thing that I can do compared to all that you do for our people."

"Um, Lily?" Tanya called, making Pantherlily glance up. "Is Levy okay?"

"She's fine, the wreckage didn't get this far," Lily said with a crooked smile.

"Good," she said, glancing at Shagotte for a second curiously. "Hi," she added, waving at the white Exceed before rushing past them for Levy's room. A few seconds later Gildartz walked towards them, a slight frown.

"Did you see-"

"She went that way," Lily said, pointing towards Levy's room.

"Thanks." He walked past them, and Shagotte felt even more awkward.

"It's not a very good place for a private conversation," Lily said in excuse. "But if that's what you wanted to ask me, don't worry about it."

"Thank you, Pantherlily," she said. "I don't deserve all the things you've done for me-"

"Don't worry about it," he repeated. "You need to get back to your people now, and I need to help put this place back together."

In other words, he was politely telling her to leave, she thought with a hint of bittersweet amusement. This was his world, and she had her own. Before she could say anything, though, he laid a paw on her shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes.

"When you need something from me," he told her, "I'll do my very best to supply it, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. You know that."

"Thank you," she whispered, flushing slightly. That-that had been the most romantic statement she had ever been given. He hadn't mentioned the word "Queen" anywhere in the sentence, he had used the word "you." "Lily," she added, using the nickname he seemed to go by here.

He gave her a crooked smile; then turned, heading off to work on his guild.


"So?" Ivan asked as Gajeel walked into the room. "Did you get the girl?"

"No," Gajeel growled, tossing Aku onto the ground. "This idiot got in the way. She wound up joining Fairy Tail and meeting her old man all at the same time."

"Aku did? I should have known," Ivan said, looking down at the fallen mage with a hint of disgust. "Well, keep an eye on her. The last thing we want is for her to become a problem like her father is."

"Ah," Gajeel agreed. "But I can't touch her, not now."

"At least, not in a way people can trace back to you," Ivan said. "We'll figure out something. Don't worry."

"I need to get back. If I'm missing too long they might start wondering," Gajeel said rather than reply to that.

"Gajeel," Ivan said. "I can't seem to help noticing the round indent in Aku's face."

Gajeel didn't even hesitate. "I'm just doing my job, Master Ivan." Then he was gone, leaving Ivan to contemplate what had just happened. It really was a shame that Aku had the memory problem he did, he thought as he kicked the unconscious mage out of his way. He wouldn't find out anything through him.


Days passed, and Tanya was put to work hauling as many boards as she could to put the destruction she and Gildartz had caused back together. She dropped down on the steps at lunch time, grabbing her bottle of water and pouring it over her head.

"Hungry?" Gildartz asked as he dropped down next to her, offering her a bento. She took it, giving him a shy smile as she pulled it open and grabbed her chopsticks. "I heard you have a thing for Levy McGarden."

Heat rushed to her cheeks and she choked on the rice she was eating. "It's not like that!" she protested, not noticing the wicked grin on his face. "I just-I like her. She's really awesome, you know? And she-she's always so nice to me," she added, still bright red. "Did Gajeel tell you that?" she demanded.

"Nah," he said. He looked up, watching where Gajeel and Levy were working together. "You mind that thing that's between those two?"

She followed his line of sight, smiling slightly as Gajeel yelled at Levy and Levy laughed in his face. "Why should I?" she asked. "Although I still say she could do better." She grunted as he reached up, ruffling her hair roughly. His hands were huge, she thought, looking up at him through her lashes. Just like hers.

"I figured after we're done here I'd take you on a training journey," he said. "We can go look for those flying cats like that one friend of yours."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "But we'll still come back, right?"

"Of course. This is our guild."

She went silent, chewing on her bottom lip for a long moment. "Do I-should I call you 'Dad?'" she asked.

"Only if you want to," he said. "Or 'old man' if it's more comfortable."

"Okay." She would tell him about Nellie, and he would tell her why he had a fake arm and leg. But not yet. They had plenty of time for things like that.

A tiny smile pulled at her lips as she looked down at her too large hands. Nellie, she thought, thank you.